The Hawks 'Bar & Grille'

[Henry Hawk]

Thanks guys!   

[Locutus]

NOPE!     (maybe the will sandbag until next week...) 
well, maybe......

I'm gonna try REAL hard to be a good boy ALL week.   

Yeah, with that kind of ruling, they're going to make sure they have all of their ducks in a row.  I'm thinking it's not going to be this week either, but they could still surprise us. 

[libby]

Congratulations to the two of you 

[Henry Hawk]

Congratulations to the two of you 

Thank ya Libby!

[The Troll]

I'm blowing the dust off the bar, and opening it up........the Bird is celebrating his 29th anniversary to Mrs Hawk. 
Going to open a bottle of my best bubbly...

she gave me five fantastic kids and has been my best friend for over 30 years.....I am a very blessed man.


NOT going to talk politics this week. 

  What expensive and fine gift did you get her for living with and putting up with you for 29 years.      A new iron, electric sweeper, a new cook stove or a new electric clothes washer and electric dryer so she won't have to wash on the wash board in a tub and hang out the wash on the clothes lines in your back yard.   

[The Troll]

  Many years ago when Indiana was being invaded with hillbillies from the South looking to take out jobs, instead of Mexican we have how.

  A friend and I were sitting in the Three Pigs in Anderson having a meal and drinking a beer.  In the next booth a couple of Kentuckians were talking what you would really like. 

  One said that he would like to have about 40 acres in Kentucky, a tobacco base, fish all summer and hunt all winter.  But you know you can't find a woman that wants that.  The other one spoke up and said, yep, they want electricity, gas stove, washer and dryers,  yep they want all the finer things in life. 

  This story is true and every time I think of it, for some reason I think of you.  You know like being cheap.   

[Henry Hawk]

Troll,
Not that it is any of your business, but my wife and I have got along GREAT for 29 years because neither of us are about ourselves, but about our family.  Our kids are first and foremost.  We are planning a nice vacation WITH the entire family this fall, we are getting a dog, and planning on getting a pool.  So the wife and I, went out for a nice steak dinner...and that is it.
We would rather spend our hard earned money on things for the family instead of jewerly or flowers and such.

Don't get me wrong...she still has some nice jewerly and such, but is not a "high-mantainecne" woman....

Funny, when I think of you, I think of cousin Eddy on the "Vacation" movies with Chevy Chase.   

[The Troll]

Troll,
Not that it is any of your business, but my wife and I have got along GREAT for 29 years because neither of us are about ourselves, but about our family.  Our kids are first and foremost.  We are planning a nice vacation WITH the entire family this fall, we are getting a dog, and planning on getting a pool.  So the wife and I, went out for a nice steak dinner...and that is it.
We would rather spend our hard earned money on things for the family instead of jewerly or flowers and such.

Don't get me wrong...she still has some nice jewerly and such, but is not a "high-mantainecne" woman....

Funny, when I think of you, I think of cousin Eddy on the "Vacation" movies with Chevy Chase.   

  If you're going to get a pool, I want to get you some advice.  Don't get one that is buried in your yard.  Get above ground pool.  I had a 28 foot round pool, 28 thousand gallon pool with all of the goodies.  A good filter, a robot pool cleaner, heater.  Had it for 7 years.  After all of that time of the trees leaves, rain off the trees turning the pool a bright green, chemicals, the cost of gas and the kid growing up and leaving,  I got rid of the pool.  I gave it to a family and they picked it up and enjoyed in for many years.

  Also with a above ground pool, if it is done right you don't have to put a fence around your yard or the pool.  It was fun for a little while.  I sure would not have another one.  Done that and did that.     If we go want to go swimming, I get out the boat. 

[Henry Hawk]

  If you're going to get a pool, I want to get you some advice.  Don't get one that is buried in your yard.  Get above ground pool.  I had a 28 foot round pool, 28 thousand gallon pool with all of the goodies.  A good filter, a robot pool cleaner, heater.  Had it for 7 years.  After all of that time of the trees leaves, rain off the trees turning the pool a bright green, chemicals, the cost of gas and the kid growing up and leaving,  I got rid of the pool.  I gave it to a family and they picked it up and enjoyed in for many years.

  Also with a above ground pool, if it is done right you don't have to put a fence around your yard or the pool.  It was fun for a little while.  I sure would not have another one.  Done that and did that.     If we go want to go swimming, I get out the boat. 

Exactly, and good advice!

We had a cheap throw away pool last year, just to see if the kids would use it.  They did, and loved it.  I think I may hold off until this winter and take advantage of a sale from Watsons....I want to build a deck and do some major landscaping in my back yard.  I heard the most import thing is a good filtering system.  Do you agree?

[Bo D]

I have an inground pool - 16 x 32. I spend practically nothing on chemicals and the water is beautiful.

I have an AutoPilot chlorinator system. It makes chlorine from the salt in the pool water. I have to add about 100 lbs of salt in the spring (total cost about $25) I adjust the chlorine level at the 'computer' on the wall that controls the system.

I have a Polaris pool vacuum, so when I need to clean the bottom, I just flip a switch on the wall and the little robot crawls along the bottom sucking up stuff into his bag - it doesn't go into the filter.

Speaking of filters, you can't beat DE filters!

I admit that these will add a bit to the cost of the pool, but I wouldn't have a pool without them. And I have had my pool since 1986.

[Henry Hawk]

Thanks Olias, all good food for thought.......I am going to have to get very serious about this soon.  I may stick another cheapo up for one more year and do it right next spring.  My 11 year olds are not too picky.  But to get my wife and other kids in, I got to shell out some cash and do it right.

thanks, 

[Bo D]

If you're planning on doing it right, the most important thing you can do is develop a relationship with a pool service company you can trust. You will need lots of advice and you need to feel comfortable that you aren't being ripped off. You will have to educate yourself on pool chemistry.

You will need to get your pool water tested a few times a year, and if you follow their instructions explicitly, you will have a trouble-free pool.

Did you know that if you can smell chlorine in your pool, it means you don't have enough free chlorine, not too much?

Did you know that if someone complains of eye irratation, it isn't the chlorine, it's the pH?

And don't forget alkalinity, calcium hardness, and stablizer .....

[Henry Hawk]

If you're planning on doing it right, the most important thing you can do is develop a relationship with a pool service company you can trust. You will need lots of advice and you need to feel comfortable that you aren't being ripped off. You will have to educate yourself on pool chemistry.

You will need to get your pool water tested a few times a year, and if you follow their instructions explicitly, you will have a trouble-free pool.

Did you know that if you can smell chlorine in your pool, it means you don't have enough free chlorine, not too much?

Did you know that if someone complains of eye irratation, it isn't the chlorine, it's the pH?

And don't forget alkalinity, calcium hardness, and stablizer .....

I got a small taste of this last year, trying to keep the little 12' cheapo pool I had.  It was like taking Chemistry all over again.

Again, good advice.  I want someone to lean on and do this right.  I do NOT want to be spending my entire summer doing chemistry tests.  It has GOT to be fairly simple or I will not do it.  I don't have the time or patience to mess with it too much.

I have a co-worker who has a nice pool, I need to spend some time talking to him too.

Thanks Olias

[Bo D]

I have a co-worker who has a nice pool, I need to spend some time talking to him too.

That's the best thing you could possibly do.

[Bo D]

I do NOT want to be spending my entire summer doing chemistry tests.  It has GOT to be fairly simple or I will not do it.  I don't have the time or patience to mess with it too much.

That's why I LOVE my salt water pool with the AutoPilot http://www.autopilot.com/

I still have to check the water every couple of days for chlorine and pH levels. Weather and swimming loads will affect chlorine demand and rain will mess up your pH. But at least after your spring tune-up, all you should ever have to buy is a pH adjuster. Really easy!