The problem with overachieving

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pond-2016JulyPonds are fun. Frogs, water lilies, and fish – what’s not to like?

There are a few chores. Most involve cleaning in the spring and prepping for winter in the fall.

In between I backwash the filter weekly (about 5 minutes of work) and once a month, I go in to clip off the dead foliage and feed the water lilies.

Many people don’t do that but I am an overachiever.

This year I have been especially lazy. Going into the pond means putting on my chest-high waders (no way I’m going in there without protection! Everything poops in there!).

My old cat peed in my waders several years ago. Most of the odor has dissipated (and yes, I used all kinds of things to wash them out!) but climbing into a wader with a slight cat pee odor doesn’t excite me.

However, it’s more tolerable than paying another $100 for waders I wear about 5 times a year.

I need to put a 2x4x8 board across the pond. The lining is slippery. I’m old and unbalanced (not only in my mind but my body too). I think of it as my pond walker.

Very carefully I ease myself down into the 28 inches of fish poop water. Sometimes I forget to put a tool I need in easy reach. (Who am I kidding? All the time. I lost a screwdriver once in the water. Took a year to find!)

As soon as the beloved husband sees me reach for the waders, he takes off on his bike. There is no one to yell to.

Climbing out isn’t easy. I hoist and roll out. (It would make a great YouTube video of how not to get out of a pond.)

This week I was lucky. I had everything handy. I didn’t drop my tool in the pond. I clipped the foliage and otherwise cleaned it up. It all went pretty quickly.

That’s when it happened. Did I mention it was hot? Steamy hot? (Do you know how hot it gets in a pee-smelling rubbery wader?) I decided to reach one more plant when it happened. My glasses slipped off of my sweaty head and landed lens first on a rock.

In my dread excitement to get into the pond, I forgot to switch to my old “work” glasses. I put two major dings in my “good” ones. One in each lens. Right in the center where you focus. Boogers.

Had I not reached for that one more plant, there would be no post. The frogs had a good laugh.

At the end of the day, my water lilies are happy. I can wash off the pee smell and I’m in the market for new glasses.

PS: It turned out that my glasses were under the warranty so lens replacements cost $25. (This happened after I got myself in the mood for new glasses.) It was a good day after all.frogs-laughing

54 thoughts on “The problem with overachieving”

  1. IN TODAY’S SCHOOLS A MERE NORMAL RECORD OF ORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT IS SCORNED BY FAR TOO MANY CLASSMATES. THE OVER ACHIEVER IS MADE AN OUTCAST. TEENS THESE DAYS ASSIGN STATURE TO SO MUCH OTHER THAN EDUCATION AND SUCCESS. THEY TRY TO BRING ACHIEVING KIDS TO THEIR LEVEL OF SUB MEDIOCRITY.

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  4. Your pond is so colorful! I have many water lilies but they’re basically all pink. I want whatever that gorgeous blue one is, Kate. You are an overachiever, but the results are inspiring. So glad you had a decent outcome with your glasses!

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    • I have pink ones too but they are not as prolific as the yellow or blue. The blue one is a tropical William McLane. I try to get it every year. It’s big and beautiful and sticks up out of the water.

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  9. I had no idea you had to get into that pond. (There is nothing that gets rid of cat pee smell…like roaches, endures forever). Your pond is beautiful…you might go viral with some pond videos….then making enough money you could toss the waders and hire a pond boy?

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    • A pond boy? Oh my! The pond isn’t big but I can’t reach all the plants to trim the dead stuff from the edges so it’s easier to go in. It’s not really deep but too deep for hip waders. Tried that. Slipped and the waders were full of water. You’re right about cat pee. He also desecrated our only good oriental rug. We finally had it professionally cleaned after his passing. It’s much better and you can’t smell it except when it’s incredibly humid. The cleaning place had it laying outside for a week.

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  11. Wow, Kate, it must be my day to play mom. You shouldn’t go in there without somebody else around. What if you can’t get out? Or hit your head and sink slowly into the poop-filled waters? Please don’t do this again, even for a funny post!!! You don’t think the cats are going to rescue you, do you?

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    • What? Those cats won’t rescue me? After all I’ve done for them! It would have to be a weird fall to drown in there. The deep 28″ part is only 3′ square. The next level is 18″ deep. and then there is a 6″ section for birds to bathe. Before we had the fence installed I worried about the neighbor’s children all under 4. I never invited them over to see it because I was afraid the attraction my cause them to sneak out and come over on their own. I feel much more secure with the fence. There is no way they can get though it.

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  12. Laughing at our quirks is good for the soul. I often get carried away just by walking in the garden with a pair of pruners in my hand. Once I start I can’t stop … unless the allergic rash kicks in 😵

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  13. I’ve occasionally thought about putting in a pond, but considering we’re on the edge of a creek it seems like overkill. I admire you perseverance when it comes to maintaining yours, but would kindly suggest that a new “fresh” pair of waders would make a lovely present from Santa. Just saying. Never too early to start a Christmas List.

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    • If I had a creek I wouldn’t need a pond. Maybe I’d dam it a little so I could have a water lily. What? Get rid of my waders? That smelly garment is all I have left of Jake. (Perhaps by Christmas though…..)

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    • Honest, my pool is a modest 5′ x 11′. It’s not a lot of work and if I wouldn’t overload it with fish and flower pots, it would be much simpler to maintain. The size doesn’t really matter. All that matters is that you have one! Enjoy!

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  15. I am the Queen of Just One More Thing. I can carry one more bag of groceries, so I don’t make two trips! I can fit two boxes under my arm for the post office! Sure, I can manage a cat carrier, a dog on a leash, sunglasses, and car keys when I go to the vet!

    You may have guessed that I am also the Queen of Curse Words.

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  16. I would love the pond but I could not take the heat or the humidity. Glad your glasses are not going to be a big expense. I been MIA because lightning took out our Dish and internet last Thursday morning. We are back up!

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    • It was. For some reason, this year I haven’t been excited about going into the pond. I planted too many plants and I get all tangled in them. I was really glad about the glasses because in looking around, there was nothing really new or different from what I already have. I keep looking for a lightweight pair that has softer (?) nose pieces. I already use the silicone but my nose gets the deep gutters from wearing glasses. If I can’t find a better pair, I’m good with what I have.

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  21. I’m glad the glasses aren’t a huge expensive deal.
    I love the idea of a pond, but I think ponds are like children. I like other people’s. Anything that involved me having to get that prepared in order to do, wouldn’t get done. Which of course would escalate quickly into the bog of doom instead of the garden’s water feature.

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    • You are right. I was dreading and putting off going in to clean the dead stuff. The burden got so overwhelming I just did it. I love my pond but if I get another house it would be a smaller water feature. Maybe big enough for fish and frogs (but not many) and easier to maintain. The 28″ water depth requires chest waders rather than hip boots which would be much easier (and hopefully no cat would pee on them).

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    • I have a pink wl to die for but it doesn’t put out many blooms. The yellow is crazy with flowers until it gets cold. You can’t see it in the picture but I have water poppies too. They look like little yellow buttercups.

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