Mary Doesn't Like To Talk About the Asteroid

We finally broke down and listed the WT pool on craigslist for free. We figured that if any family was willing to show up and spend the day dissembling it, then they kinda deserved to leave with the spoils, know what I'm sayin?
We did not anticipate the 150 replies we got. But being a true skeptic I was sure that no one would actually show up. I finally chose the woman who was willing to drive 2+ hours to get it - though again... skeptical.
Here's the deal - we just sort of never felt like spending the $1,000 or so that it would take to get it up, running and de-grossified.
Especially since we only considered keeping it until the renovation was finished. Believe it or not, my homeowner dreams never included an above ground pool. They also never included a Mary in the half shell, but whatevs. Mary stays put.

Partially because she is one of the only post 1900's additions to the property that appears to be well constructed and thus - sound, and partially because I'm kinda superstitious and I feel like she's good juju.
Sorry Catholicism at large, I mean thee no offense.
Here's a nice before:



And a few durings. This is after the family drove away with all the pool parts. What you see left behind is tarp detritus and pool scum.
ps: it was a freezing day. The family that came to get it were total troupers!

This is a grouchy Joe attempting to appease me with an action shot. So lifelike!

Yeah, so it kind of looked like a depressing pond for a few days. Till it dried up and began looking alike an asteroid crash site guarded by the Virgin Mother.

It looks so much better now can't even take it. We also ditched the "deck."
Mary really fancies up a yard don't she now?
We plan to fill it in and plant grass and flowers. Yay!

Adventures in Lawnmowing

Ok - so mowing a lawn that hasn't been cut in at least two years is kind of a big deal. Especially for two people who don't own a lawn mower or a weed wacker and who haven't attempted to mow grass in a solid twenty + years (or for me, never). Actually, I don't even know why I'm trying to insinuate myself into this scenario cause I did zilch. Unless you count picking out the lawnmower which we got at Lowes (after checking them out all over town including HD). Anyway, just buying one was almost an all day extravaganza. Joe tackled it in sections. I took these photos as night was falling and he'd done about half. He pretty much gave the yard a fauxhawk. I can just imagine the neighbors looking at it and shaking their heads over the citiots.

Mary on the halfshell is still up to her neck in grass at press time.

Other Stuff

This is the two car garage that is covered in antique bead board (even the ceiling) which I would love to repurpose...

The floors we discovered under linoleum in the closets....
Huge backyard....
Huge back yard with (admittedly) a few bizzaro items in it....
SO here's the thing. We told our agent - listen, do not even bother to show us houses UNLESS they come with a virgin Mary statue in the backyard. And if she could be sheltered from the elements with a cast iron bathtub that would be even better. And if that bathtub could be buried at least 4 feet underground and have cement poured into it, guarantying that it shall never-ever be moved that would be totally awesome. And Rob was all, "I'll see what I can do."
Here is our favorite mantle. I feel sad for it to have been forced to share quarters with such creepy wall and flooring materials for all these years.

Note the 3 D Jesus picture that was here the first time we saw the place. Such a selling point! I recommend it to all brokers.