Holiday spirits on ice

December 26, 2022

On Christmas Eve, my wife and I went to bed with a chilled but functioning pool in the backyard. On Christmas Day, we woke up to a skating rink.

The big freeze is one of the many troubles wrought by the hellish blizzard and cold front with the deceptively innocent name Storm Elliott. Our problem is trivial compared to the danger and hardship in places like Buffalo. It goes without saying that we’re lucky we can afford a pool in the first place. But still…

We decided not to “winterize” the thing – cover it, drain the pipes, etc – because the experts assured us it wasn’t necessary in the South. When the temperature fell below freezing, we could just run the pump 24/7 to keep the water circulating and not solidifying.

The “experts” didn’t reckon on Elliott. For a few days, the highs barely cracked the low 20s while the nighttime lows dived into single digits, which around here is about as common as a statue of Abe Lincoln. ‘Twas the night before Christmas when the skimmer – the opening in the pool wall that brings water into the pump – froze solid. Unable to move, the water on the surface did too.

So on Christmas morning, when most folks were sleeping or opening presents, we were out in the cold, frantically trying to break the jam. We hacked away at the ice, poured warm water into the skimmer, stopped and restarted the pump, all for naught. As soon as we cleared the lines they got clogged again. The air and water were simply too cold.

Finally we shut everything down and decided that even if the equipment was wrecked, our Christmas wouldn’t be. The day that began so badly ended with a candlelight dinner and a new appreciation of all the good things we have, starting with each other.

Besides, our house has stayed warm throughout the cold, the car started right up, and the days are (very slowly) getting longer. Have a happy New Year and by all means invest in a good battery.