My attempt to fix the unsightly blemishes on the pool today was a partial success.  Now that I am more familiar with the mortar mixture and how it works, I am sure my brief revisit tomorrow will clean up any remaining.  (No, I am not sure.  When you post in a blog, you sound more successful if you are sure of something.  I am optimistically hopeful my efforts will produce the improvement in today’s results.)

The more micro-batches of the mortar I made up, the better I got.  Just like Goldilocks.  The first batch was too dry, so I added more water. (The more water I added, the longer the mixing took.  The instructions say the mortar/patch is supposed to be used within 3 minutes of being mixed.) The second batch was too wet, so I added more dried mortar until I got it right.  The last few batches were pretty consistently good.  So, I wasn’t eating, sitting, or sleeping in the mortar. But I believe the analogy still holds together.

The other challenge was applying the mortar.  At the start, I thought I could make the spatula cooperate.  As I found out, the spatula was really not interested in what I thought.  The combination of enormous gaps and uneven surfaces made my glove-covered hands the best tool available.  As I filled the gaps, I winced more than once as some little pellets plummeted to the depths of the pool.  I kicked them around, hoping they would not immediately bond to the pool bottom.  (This was a mortar that could be used underwater.  The siphoning of the previous day was helpful to create a workspace, but not fully necessary.)

With the skills gained today, I am ready to brave the scaled-back project tomorrow.  The drier mixture pulled away slightly from the upper side.  I will mix a small web batch.  Ideally, I can run a little “bead” of the web mix where the crack developed.  If my luck holds, I can complete the project before the colder temps arrive.  Cooler temps are technically not an obstacle to the mortar.  They are an obstacle to my enjoyment of the temps experienced by my lower body.

If my Home Depot errand is successful tomorrow, I should complete the pool upgrade by snaking out the root-filled pipes surrounding the pool.  If I can acquire them, I will buy new drain caps to replace the existing ones.  I want to make the pool feel pretty, and I possibly busted one of the existing ones by trying to loosen it.

In the age of COVID, it is the little things that make you happy.  My wife loves her pool.  I love my wife.  The pool loves it when I give it attention.  The marital circle of life is complete.