adaptable

Now that we’re getting a pool, the desire for a real piano has to go on the back burner.

Interestingly enough, there was a Yamaha event at my local Costco a few weeks ago. They wanted $30,000 for a diskclavier on a baby grand….$10,000 extra just for the system (which now includes what I think is a full PC and a speaker for “other” instruments inside the piano). The sales person was really pushing me towards an fully electronic keyboard. I think that kind of defeats the purpose of why I would want the system (analog performance controlled by midi)...eBay still has the older systems for anywhere from $4000 for an upright to much more for full grands. ~$12,000 for a baby grand with the system (no computer & speaker).

Anyway… perhaps this is a few years out. We’re re-thinking converting the our big great room into a home theater instead of a music room. It will get much more use that way.

After all but practically giving up on this goal….interest rates (and soon the lack of car payments) were favorable enough to allow us to get this done.

We gave up on the speculation on what could and couldn’t be done based on city ordinances we knew nothing about….and hired professionals to do everything. They found out we could get a HUGE pool, patio, and jacuzzi….and be well within the zoning regulations of the city.

It hasn’t been all rosy… The builder is about a month late in completion based on his original two month estimate…..and the extra concrete for the enlarged patio and A/C units ended up costing an additional $4,500…..We also went a couple of days in the 105+ degree heat without air conditioning.

But it seems the worst is over, and in a couple of weeks we should have a pool ready to swim in.

After going round and round with a few different gardeners/landscapers (and being shocked by the prices)... as well as being inspired by the great pools/jacuzzi we enjoyed on vacation in Hawaii, we decided to put in a custom pool. We started on April 15th, and after a few delays, it should be done sometime in July. It’s been a long expensive process, but at the end of the day, it will go a long way in letting us enjoy the full potential of our home.

Here’s a picture of the progress so far…