Don’t You Forget About Me
“Don’t you forget about me”, the theme song from, without question, my favorite Brat Pack movie. A movie that I personally love to quote, “The Breakfast Club”. I know that you are wondering what my infatuation with Molly Ringwald is and what a pool store and John Hughes have in common, right? In this scenario just the theme song, and a reminder of the things not to forget when it comes time to replace your above ground pool liner. When you replace your liner it is always time to replace the gaskets for the skimmer and return, even if you did replace them just a year ago. Once you compress a gasket, getting it to re-seal correctly can turn into more of a hassle than the $10 or so that the gaskets will cost you. Depending on age, you may actually consider replacing the entire skimmer and return. If you are starting to see any spider cracking or surface checking of the plastic skimmer body, replacement is certainly recommended. You may also need to pick up a pack or 2 of coping strips, as these are plastic they can become brittle with age and crack as you try to remove or re-install them. Pick up some parts, and maybe save yourself some headaches by “not forgetting” to replace the necessary.
We Bid Farewell to Battelle’s Grocery
Businesses open and close everyday in our community, but losing an icon
is tough. Battelle’s Grocery and Catering has been part of the Mt.
Carmel community for 37 years, and part of my life that entire time.
From the time of being a small child going into the store with my
parents and seeking out Josh, who was in back watching cartoons, and
hanging out there while my parents got lunch meat and talked to Fred and
Linda about whatever was on their minds at the time. This corner grocery
and deli was a fixture in the community as was Fred’s means of selfless giving to
local youth sports teams by way of sponsorships. This was a store that
when you walked in for the first time you walked in as a customer but by
the time you walked out you were a friend. It is stores like this that
every community needs, and for those who did not live in the Mt. Carmel
area, wishes they had. It is with great sadness that I write this
because after 37 years and countless sandwiches I will no longer be able
to walk up to the deli counter and ask for a sandwich that was made by a
friend.
Radiant Pools
If you’ve been following our blog, you recently saw lots of pictures of our new Radiant Pool line. This is a neat and unique pool. It can go on top the ground like a regular above ground pool, or you can partially bury it in the ground and pile dirt back up against it. No retaining wall needed. Radiant Pools are so strong they can withstand the pressure of having dirt piled up against them and you don’t void your warranty like you would with a traditional pool. While you’re at it, put it all the way in the ground and make it look like an in ground pool! You can do it and it will not collapse or fail like a regular above ground pool would do. Structurally, these pools are ridiculously strong and durable. Maybe that is why many are still in use, thirty years after being built.
Radiant Pools—the above ground pool that thinks it’s an in-ground!
Stop in and see our display. (Pardon our mess as we continue to beautify our pool lot.) –Max
It’s Getting to be that Itchy Time of Year
And the itch is getting worse because it has been such a long winter. Each one of us has this itch, it just varies from person to person what that itch is. For most of you that read this blog the itch is using the pool, or getting out and using the patio furniture. For a large number of my friends it is digging the bike out of the garage, charging the battery and going for a ride. Some people are able to satisfy the itch by digging out the grill to be used several days per week. For me the itch is getting to the lake and getting a fishing pole in my hand. This has always been big in my family, growing up, my father took us fishing one, if not, both days of the weekend for 7-8 months out of the year just like his dad did with he and my uncles. Working retail it is a little more difficult to find the time to fish, but luckily my son has a grandpa with the same fishing itch. As I said previously, each of us has that itch just wondering- What spring/summertime activity causes your itch?
Are we going to get a Spring this year?
This year has been pretty crazy for weather in Cincinnati and this spring looks no different! I was hoping we could get an early start with pool openings, but it doesn’t really look that way so far. Regardless of how fickle the weather may be, did you know we have some of the most qualified technicians in the Midwest? Why not find out what our service department is all about and schedule a pool opening today. We have an in-store coordinator to take your calls and schedule your opening. Give him a call at 513-528-8878.
Take a Walk in the Park Day
March 30th- every year
Don’t miss out on “Take a Walk in the Park Day”. It’s a great opportunity for exercise and relaxation. Are you stressed out? A walk in the park is just what the doctor ordered. It’s calming and therapeutic. It helps clear your mind and will leave you feeling re-energized. Or, take a walk during lunch and you will find the afternoon of work goes by faster.
A walk in the park will most likely be the best part of your day. However, make sure to do so with a clear mind and with your eyes open. Allow yourself to take in the beauty of this world: birds, trees, flowers, wildlife etc.
Take a walk in the park with a friend or your lover. It will prove far more enjoyable if you have company on your walk.
Joe Knows Cookin’
Am I hyping this up too much? I don’t think so. This really is a cool product and we know cool products at Eastgate Pools. This method of cooking has been around for hundreds of years. It started in Japan, but many early forms of cooking follow a variation of the same idea, using a ceramic container to slow cook. I recently went to Eastern Europe to visit my wife’s family. In their old country house they have an old bread oven that does about the same thing, as do wood fired pizza ovens. The flavor one gets from an all natural wood fired, slow cooked meal is something that not only tastes superior, but is a lot of fun to do.
Come in and check the Komado Joe out. It is a tight little package and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to get a truly artisan style cooking experience.
Check them out at www.eastgatepools.com/webpages/grill/kamado.html or watch some of the incredible grilling tutorials, recipes and tricks and tips they offer at their own website www.kamadojoe.com. I highly suggest watching this Divide and Conquer Flexible Grilling System video to see how versatile these units really are http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeWuHIUp5jg
Spice up your Fire Pit
Looking to spice up your outdoor gas fire pit? Why not try our new line of decorative glass made by American Fireglass. Without realizing it you may have seen some of the different colors, as American Fireglass is the glass pieces that come with Oriflame Outdoor Gas Fire Pits here in our store. American Fireglass is suitable for any fire pit or table. The glass has been formulated to withstand long term heat consumption. This glass is exclusively processed to burn clean and efficient to eliminate soot, ash and smoke. Creating the glass this way prevents the glass from melting, breaking down or emitting toxic fumes. Increase the appeal of your fire pit with fire glass for radiant, beautiful and dancing fire in your pit. Lastly, I hope everyone enjoys their beautiful fire pit during the cooler nights of this frigid spring.
My Chicken Calendar
I like chickens and everybody here knows that chickens eat corn. I remind them every day. I also believe that any song ever written is improved by substituting key lines with the phrase chickens eat corn. Try it yourself under your breath and you’ll see. In 2013, I was blessed with a Chicken Calendar—two amazing chickens each month—in full color! It was fabulous but alas, 2013 is over and my calendar has been retired. If anybody knows where I can pick up a new one, let me know. Ducks are an acceptable substitute.
Hats Off to our Service Department
I am a sales associate at Eastgate Pools. It makes my job so much easier
to know that after the sale I can count on our service department to
continue the best customer service to my customer. They work six days a
week. From the delivery to service calls, they are knowledgeable and care
about making the customer satisfied. We are approaching a new pool season
and I just want my sales department to know how much we appreciate them
up front. Thanks guys! Keep up the excellent work.
And Now for Something Completely Different…
A couple of my closest friends, neither of which is a sci-fi fan, have spent the better part of a year trying to get me to watch the golden goose of BBC broadcasting…Doctor Who. Well, I finally caved a few months ago and already starting the fourth season. To be fair, they just aired a 50th anniversary special, so I’m talking about the newer run of the series. I can’t say it is the right show for everyone, but I will say it has pulled me in more and more. I’m not ready to put it on the same level as The Wire or The Sopranos, but there is something about Doctor Who that makes it special. It isn’t afraid to poke fun at itself, while simultaneously delivering brilliant dialogue and unbelievably loveable characters. If you are a pop culture fan you probably don’t need my recommendation, but if you haven’t checked it out I would certainly suggest you take a trip through time and space with “The Doctor”.
Change & Concrete Dust are in the Wind…
It is said with progress comes change. Keeping that in mind I am writing this as a reminder for the impending changes for those of you who use I-275 to visit our store. As there will no longer be an east and west designation for the ramps for state Route 32. For those coming up from the south you will take the exit for State Route 32, at the bottom of the ramp you will turn left, and then a right on Cincinnati-Batavia Pike. For our customers coming from the north, same State Route 32 exit, but then right at the end of the ramp, and right on Cincinnati-Batavia Pike. Just trying to give a little advance notice for those who do not travel this route each day. This change is scheduled to take place beginning2/18/2014. If you have any questions, or need further assistance with directions please contact the store at 513-528-4141.
