I have wanted some type of water feature for a long time. Weve dad an inground pool in the back yard for 38 years but it just didn't do it for me. About 8 years ago, I bought a preform that looked pretty good sized when I took it out of the box in the kitchen. That lasted 2 weeks. DH shoveled out a little one and my son in law, the roofer, lined it nicely. It was cute. I bought a couple of fantails, a couple comets, and a couple Koi, not knowing how they would grow. For two winters I brought in the fish to live in a 55 gallon aquarium. But then when the next summer got here the Koi had grown so much I knew they wouldn't be happy in the glass box in the house anymore. That summer we went to Alaska and got home mid August. The next thing I knew DH was driving in with a mini digger and he had a grin on his face. He dug it as big as it would go in the space we had. I shaped the bottom and ledges with the shovel. Again son in law got us the liner but disappeared by the time to put it in. LOL. I had been on AWGS forum for a couple of years so had a pretty good idea of the basic idea so bought the stock tank for the Skippy and got the Rubbermaid tubs for the filter/skimmer. Between the two of us we got everything situated and water running. It is near the front of the house.
That summer we had two decks installed at our duplex. Home Depot had over judged on some of the parts and we had boards left over, plus the trimmings. Pete then built a boardwalk around two sides of the pond with the leftovers.
So I mostly do the maintenance but then I've been retired for 5 years and he stayed working, so I have time. He helps on heavy stuff or nasty stuff if he sees me doing it. Thank goodness for that. This spring I knew I had to tackle tearing out the overgrown water plants which meant moving rocks. We had a couple of warm days a few weeks ago and he emptied the pond seeing the fish had all died in the winter and power washed and cleaned it. He got in and started tearing up root masses and moving rocks. When it was done he helped put the rocks back. I just know if he wouldn't have started it, I wouldn't have had the gumption to tackle it by myself.
So mostly he says it is my pond and that he doesn't know anything about it but that's not true. He's sorry the big fish died and we both miss them. If I have an idea for something beyond what I can do, he dives right in and helps bring about my vision.
I just know my first husband of 20 years, would not have helped in any way. He would have gotten IN THE WAY... He had a college education and was an industrial arts teacher. He was very confident, good looking and social. You'd think that type would have been good with his hands. BUT HE NEVER FINISHED ANYTHING, not even his marriage. Bad joke.
Pete is my second husband, 25 years June 21st. So you can see how lucky I am to have Pete. He's not educated, not very social, but he's good looking, hard working, thinks I'm smart, loves my family, loves, and supports me both emotionally and financially. What more can I ask?