This weekend, my husband and I helped his family get the new pool liner put in. The old one was damaged this winter after all the water leaked out, making the cover inneffective. I didn’t help put in the first one two summer ago, and I had no idea how difficult it is to get all the wrinkles out. It took four of us a couple hours to get it smoothed out. On Sunday, I woke up with a sunburn and very sore legs and arms. But we’re all looking forward to some more vicious battles of water volleyball this summer. If summer will only get here.

—Sally Petty