Texas Gardening: The pond that was....... I really need ideas and help, 1 by darkmoondreamer

darkmoondreamer wrote:
I have learned that this group is a great place to share, laugh, and cry, so I decided to share a sad yard problem I have and hope that some of you here might have some helpful solutions. I built a beautiful huge pond 4 years ago in my back yard, which at the time was my mother's home. I was living with her and caring for her 24/7 as she is 83 and wheelchair bound. I dug it myself and was so proud of it. We all know that although we sometimes love people dearly, it can be a severe mental strain to live in the same house. I am young, but in bad health (take around 11 prescriptions per day most days) and caring for my mom alone was killing me. (I have brothers locally but no one would help a bit.)

To try and shorten this story, for my mental and physical health, my husband and I moved out for a year, forcing the rest of the family to help care for her. All is fine now, she is living in Houston in a nursing home right next door to my sister's house, and having the time of her life, and our relationship is great. I have now inherited her home and am very happy as it's the home I was born and raised in. The downside is...........I was not in a position to care for the pond daily, and during the time I was gone the expensive black liner suffered sun/heat damage I guess and became as riddled with holes as swiss cheese. The water all drained out, and my beautiful huge Koi all died. The pond is now a riddled hole with no fish, and I have decided never to line it with the black pond liner again, as I feel like I want something I'll never have to replace, concrete.

The problem is, we are poor folks and living paycheck to paycheck. I have no idea where to begin. How on earth would I do it? How much is concrete? How much would it take? How would I apply it? How hard would it be since I tire so easily with really physical work now? So many things to worry about on how to get it running again. I just about cry every time I look at it now. I don't really have anyone to share this with other than you folks, and I guess I'm hoping someone here might have inexpensive concrete connections, ideas, or might be willing to offer support or advice to me. With my health problems (diabetes and Bi-Polar disorder, which is manic depression to those of you who don't know), the pond was a major healer for me, as I would spend hours a day listening to that pretty water falling. The fish were healing too. I need that in my life again, and just want to thank all of you who read this for sharing a little bit with me. I created a little mini slide show that depicts the before and after of my poor pond. I hope you will be able to see how pretty it was before, and what I pray I will have again. Love to all of my new DG friends, and God bless, Karen

Click on this link, and enter darkmoondreamer as the username, and then click go to see the slideshow.

http://www.photodex.com/sharing/browse