Pool update

When I wrote this a couple of weeks ago I mentioned there might be a problem with the pump. Well two days, a new pump, new timer and some tubing later we can now recirculate the water without annoying the neighbors and more importantly we can run it during the day and turn it off at night.
The timer replacement business is hysterical, by the way. The pool guys slap another timer on the fence, hook it up to the electrics and LEAVE THE OLD TIMER BEHIND. We now have three timers decorating the pool housing, looking like little metal birdhouses without the holes. I wonder how long they last? Will I still be here to see each fence post with it's own special box? Could I call it art and charge people to visit the exhibition?
Unfortunately all the new mechanics have not solved the leak we had fixed in 2005 or 2007. Actually, this is probably a new leak and I'm fairly sure it's in the plastic pipe under the flower bed because we had two rhododendrons die there this year. We'll probably start excavating it soon because even though the water isn't going down much we don't really want to lose any more bushes. The good news is that the filters are still in good shape as is the cement so we don't have to contemplate marble-dusting it this year. The bad news is that the water is cold, we still have no pool heater and even if we did we couldn't afford to heat the pool as oil hit almost $127 a gallon yesterday.

EDIT: Sorry, I meant a barrel. $127 a barrel, not a gallon. Still bad though.