When my wife and I shopped for a home in South Florida, I insisted on a pool. She worried about room size, roof condition and insurance costs. I wanted water. Now I have a pool. You know what? It's a big pain in the donkey. Yes, I do love the pool. But it should've come with a pool boy. I know now how much attention it needs. A pool is like a kid: You have to spend time with it, get to know its personal needs and more often than you'd like, pry out the wallet and get soaked. If you don't pay attention, the sucker transforms into a monster. A green, brown, mucky monster that can destroy your costly investment. At least a kid can be sent to his or her room for misbehavior. A bad pool just sits there, mocking you. The trick to enjoying your pool is keeping it clean and in control.