Hi, Jeff,

1. Yeah, I like that idea of saw-cutting. That'll give you a nice edge to grout to.

2. No special grout (I and others think Custom brand @ Home Depot is the best on the market....best thinset, too IMHO. I use sanded grout for 1/8 grout lines....your call.

3. Assuming you don't drain the whole pool, I would use a 1' x 8' peice of foam board to float along as I worked. Done carefully, it can be used as a "workbench"

4. AS you know, prep is 95% of a succesful tile job. Sounds like you've got a handle on it. Keep us posted.