Okay, I think I have it figured out. I backwashed about 2 inches of water out of the pool -- enough so that the skimmer basket wouldn't fill up again, and there at the bottom of the skimmer was a spot where the gizmo I took out broke off instead of being unscrewed. Once I removed the rest of the gizmo, water flowed into the skimmer basket from underneath. I'm refilling the water and will then turn on the pump again and see what happens. Thanks all!!!