Almost every day, I think how wonderful it is that there are no yellow jackets or any interfering bugs/flying things. Last Summer and even at this point of late Summer/early Fall …it was MISERABLE on the front porch and in the woods.
But this year…an absolute pleasure to be outside.
Even on the hottest days of this Summer, there were shady, cool spots to be found.
And now, that it is late Summer/early Fall – life is so good…
… from the front porch
Yesterday it rained most of the day and late afternoon it turned into a deluge.
Not Auggie’s favorite kind of day…
…but it washed the air and today was crystal clear and cool with a high of 62F which is MY favorite kind of day!
We were all outside as much as possible.
Auggie’s current favorite prey are grasshoppers.
There are plenty in the yard to keep him busy.
Bear watched the show from a nice spot in the shade.
No camera photos again!!!
But my Instagram has lots of phone photos. I admit I have not been wordy on the Instagram posts, but there are photos of life with Bear, Auggie and me.
We are all well, but between various home and rv maintenance issues and other life stuff – AND work!!! – I’ve been distracted.
Meanwhile, in addition to Instagram – another thing that has been distracting me, but I think it is worth taking a look at is a post on a food blog I like: Budget Bytes SNAP Challenge Post.
SNAP is an acronym for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the replacement for the food stamp program, here in the United States. After reading Beth’s ( Budget Bytes Blog) post, I have thought a lot about all I read. It is not just about the money for food, it is also about the place and utensils to prepare food, the knowledge of how to make the tastiest and healthiest and most filling things on a very small amount of money, the ability to get to stores and transport food home and the equipment (frig) to store food…things I take for granted. Living on a very restricted food budget has to be stressful in all kinds of ways. Until reading Beth’s post, I hadn’t really given it much thought beyond donating occasionally to my local food bank.
Now, I’m thinking.
I read a lot of English “cozy” mysteries and often the condition of plumbing in an English country house is referred to as the condition of the drains.
The drains.
Really, plumbing is all about the drains!
The condition of the drains in my house has been mixed. After much trial, error, venting and some kvetching, it was determined that my washing machine was draining into a dry well versus the septic system. I actually had no idea there was such a thing as a dry well prior to this diagnosis.
Bottom line, the dry well was apparently clogged with lint and/or ??? and because the washer backed up to the kitchen sink we assumed that the kitchen sink also drained into the drywell.
What to do.
BUT…it suddenly occurred to me that we *assumed* the kitchen sink drained into the same spot as the washer.
However, I had info that my plumber did not. The kitchen had been redone by the previous owners shortly before I bought this house.
Fast forward to some testing done with the help of my neighbor and we determined that the kitchen sink drained into the septic system.
HURRAH – hopefully not a bad project to reroute the washing machine drain into the kitchen sink system and “Bob’s your Uncle” – we have excellent DRAINS!
Meanwhile, my plumber had some emergency stuff to deal with and as I told him, my washing machine is hardly an emergency on par with no water or no toilet or gas line ER, etc.
But I still wanted to run the washing machine versus going to a laundromat.
I got to thinking about my washing machine’s proximity to my front door. All I really needed to do was get the drain water OUT the front door.
I went to the local hardware store to buy some drain hose…
And rigged up a sump pump hose to the washer drain hose…
…which I ran out the front door.
Yes!
I call it “redneck plumbing”. There is probably a more “politically correct” term, but I’m happy with mine :) !
Auggie loved it!
He was fascinated.
Every time I did a load of wash he stayed by the hose watching and listening.
Ok, sometimes he got a bit bored – HUGE yawn!
But, today…
TODAY…
Plumber Pernell arrived and did the re-routing and now I am doing laundry like a 21st century person with good drains!
It is wonderful.
Auggie might be disappointed, but I am not – Thank you, Pernell of Touris Plumbing!
In other news…on the sidebar is an Instagram icon. Yep, I joined Instagram and will try that out as a way to make mini-posts of life here on the road home.
AND…in addition to resolving drain issues, Wild Thing was delivered into the hands of BillyBob’s RV and Truck Service to have some maintenance done on the levelling jacks and related room hydraulics.
Meanwhile, the work day was on the extra light side so much catching up to do, hence mini-posts on Instagram.
All good things.
Bear, Auggie and I wish all a good and happy Friday and if you are of the U.S. persuasion, we wish you a wonderful Labor Day/end of summer week end.
It was one of my favorite kind of days weather-wise: it started at a cool and crisp 41F, clear skies which turned sunny, a light breeze and the high topped out just under 70F at my house.
I had windows open all day.
Bear and Auggie were out most of the day.
We had several wonderful walks
I had a good work day…
and a delicious supper of stuffed pasillo peppers.
A lovely, beautiful Monday.
