Oct 11, 2013 Saving Rain and Losing Water

Our rain catcher on the woodshed.

Fall colors in a small canyon
off our south ridge.

Wednesday 10/9.  After breakfast it was out to install the gutters on the woodshed and direct the water into the rain barrel.  An easy job that should have been done years ago.  I want to do it on the generator/battery shed also, but that will be in the Spring.

It was another beautiful Fall day, sans a cold breeze.  Our high for the day was 44.  It was sunny most of the day, but by our afternoon walk clouds had moved in from the north and the sky was grey.

After lunch we did the dishes, but before we started JB opened the pipe to the toilet to fill the tank.  After the dishes were done, I went into the bathroom to find the toilet overflowing!  The float had stuck, so all the water was going down the drain, then something caused the pipe to clog up and the toilet to overflow.  Actually, I think the septic tank could not drain as quickly as the water was coming in.  So much of our effort to save water went, literally, down the toilet.  The cistern is now down to 23-1/4".  It's just been one of those weeks.

After everything was unplugged and cleaned up, JB worked on the generator room, installing another board at the very bottom of the back wall, as snow had blown in last year.  Then he put up the boards along the front, as we do for the winter.  He made them very easy to install and they just slide in.

I cut and stacked some more branch wood and refilled the cradle.  Hopefully JB can cut it soon.

Thursday 10/10.  It was clear and 30 this morning with an icy wind again.  Fortunately it had all but died down by noon, into quite a pleasant day.  Our high was 44.

It was a no-rush sort of day.  I stayed in during the morning and made a big pot of chicken broth for the dogs.  JB helped me slice a big Black Forest ham on our meat slicer, and I vacuum packed it into several packets for the freezer.  Before that, he spent time out in the shop organizing and cleaning.

After lunch I gathered up short pieces of branch wood and old dimensional wood for JB to cut for the wood stove on his chop saw.  And with that I started a second row on the north end of the porch.  

We are thinking about getting a trash compactor, which goes into the category of "Why didn't we think of this before?"  Larry and Elsie have one, as a matter of fact one of their dogs has figured out how to use the foot pedal to open it and get at the juicy tidbits.  He is also an expert at opening drawers and cupboards.  He is an older dog and often has problems with his back legs, producing pity in those watching him trying to walk.  But let him detect any food on the kitchen counter or pool table, and somehow he is able to stand on his back legs and reach it. . . bad legs or no.

And speaking of animals and food, both their cats, their two dogs, and ours seem to be wanting more food this Fall.  I also read an article where the deer seem to be hungrier also.  I wonder if they know something about this winter that we don't. . .

I am going Down There tomorrow for some extra errands that have become necessary, even though I have to go down on Monday also, for my annual checkup with my doctor.  Since that is Columbus day, I am going to check out a couple stores for sales and make it a "Me Day."

Friday 10/11.  It is mostly overcast and 32 this morning.  Am watching the sunlight move down the mountains to the west as the sun rises in the east.  And thinking that I would love to be back in bed, instead of going Down There today. . .

Thought for the day:  Sometimes you're the windshield and sometimes you're the bug.