Tanya has a fancy new tap on the sink in the downstairs bathroom. The increased water pressure proved too much for the old one. My shower this morning was not quite enough to peel the skin off but oh, what a feeling.
The most important wonderful thing of all today was laying sprinkler hoses in Tanya's flower gardens and in her kitchen garden. She now has a regular irrigation system in the important half of her garden. The corn and watermelon can look after itself between rains but everything else can be watered at the turn of a tap. She is so happy. And when Tanya is happy, I am happy.
Of course, the unexpected always should be expected. Removing the cracked and breaking parging on the masonry chimney revealed that we in fact need a whole new chimney. Not sure what the local brand of Selkirk chimney is but that is what we are getting.
Since there is a crew working in the dogs' yard getting ready to pour cement, the dogs spend the day tied up in Babushka's yard in the tall grass and trees. The gates are closed when the guys go home and the dogs go back in their yard for the night. Except tonight I forgot to close the door at the other end and when I let them off their leashes they promptly ran out the back to freedom. It was short lived as they cycled through the house yard once too often when I went after them and Andrei and Tanya each grabbed one.
We got a quote on high quality plastic gutters (eavestroughing) today and it was about $500. I have no idea if it is good or bad but at least the rain will not drip off the roof all along the edge of the house anymore.
The most important wonderful thing of all today was laying sprinkler hoses in Tanya's flower gardens and in her kitchen garden. She now has a regular irrigation system in the important half of her garden. The corn and watermelon can look after itself between rains but everything else can be watered at the turn of a tap. She is so happy. And when Tanya is happy, I am happy.
Of course, the unexpected always should be expected. Removing the cracked and breaking parging on the masonry chimney revealed that we in fact need a whole new chimney. Not sure what the local brand of Selkirk chimney is but that is what we are getting.
Since there is a crew working in the dogs' yard getting ready to pour cement, the dogs spend the day tied up in Babushka's yard in the tall grass and trees. The gates are closed when the guys go home and the dogs go back in their yard for the night. Except tonight I forgot to close the door at the other end and when I let them off their leashes they promptly ran out the back to freedom. It was short lived as they cycled through the house yard once too often when I went after them and Andrei and Tanya each grabbed one.
We got a quote on high quality plastic gutters (eavestroughing) today and it was about $500. I have no idea if it is good or bad but at least the rain will not drip off the roof all along the edge of the house anymore.
Those dogs are so ridiculous. I love them.
ReplyDeleteSome days they make me crazy. But they sure sit nice for their leashes now. Ky and Sveta taught them that.
DeleteYou don't catch your rainwater for the garden? Then your water must be supplied at very low cost. Even in the cities here in Australia, people are once again installing rainwater catchment systems to supplement council-supplied water, which is often rationed in dry seasons. In cities rainwater can only be connected to toilets or laundries, or used in the garden, because water running off city roofs isn't likely to be clean enough for consumption. But out here in the country rainwater is our only source of household water. My in-ground concrete tank holds 10,000 gallons and provides a year-round supply. I also have a big dam at the bottom of my block and water is pumped from there to all points in the garden (and also to my toilet). Of course we all have our own septic systems too out here in the countryside.
ReplyDeleteI could count on one hand the number of houses with eavestroughing that are over 5 years old in this city. Just one more cash expense. No one saves rainwater for gardens in quantity though several save small amounts for watering plants indoors.
DeleteWell I suppose any water you stored outdoors would just freeze over winter and damage the tank it was held in. Just seems so strange to me here in super-water-conscious Australia to know that some people don't have to worry about water.
DeleteMy dad had a young man from England visit his farm one summer; he couldn't understand why anyone would measure rainfall.
DeleteThe joys of home ownership and gardening! Tanya will love the irrigation system. We install a Lee Valley Tools system every year (wrap it up and bring it home for winter). This will be its third year. It's great. Out you go to weed or whatever and turn the system on and it does its thing and conserves water while not getting the weeder wet.
ReplyDeleteIs that one of the below the surface soaker hoses? You need a line between each row?
DeleteYes a surface soaker hose. There is a feeder line and then you install a line that will run, in our case, perpendicularly right along the top of each raised row and then you plant on either side of the hose. Easy peasy.
DeleteGotcha.
DeleteAh, and so it begins. Replace one light-switch cover and pretty soon you're renovating the whole house...
ReplyDeleteMajor renovations can be stressful - you don't know until after the work is done if it is quality. I would like gutters on my place but I would have to remove them every fall because they prevent the snow from sliding off the metal roof.
ReplyDeletethe Ol'Buzzard
Oh, my Lord. I never thought of that. I will ask about it. May not such a good idea after all. We get snow and thaw all winter long with icicle build ups at times.
DeleteThank goodness there was no chimney fire!
ReplyDeleteNot likely with a gas furnace. Burning wood will do it if you don't clean the chimney often enough.
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