ok, folks... we have electrically heated water, a newly set propane tank full of gas to fuel the stove and $800 (OUCH!) worth of oil being delivered tomorrow (one tank full... I have no idea how long it will last but we didn't run out in Milo on the filling we got March 1 so there is hope that -- with sweaters and aux. heating room by room, keeping the central oil furnace set to dead low -- we may survive.
Now, on to the next project. Our water has been "surging" when we turn it on.. the pressure fluxuates and you can hear the pump working in rhythm to it. For those who have never had a well and a pump, this is NOT RIGHT. K, who has esperience with both wells and pumps was speculating on possible causes, the most likely of which was the bladder in the pressure tank needing help. Now, these things can be bought and replaced, but we had also looked inot a new pressure tank altogether, as that would fix anything that was arong with that part of the system. They come in two kinds -- vertical and horizontal, depending on how they sit undet the house. We don't have a lot of room under there, so K figured we would need a horizontal and we checked prices on our last town trip. There was a BIG difference in the two "bix box" stores; Home Depot won, though they did not even list horizontal ones on their web site.
Well, this evening we opened up that end of the skirting around the trailer and looked. K'd first comment was "NO WONDER it is not working right!" as he spotted a tank that was designed to sit vertically laid on its side. This is a big NoNo, parts that are not supposed to get wet DO and there is external rust showing that this is the case.
So on Thursday -- my day off -- we will go get a new tank and replace the existing one.
We also discovered that we do not have a shallow well pump, as we were told, but a deep well...
On other tracks, I went to Lowes and bought 3 each of two varieties of blueberry, one each of two varieties of black and red raspberry and seedless Concord grape. Also a soil test kit and I have two samples "drying overnight" as per the kit instructions. I am still waiting for the one I ordered from the extension service, but hopefully this will get me going.
I am glad I got a mattock the other day, too, as I had a devils hard time getting the spading fork into the sod. Me, the mattock and the fork and a shovel should do ok, though... I will feel much better about this soil after I have had a few years to add manure and compost though it is not the totally clay or sand that I have had to deal with in the past.
I am beginning my search for "a man with a tractor" for -- despite some folks advise to "get a tiller, you will need one!" the breaking of old sod is NOT a job for a tiller. Keeping it tilled is another thing, as I will appreciate Mainers' suggestions as to their favorite tillers for LARGE gardens, as I expect to have 2 acres u nder cultivation between the berries (there will be more as the years pass...) and rose hips, herbs and flowers and fruit trees. I also would like to grow broom corn and some wheat and other grains, mostly for Craft purposes.
I have completed the painting of my Craft room, but did not even get as far as vacuuming last evening, though I did get the bedroom organized a bit and vacuumed. The new, bottom of the line at Walmart Bissel seems to do a great job, and it will not have to work long, as we do plan to replace carpet with wood flooring.
I need to get someone in to clean the living room carpet, at least. It is light colored and LOOKS gross. I am sure the others are equally gross but for now I can ignore them, but not the living room.
I have to say that I enjoyed the produce from the garden picking last evening: loads of tomatoes and a couple of cabbages and PEAS! never, ever in all my wanderings and gardening in various climates have I ever picked peas and tomatoes into the same basket.
Well, the enchaladas are about done, there is a kithcn to clean, invoices to send and bed to find, eventually. An aside note on business" the two large, and most lucrative clients that I had thought I would likely loose with the move, the Waterfowl Museum and Cape Lookout National Seashore are on board for another year. I am even doing the yearbook for the Museum, which is like an annual report and premiers at their annual festiva, which I will attend again this year. I have lost a few smaller clients, though not all that I had expected to; I wish them all well.
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