Saturday

Faced with the stark reality of having to lug some wall block over here, the further thought was that I would also have to pour a footer for the block as well.
The seemingly eternal project. 
Instead of finishing this entry, I went on a 2 and a half hour work spree.  Went to Home Depot, got the block, cement and rebar.  Went to Fry's, picked up various things there.
Came home, lugged all of that stuff from the front driveway to the other side of the house.
Made and poured the footer for the retaining wall.
Cleaned most of the main bathroom - tub left to go - people were waiting to use it.
Fed the dogs, washed off urine from some of their favorite pissing places - at least that's outside, cleaned up dog poop, came in, was going to go finish the main bathroom but got sidetracked - coming here.

Tis' okay, I needed a break and some serious water, it's getting warm outside and I was glad to get that retaining wall junk done before the afternoon heat gets here.  I will not be able to build the wall until tomorrow after the cement dries enough.  Which sucks, but oh well.  I want to get about the business of getting the waterfall built, not having to seemingly continue forever building the structure for it.  Do it right, the first time, or pay for it later, and not that much later, either. 

I gave up on the guy with the ponds.  They ARE big ponds, but $200 is not in the budget right now.  It is a complete setup, too.  I wish I had the money to burn, but I don't.  Bills - electricity - all that good stuff takes precedence.  If he were, for some magical reason, to come down to $100, I would get it in a flash of lightning's time.  VERY doubtful he will do that. I am guessing he is just going to keep running those ads until somebody bites.  I will wait until someone comes on there that is unloading the things -  they do that frequently enough.  I do not, really, have my hands full with my existing ponds.  The waterfall is a project that simply takes time going from one step to the next.  I need more rocks for around the ponds and probably will be planting some kind of plants around the edges of the ponds as well. 

So far, only one fish dead, and that a free mosquito eater.  Out of almost 20 free fish, not bad.  Plecostomus?  They're in there, somewhere.  Can't see them, they aren't floating, means they're not dead.  The big goldfish are always moving around - until I come out there, they are terrified of me.  Lol.  Probably equate me to a giant bird that is out to eat them.  Dunno, but they have a hiding place right in the center of the pond where they all cozy up to each other in hide mode. 

Plants seem to be doing okay as well.  Not sure about those, I have zero experience with water plants.  The water has cleared up considerably.  The lower pond has more algae in it, so I dumped a 4 quart container full of water mixed with algae remover.  If the Plecostomus live, they will eventually get big enough to deal with the algae problems all by themselves without having to put addivitives in the water. 

So, the existing pond project is going very well, from my estimation anyway, good progress.

BTW, once ponds are established, up, running and you have plants and fish?  The plants eventually take over the ponds.  Weed them out and yes, you sell them on Craiglist.  Pretty cool, actually.  Fish mulitply.  You can get a pretty good price for Koi on CL as well.  No, didn't start this as a money making opportunity, but since such is available, I won't turn it down.  Will be some time before that happens, of course, but the option is there.

Also, for now, water is staying cool.  Shade screen I put up is helping. 

Now? I'm attempting to motivate myself to use the carpet cleaning machine on  the main traffic areas of the living room floor. 

The footer is drying up fast, but as much as I want to lay the block today?  Not a happening event.  At least overnight - unless it looks like it's good later on. 

The trailer tenants are back to their usual thing.  Nothing bad or even irritating for the most part, just that they're back.  I could feel the very cool air coming out of it as I walked past it earlier.  Evap coolers are not designed to use in a sealed environment.  You must have windows open or some place for the air to go - outside though.  It is the opposite of AC in that sense.  AC, you want your house sealed up tight as a drum.  Coolers neither need that or warrant the action.  I have no idea how it will feel when it's 115 degees outside, but I hope it works out for them, if they are still here.  It is obvious that they covet the trailer - I don't mean that in a bad way either - covet in the sense that they are willing to do whatever they need to to be able to stay in the place.  They simply do not have the funds for their own place.  I don't wonder if they wouldn't qualify for rental subsidies and be able to get one for free.  However, electricity; water; cable; all the good stuff? Definitely not free. 

It is true that a lot of housing setups with people on rental assistance frequently have no electricity or running water.  They can't afford it.

That reminds me, I am going to SRP's site and see what alternative plans they have for bringing the costs down.  Electricity that is.  I have heard there are plans that will reduce your electric bill, I am interested in finding info on that.

As for this entry - history.

G'day.

ben