Staycation

Day 3, tomorrow the final day.
Not an extended deal and frankly, I am asking for at least 3 work days off next month or the month after. Time off is a GOOD thing. I have the rest of today and tomorrow and then back to work on Wednesday.

This morning, I went to work. Installed all 4 posts in the ground with post-hole cement. Won't be able to do anything more on that until the cement is completely dried. I then started situating the rocks on the lower pond. A waterfall can be on either the upper or lower pond, a pump supplies the waterfall with it's water, therefore, where you place it is irrelevant.

I changed the location because my first location simply was too cramped for room.
I could not, however, decide how to construct, even though I have spent many hours looking at pics and thinking about how I want to do it. I think I have finally decided how I want to do it and in the morning I will beging what looks to be a rather long process of building the thing. Simply because it will be built at one level at a time. The first thing I am going to do is pour a small concrete slab.

Of course, it will be at least 24 hours after that before I can do anything else, and the "anything else" will be to ........

wow, I'm glad I started writing this out. I just got another idea that will eliminate a step and will work much better. Thank you, diary!

Okay, I will line the sides of the slab with pavers instead of removable wood and those pavers will stick up, above the level of the concrete. That will constitute the bottom of my falls and will be a catch basin for any water that might leak through the deal. However, I intend on leakproofing it in 3 separate ways to ensure I am not losing water into the ground.

The reason this seems complicated - which it really isn't - is simply that I have never done this before. A pro could undoubtedly outline all of this to me in a few minutes - but then again - pro's don't want to give away their knowledge, mostly.

I put all 4 fish into the upper pond. Had no choice. Dunno what's with the lower one, maybe not deep enough is my guess - both fish in there were just laying on the bottom and doing nothing. I had to go buy a net to catch them and move them. Which was a good thing - the net is very closely woven - I am skimming the top of the water with it as well to got floatees out. I think smaller fish will work in that pond - less oxygen requirements.

Suns V Lakers is starting right now. No-one in their right mind would think that this is going to be an easy game tonight against the "almighty" Lakers. Yet, it would also be foolish to write off the Suns. It will hopefully be a good, close game.

Definitely blew the diet today. Kung Pao Chicken. How many calories? I have no clue. No caloric definitions given. Lots of rice - not so bad - but the main dish itself? I just have no clue what is in the sauce they put on there, I assume by default calorie laden. I also had some soup. It will be the extent of my eating today - along with 2 slices of bacon this morning. I say that a staycation deserves SOMETHING in exchange for not going anywhere. It would be a nice touch if the Suns could somehow pull off a win.

I've taken a long break from this post. I was seeing the water level going down on the lower pond for several days now, so I took the pumps out of it (no fish in there, plants don't care) and put them in the upper level. That makes them 2 separate ponds instead of one flowing into the other. NEITHER pond losing water. So what's the deal? The only possible answer is the overhang of the upper pond over the lower which feeds the water into the low. I have 2 pumps in the lower feeding back into the upper.

I was looking at the plastic overhang - pointed upwards. Probably meaning water going back to the upper pond out of it's outlet - but, of course, on the BOTTOM of the pond and into the ground.

This is easily remedied, which has already been done: put a large rock on the edge of the overhang to force the plastic down instead of up. Does it work? No idea, I'm letting this 2 separate pond situation go overnight to confirm my observations. I am not building a waterfall over a pond that is leaking.

Suns are getting their butts kicked on game 1. I mean, a veritable roasting. The game is a few minutes from over. Suns gave the Spurs a 4 game tidal wave, I hope we aren't in the for the same.

Whatever the case, it's getting late (for me) and I am tired of this game, but it's almost over - better come up with a different idea or we are going to see the Suns 2010 post-season - history.

G'night.
ben