Monday 5/30/2011

Final day of 6 days off vacation. Also final less than 2 hours. I have been busy today with the new pond setup.
Okay, okay, okay: the real truth. Syfy channel showed every Star Trek movie that exists, I think, over this Memorial Day weekend. Instead of getting caught up in war movies, I have been totally engrossed in these Star Trek movies, some of which are my all time favorites. I recorded almost all of them.
Well, let me say that I was working on the horse trough yesterday and today, getting it ready to put the liner in. This morning, after the finishing touches, I pulled out the liner and put it in there, unfolded it and left. I wanted it to get warmed up by the sun and help it to be more flexible and get situation into it's final resting spot.

Came back in and yes, watched more of Star Trek.
Around noon, I remembered my 2 slabs of ribs, bought on sale from Fry's, needed to be put on the grill. I seasoned them and put them on there on low heat - about 220 degrees.
A bit less than 2 hours later?

I couldn't take it. I went out there and got SERIOUSLY busy on the pond setup. I had to empty the old pond, catch all the fish, put them in a very small, temporary home, plus pull out all those plants. This was NO small amount of work in itself, especially catching those fish. I knew this was going to take time and energy, I pretty much got in over my head, time and energy wise- today with this. Started too late on it.

But, too late it too late, once I got started, it was a no-return situation. There is more to doing this than I care to even get into here. It would go on forever, needless to say this was far more work than I even expected. I got all of that done, removed the pond, dragged the horse trough into place, put 2 hoses into it and started filling away.

The poor fish - 17 large fish cramped into a small tub - were at the surface gasping for air. I didn't waste much time - as soon as there was a minimum level of water in the new pond, I put them all in there. One of them couldn't even swim there wasn't enough water, but the water was fresh, had been treated with shock treatment and 2 very large air stones were pumping away.

I forgot to say that this morning I went to the 99 cent store and picked up some plastic, square "things". Filled with large holes, exactly what I was looking for. Prop up my plants and have water flowing through there at the same time, versus the previous setup. I cut out openings on either end of each square so that fish could swim through them.

So, those plastic things that I spend considerable time cutting out this morning were placed in the pond and the plants on top of them. I bought them out, they had no more of them. I could use another 10 or so.

3-1/2 solid hours of non-stop work to get the situation done? I'm done. I haven't gone to work in 6 days, I am taking it easy the last 2 hours before bed and then hopefully wake up - uggh. I haven't gotten up that early, either. I've been sleeping in, every day. Sleeping in as in getting up at 6 or 6:30 am instead of 4:30 am.

Caleb finally got the information I was looking for: they want him to show up between 2:00 and 4:00 pm (this coming Sunday afernoon). Sooooo, be up there at that time on a Sunday, an almost 3 hour drive? I don't think so. Can we show up earlier? Noon would be better. Get a lunch, say goodbye and get home at a reasonable hour. He said they just needed advance notice if we are going to show up early. Great, noon it is, then. Not too much earlier, but not too late to get home before 5 or 6 pm.

I don't care, though, I will do it regardless of the imposition. I'm still thinking getting up there Saturday late afternoon, spend the night in a local hotel, get up, have a breakfast, take him over there at noon and that's it. Goodbye for the summer? Hardly. If he wants a daddy visit, I'll be up there. It's absolutely beautiful, forested area. I mean, a camper's delight.

Ummm, this is going to get long, so I will quit. The 6 days have been good, but busy. Not exactly a vacation, but then again, I haven't had one of those in about 3 years now. If I get the tax refund, I am considering a trip to the Pacific ocean and a trip out on a fishing expedition. Sounds expensive? Not exactly. Drive over there, book the thing in advance at reduced rates, probably be alone so do things the cheap way without worrying about people who want "the best" and totally overlook the whole reason you are going: for the adventure, not to spend as much money as you can. I can go up to the mountains and spend nothing more than the fuel to get up there and food and such and have a total blast.

Just don't have camping equipment anymore to facilitate that.

Oh well.

C'you tomorrow.

ben