Saturday, December 5, 2009

Finished At Last!

After nearly six months of focusing on the water system, I can realistically say that for now I am done. It really began with the leveling of benches along the hillside last year by the excavator. With the leveling meant removing water pipes that formally followed the terrain. However, the challenging aspect is that post tractor work the pipes then needed to be reinstalled. You know how it is....first I decided to upgrade the pipes to a better quality that wasn't so available 25 years ago when we first created the system. Then I got to looking at the tanks themselves, and realized what I didn't really want to know. They were pretty shot with the lids broken from years of snowfall, and little creatures nesting in this delightful aquatic environment. So, the replacement plan got more expansive. Research was necessary to determine what size and brand. And due understand, just because you buy something does not mean it is magically going to appear 40 minutes from the small podunk of Laytonville. Merchants are definitely on "country time", and it takes some negotiation to get the product delivered. The other consideration was the Hydro System, which I have also been working on for a couple of years. In the winter, the water from rainfall is abundant, and it makes sense to capture the water and direct it to the generator that is now producing the power the cabin daily needs when the sun is not out. So, no plan is complete without calculating how the water system will work hand in hand with the Hydro Power system. Once I finally had all the materials, pipes, sand, tanks plumbing fittings and faucets, I then had a pretty daunting feeling and the question came to mind, "How am I going to do all of this?". As was mentioned last blog entry, that is when Ben came along. But, today, I was on my own for the finish up. Some final connections were on my list for today, stopping at the hardware to pick up those items that I became aware of last time that I needed to go to the next level. For me, there is nothing more satisfying that covering the holes and racking the ground smooth, becoming receptive to the rain that is already gathering far out on the horizon. With the tools put away, a smile on my face, I cruised home feeling a strong sense of accomplishment!

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