Friday, December 5, 2008

Keeping track of the Little Things

In this household I'm the detail person. I notice the things around the homestead that either Sweetie hasn't noticed or the ones he says he'll check on "sooner or later." Of course, that "sooner or later" remark raises my blood pressure and prompts me to check on things myself.

So today I took a walk around the trailer knocking icicles down. At the backside I discovered a HUGE wall of ice had formed over the bottom two inches of the hot water heater door and down the skirting. If we'd had an emergency and needed to access the water heater door it would have taken time. Our dryer vent comes out that door too, and though the dryer is now connected (and we've used it three times) it shouldn't be blocked. I found the appropriate tool and chopped away at the ice only to discover that the weight of the ice had broken the outdoor water spout which rests directly below the door about two inches from the ground. It's one of those freeze proof spouts BUT the weight of the ice had broken the pipe. So possibly for the last two days we've had running water freezing in place. I say two days because every couple days I usually walk around the trailer. And no, neither of us had heard the well pump running! Another scray thought. Sweetie has an excuse - he's nearly deaf in one ear and can't hear out of the other. But I've yet to formulate an excuse. Maybe the pipe broke sometime today while we've spent all our time at the other end of our home. I don't know but I'm grateful I'm such a nit picker.

Than I walked to the mailbox and discovered the plow had knocked it down. So, back to the house I trudge and tell Sweetie we have a job to do. He'd just watched the weather report which said tomorrow's storm meant no outside work. So he went out to start the backhoe and I found a post and spare mailbox (good thing it didn't sell in our yard sale). Soon, he's digging out the old mailbox post and I'm waiting nearby with the replacement. Once finished we were ready for a cup of coffee. Back at the house we both spot another problem at the same time - the truck is running and we had not started it.

Somebody left the remote starter laying on the dining table and Kitty Kitty thought it was a new toy. Earlier in the day she had disconnected a lamp cord and run down the hallway with a roll of toilet paper. (I'm usually too cheap to buy a box of Kleenex). Now I've gotta keep an eye her and Sweetie! It's always something!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'd have wondered who was playing tricks after seeing the truck started.

Ken said...

...unrelated...while lookin' at yer site,and speakin' to the in-laws about the weather up there(brings back memories-not all bad...lol...) just wanted to share,with 'someone in the know'...me and my son are headin' to Tip-Up Town this winter(tentative plans anyway)...aint been ice fishin' in about 10 years(he's 7-soon to be 8)an has never been)
...anyway...thanks for the connection back to 'up north'

treesong said...

Ken,

Hope you get up this way. And stay safe. Seems every year there's some nut who thinks he's invincible. I hear that Gaylord had 4.5 inches of snow an hour yesterday. Yes, that's an HOUR. Don't know how long that lasted but I'm sure the skiiers and snowmobilers are loving it. Treesong