PROGRESS AND TIME OUT.

Last weekend was a nice time out with family. Virginia, Cedric and the boys came on Saturday. We were able to view pictures of their Australian adventure on computer and the extension trip they took to Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam. They took a cooking class in Thailand and a biking tour in Viet Nam. Great memories and getting acquainted with different cultures? What an education. Here Theo practices his juggling. He is good at it.

We took a walk around the neighborhood. It was chilly but nice to get outside. The boys are  13 and 15 now, but still willing to keep company with we adults.

Daffodils are blooming everywhere in my yard.

One neighbor has a tulip tree.

I had never heard of them until I moved to California. Spectacular.

I have a stunted one in my yard that didn’t take well to being transplanted from my former yard. It might get two blossoms, sometimes none. This is what they are supposed to look like.

After my mailbox project, I was charmed by this little postal box birdhouse. People can be so clever. Kind of reminds me, sadly, of the carrier pigeons. To think they were of such valuable service to us in WWI and no one thought to protect them.

Our neighborhood has many redtailed hawks. Majestic and beautiful.

Beautiful plumage and adept hunters. A very young hawk makes passes over my chickens as though sizing them up for a future meal. I don’t cut their wings so they have some natural protection.

Ken and Laurie joined us on Sunday and we all went to brunch. Not Bix and Coco, though. None of the pictures I took of the adults turned out. Its okay. I’ve got a lot of pictures of them anyway.

Yesterday was a grand marker day. I’ve gotten my heating and air conditioning heat pump contracted. The new mini-split heat pumps operate efficiently without ducting. Doug moved in a dumpster and did a major clean-up around the place getting ready for inside installations. Cabinets are chosen and drawn. The cabinet installer will measure the house on Friday. Today, I’ll shop for flooring, to get an idea of types and costs. The electrician will come in and do his wiring after the heat pump tubing and wiring is finished. Everything should move along quickly, now for the house. Then Doug will start on a garage/storage building. There is still much to do which keeps me absent these pages. But, taking time out was a welcome refreshment.

 

 

 

ON-LINE SHOPPING RECIPE.

As I recall, on-line shopping was supposed to make life easier, convenient, less expensive. I guess it is true in some areas. But try and decide what type of heat pump you want, among the many styles and sizes that perform in various ways. Whole house? Or zonal mini-splits. Do ductless units have Seer ratings? What is that? Installers?  Another search.

There is lot to compare and I learned a lot, but over two days I probably spent 12 hours on-line. Geez. Too much sitting.

Doug returned to Oregon yesterday to find all the water had leaked from his temporary domicile, the 5th wheel. No cold or hot water. He couldn’t find where it had leaked. Good thing he has a hose from the well.  He had a good vacation, but things are just as problematic as usual. Now, hopefully his plumber knows how to fix a plumbing problem in a 5th wheel.

One thing you can’t buy on-line is daughter-in-law, Laurie’s, recipe for black bean coleslaw. Or, wait, I haven’t checked, maybe you can?  But here it is, anyway.

2 bags of mixed slaw

1 red bell pepper, chopped (can use orange or yellow too)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 c chopped cilantro (or more if you want)

2 green onions, chopped

optional- sometimes I add fresh corn, about a cup.

Dressing:

2/3 c lime juice

4 T honey

6 T olive oil

1 t cumin

Cracked pepper to taste

Delicious and keeps well for a couple of days.

I wish there was a less tedious recipe for on-line shopping.

TROUBLE AVERTED

I received a call from my Murphys renters that the swamp cooler had quit working. The expensive motor, not the cheap water pump, they told me. It was 92 degrees. Not good news. I called Art Alexander, my favorite repair guy, and left him a message- it was Sunday. Half an hour later, the renters called to report the back up system, their heat pump/air conditioner had just quit.  Groan.  Said heat pump is 33 years old. A replacement will probably run $5,000.  And, my water pressure reducer wasn’t supplying enough pressure to kick on the on-demand gas water heater adequately. I guess it’s my karma to have everything go wrong at once.

I called plumber, Art Wells, and luckily got his wife. She set it up for him to come Monday at 8:00.

Art arrived promptly yesterday morning and had my water pressure reducer replaced in 15 minutes. The part was filled with gunk.

Then Art Alexander quickly repaired the swamp cooler without even stopping by to say hello to me. It was a too tight belt that wore out two bearings. The swamp cooler was up and running. The heat pump will need a major overhaul, but it’s  not fatal. He will repair it this week.

As it happened, Karen , Julie and Barbara stopped by for a visit and just for the heck of it, I took my non-flashing camera and tried for a low light picture of them since Julie rarely visits. And, voila’.  I had just ordered my new camera on-line hours earlier, and the flash decided to work. Whaa?

A second try, of Barbara,  confirmed, it is indeed working. Who can explain electronics? I spent two days, as did Jim, helping me pick the perfect camera. We both concluded that the camera is on the way out. So, the purchase was a good idea, but I thought Jim would never stop laughing.

In the meantime, the camera is still holding on until the new one arrives. I took this on my morning walk. A more colorful bird than the one-legged hawk of several days ago. There must be good hunting near-by. Two other red tails were circling  above  looking for breakfast. Beautiful.