Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Ridgetop]

DH went out early and let the sheep out. Then we fed the bottle lambs and let them run around in the safely fenced back yard. We had planned to work in the barn today but it was already very hot and muggy at 7am and the weather forecast was for extreme heat so we changed our minds. DH is still recovering from unloading and dragging around those Priefert panels, and neither of us are used to the humidity. We are trying to take it easy and not overdo until we acclimate. Our coughing is better but still hanging around.

Anyway, DH took over bottle feeding the new lamb which let me get on with other chores. Laundry and then finishing hanging the photos in the office. Let me tell you that hanging 59 framed photos is no picnic. My shoulders ache and so do my ankles from climbing up and down on the ladder measuring. But the office is finished now. L to R as you enter office to DH's corner desk

L to R ending with my desk and bookcases
One week to clear out the room, bring in the second desk, bring in the two bookcases. Clean them, measure for shelves, run back and forth to Lowes getting shelf pegs (because mine are in that secure place I put them), unpack and shelve 19 boxes of books, DVDs, and videos. Then finally unpack, sort, clean, and hang the photos. 59 favorites made it onto the walls, although I did do some frame switching. And then clean up the mess from all that. LOL I got my reward though - DH loves it and said immediately "Look at all our wonderful memories".
Going to take Ibuprofen, a shower, and then Blue Bell for DH and me. Vanilla with strawberries.

 

[Weldman]

I will take the movie ET

 

[rachels.haven]

I'm reading your journal bracing myself for our own mess. You're really re-locating quite fast despite your tribulations. Once the memories go up it's almost home!

 

[Baymule]

I just caught up! I’ve been away, then up to my eyeballs in NOW!

I’m glad to see the office looking so nice and homey. Room by room you will claim it as your own.

At least you were able to save the one ewe lamb. Being able to save one out of a death storm is a positive thing.

 

[Ridgetop]

Lots getting done since last posting. Working outside in barn. Got Dish hooked up, got People's internet in, propane man came out and got the bid to put in tank.

For 2 days I worked in the laundry room getting the cabinet installed. I had to cut out a section of base molding and shoe to fit it in properly. Also attached braces to steady it, then attached it to the wall. I want to get another one of them (saw them at Lowes today) to give us more storage in the laundry room. Anyway, last night mu ankles hurt incredibly, my bad knee hurt, and my shoulders ached. Went to bed after finishing all my chores and this morning woke up with my good (replaced) knee hurting.

This morning we took our car for the regular checkup necessary to keep our warranty current. Picked up DH at dealership and stopped at Brookshire for a couple things. Got back to load trash in truck for dump. As we were loading the trash the well driller came out to look at our well. His father had drilled it, he knew the MacDonalds, and all the wells. He told us that although the water was rusty looking the color wasn't rust, the color was from the iron in the soil leaching into the water. He said that we couldn't do anything to repair the old well since t had a steel casing. He said we could use it for the livestock. I asked if some sort of filtering system would clean it up, and he said he could give me the name of someone but that it would be almost as costly as digging a new well with the amount of equipment they would have to put on it. Also, would need a new wellhouse since the filtration system was large. He said to run the well water through the tank for a couple days to clean it out. It was not unsafe to drink, just would not taste good, but the livestock would be ok with it. We will have to drill a new well for house use, but he said that they could drill a new well next to the old one, hook into the old equipment, and save a considerable amount of money doing it that way. Also, the new well will have PVC piping in and won't pit. Said it would cost about $10,000 (half what I figured) but our property has plenty of water under it and we could drill anywhere and hit water. The aquifer we sit on is very good and has sweet water. He said the same as Larry that the aquifer is the same one they bottle Ozarka water out of. Drilling a new well is expensive and we may have to get either a loan or take money out of savings, but with the way the country is going, I really want my own well. You can get by without a lot of stuff but water is essential.

After he left, we loaded up the trash and went to the dump. On the way home the dealership called, the car was ready to pick up, so we went straight there for it. After we picked up the car DH went home to hitch the tailer. He wanted to go to Priefert and get more gate panels. On the way home from Lowes I hit a lot of heavy rain but it cleared up by the time I got home. Then on the way back from Priefert we got hit by another incredibly heavy rainstorm. Still raining now with lightning and thunder.

I stopped at Lowes on the way home. One of our smoke detectors is acting up and every so often will go off. I bought a new one. Then I bought 4 one-gallon lantana plants to plant with the plumbago plants in the front yard across the front of the new fence. They were the only lantana plants in the entire store other than those planted with other plants in large tubs! I don't know why those were all sold out since they were not on sale. Anyway, I will plant them on Saturday and space them out. If I find more later, I can always put those in. Lantana and plumbago are easy care, grow fast and large, and are attractive long season bloomers. I don't have a lot of time for doing gardening right now, but those will establish. I would like to go to Atwoods and see if they have any more raspberry plants and get those in. I will also check for asparagus crowns. Lowes also had 50 lb. bags of cracked corn and I bought 2. The feed mill had said they are out of corn for the summer. I don't know why they would be out since they are a feed mill and you would think that they would have corn all year, but that is what they said.

Lots of thunder. I will feel more comfortable once our Generac is hooked up. Anyway, after working on that for 2 days, and hanging all those pictures, I am taking it easier today. Might as well since it is raining like mad.

 

[SageHill]

the color was from the iron in the soil leaching into the water.

So if the iron is leaching into the water, then I would think drilling next to the old well is going to give you the same results. ????
Score on the lantana especially if it's tough to get. Not my favorite plant (stinky to me) but the flowers are always pretty and it's super hardy. Great that you've got the Generac hooked up!! Hopefully you don't have to put it to the test - though since it's new ya' might want to use it a bit to make sure it's all happy with connections and all.

 

[Baymule]

It’s storming here too. Lots of lightning. I hope the storm passes quickly for you.

 

[Margali]

He told us that although the water was rusty looking the color wasn't rust, the color was from the iron in the soil leaching into the water.

To-may-too / to-maa-toe Elemental iron's most common for is ferric oxide, ie hematite, Fe2O3. Rust is Fe2O3 x n(H2O) is iron exposed to oxygen in presence of water.

I asked if some sort of filtering system would clean it up, and he said he could give me the name of someone but that it would be almost as costly as digging a new well with the amount of equipment they would have to put on it. Also, would need a new wellhouse since the filtration system was large.

1,000% BS!! Get one of the free water analysis test that gives PPM of iron, pump gpm and let me loose. It can't be any worse than specifying a system to treat 3,600gpm of river water with 2million <1micron silcia.

 

[Baymule]

Couldn’t the old well be sleeved with a PVC pipe put down the hole?

 

[rachels.haven]

I 2xxxxxx that sentiment on a water test and then looking more into water filtration with an actual filtration company and not a well driller. We've had several wells now and they should be able to filter it to potability for far less than the cost of a new well which may STILL need the same filtration system. But they're not $10k (as far as I know)

Is he trying to say the casing failing too? That would be a reason to replace from what I understand.

*now I'm bothering my Dad who works at a well filtration system company in quality for a yes/no answer for you because what the Well driller said feels off.

We had a system for sediment and Iron in Groton, mass and while the water wasn't great...we didn't need another deep well.