Friday, May 31

Butch's Big Golf Tip of the Day

Butch changes his golf grips frequently.  He takes off the old grips and wraps the shaft with masking tape, then pours paint lacquer into the grip also spraying some on the masking tape followed by quickly pushing the new grip onto the shaft. Tricky job and you have to work fast. Well he discovered the other day he just cannot get it done anymore. Naturally he blamed the lacquer thinner. "They must have changed the formula". I suspicioned  and told him so that he may not have the power in his hands he once had. He didn't want to think that was true but gave it some credence. He planned to have Jason help him get the new grips on. The mailman came by today and remarked on the weather saying the course had dried up enough to play golf. Butch told him his tale of woe. He told Butch it was an easy job and he would do it for him if needed. He said he uses an air compressor. Blows those babies off with it and blows the new ones on with it. Slick as a whistle! Butch still has Leo's air compressor here...we also have one on the motorhome...so he blew those things on slick as a whistle and he is pleased as punch!

Be careful what you wish for...

Butch called the homeowner of the place next door and asked him to divert his sump pump water to another location, preferably the street and the storm drains. After learning that we could not go to our motorhome without wading in water he agreed and 20 minutes later his son showed up. Both father and son felt the need to discuss property lines etc. We ignored that part of the conversation because we have checked at the courthouse and we are within our boundaries and rights even though they do not believe it. I assume at some point in our lives a survey will be necessary. Anyway they extended the pipe from the sump pump and aimed it somewhat toward the street but not all the way. So then our front yard started flooding instead of the backyard! Finally Butch took pipe of our own and extended it to the street and it soon corrected the issue. I am assuming that we will need to monitor it each time it rains. The house is a rental and the renters do not give a rats patootie and the owner really doesn't either.

Still no Russ...but we keep hoping. Not yesterday...maybe today.

Thursday, May 30

Smiling Leo


More Rain and other stuff

Jason did come over and helped Butch get the microwave installed. Then they moved on to finishing up the plumbing in the crawl space. Jason will be very glad to come over someday when he doesn't have to spend time in his "Man Cave". So will we. He said he is not fond of the decor down there at all. So it is a done deal now. Butch will probably have to check for leaks one more time but then we hope no one has to go down there for a good long time.
BUT...it is still raining...EVERY STINKIN' DAY!! Yesterday it rained 1.10 inch. And then it rained during the night...another .6 of an inch. So the sump pump is still needed and our neighbor still has his aimed at us. Back yard is flooded as much or more than ever so we are once again wading to the motorhome.

Sure would like to see Russ show up tonight. Countertop and installing kitchen faucet should take care of it. A few small things like installing cupboard door hardware, towel rings, rods and hooks etc. but then we can have our  day to day life happening in one location and that will be a good thing. I am not fond of wading in ankle deep water to the motorhome to cook supper.

Wednesday, May 29

Birthday Girl is a hoot!


Yesterday and today...

Yesterday we went to Clive Ia with our Hyundai for a recall fix. That was handled with speed and efficiency and then we went to our store of choice these days- Menards! Picked up a few items- not many- and then we went to Patricks in Adel Ia for lunch. Lunch? You might as well say feast. Their portions are huge and mighty tasty. Butch had their meatloaf special and I had a 1/2 order of chicken salad. Neither of us were disappointed. Very good place to eat. This was followed up with a stop at Alco in Perry. I worked at Alco for about 6 months in 1982 or 83 and enjoyed it very much but then I was offered a job at the Panora Medical Clinic so I made the switch. I had not been in the Alco store for many, many years but it is still a nice store to shop.
When we came home we saw that we could now go from the house to the motorhome without our Crocs. Before we had left in the morning we stopped at City Hall to complain about the next door sump pump situation but we were told it was a civic matter and we would need to discuss it with our attorney. So plan B is being mulled over...in our minds...at various hours of the day and night.
Today we are working on getting the microwave installed and laundry caught up. Jason is coming over when he gets off work to help us. Butch will need some muscle to get the microwave in place but he hopes to have all the details done right up to that point. He hollers at me now and then to hold something.
Russ said he would try to make it back some night this week to finish up. The countertop is what is left for him to do. Butch and I along with another helping hand now and then ought to be able to do the remaining things after that. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel but it is not a full beam just yet.
I called my friend Mickey yesterday to wish her happy birthday and we had a nice visit. Not quite long enough but a nice visit none the less.

Monday, May 27

And we are still waiting...

Russ said there may be a chance he would work today but still no sign of him.

Saturday I went to Nick's Bar and Grill in Clive Iowa with Pat and Donna for a J.I.G.S. gathering. There were 8 of us there and we had a very good time visiting and catching up. Next months gathering will be on June 29th at the Mexican Restaurant in Jefferson. The following month (July) I hope to be able to host a gathering in my new kitchen/living room. A few things must happen before I can but not many. I tentatively have my plans set for July 27th.

Butch just came in and said he talked to Russ and he will be here in a bit.

Today we have other issues as well. It rained over 4 inches during the night and our backyard is a lake. Not all of it is God Powered as our "neighbor" to the south has a sump pump in his basement with his discharge aimed at us. That will be a-changing I say with conviction. So we currently have to wade through 4-6 inches of water to get from the motorhome to the house and vice-versa. So for now sleeping in the house and  cooking in the motorhome is not working very well. Butch is currently at Bomgaars seeing if a sump pump purchase is feasible and I have evil thoughts of seeing ours pumped into the neighbors basement. Right back at ya "friendly neighbor".

 In this photo below you can see the running water at the corner of the garage.
 Neighbors house in the picture below. Beneath the window a ditch is visible and that is where the water from their basement is gushing out and down the hill to our house.
 Here is a closeup of the ditch and the water gushing out. Water expelled from their place last summer during a drought so you can imagine what it will do now.