Tagged

I have been tagged with telling 8 random things about me. Prepared to be bored.

1. I hate beer but drink it around the guys to fit in.

2. I had really bad second thoughts on our second adoption but thank the Lord above that Brando convinced me because I wouldn't trade Yin or Yuri for the world.

3. I loved my wife in the 6th grade, as much as a 6th grader could love someone other than family, and constantly held a flame in my heart throughout all the years we spent apart until we got together after high school. She is the love of my life and always will be.

4. I constantly wonder what other people think about me and I hate being that way.

5. My dad is my hero and role model.

6. I only have nightmares about tornadoes but love to watch them on video.

7. My favorite movie is Aliens.

9. I cant remember numbers and suck at math.

Thanks Hope for tagging me. Pilot, tag your it.

Near the home stretch when....

This weekend I finally got the electrical line buried/hidden and had to crawl under the house to connect the wires. I got the wires connected and had Brando test them before I crawled out from under the house and all worked fine. I then proceeded to transfer the components to the pond from the temporary outdoor extension cord to the new service. After all was transferred but one I was thinking that I am on the back stretch and on my way to the finish line. I plugged in the pump that runs the filter and nothing happened. I pulled the pump out of the water and plugged it in again to feel a hum and a slight noise but alas, it would not pump water. My friends have also bought this exact same pump and both of there pumps have locked up. It seems that this pump is of the same fate. I contacted the company in which I purchased the pump and they informed me that they would send me a pump in kind for free. Them pump that locked up cost me about $45 and the one they were sending me was $148. I didn't ask questions I just confirmed my address and thanked the costumer service rep and hung up. After talking with my friends they told me that they had to pay the difference between what they payed for the defective pump and the better pump and I might call and check that a pump is coming to my house to make sure. I called back and they had NO RECORD of my earlier call what so ever. Needless to say I was a bit bent out of shape. I told the CS lady what the earlier CS said and why cant they find a record of my call. She was clueless and informed me that she would talk with her managers and give me a call back. Just a few minutes later, she called back with a deal on a pump that was more than I wanted to spend so I suggested a different pump that was in my price range that they could cut me a deal on because of the run around. She agreed and we were all satisfied in the end. I need to make it a habit to get the name of the CS rep that I talk to from now on. Oh yeah...I have another one of these defective pumps running the waterfall and will probably have to go through this again to get this pump replaced. Fun fun

Pond update

I know everyone is getting tired of hearing about the pond but I wanted to update everyone. The pond had nice clear water for about the first two weeks. During the first few months of a new pond, the water is seeking a balance. You need the right combination of critters and plants to get to this balance. Well the plants took over and when I mean plants, I mean algae. The water went from clear to murky to incredible hulk green in a matter of a couple of days. We have place plants in the pond but they are still pretty small and starting to grow. Looked over at Brando and said that if we want to see the fish, we are going to need a filter. She gave me the go ahead to get it. Me loves me Brando. I have spent my budgeted money on the pond and still don't have any fish in it other than the two that I put in there from the aquarium. But being the wonder wife she knew that I would not have said it if we didn't need it. I am hoping that when the plants get big we will not have to run it as much. Any hoo, the first few days we didn't see much of a change. I checked on it closely everyday I got home. Then about day five I started to notice the waterfall looking a bit clearer but still not crystal clear. Then on day seven, when I got home Pilot was standing on the patio and said, "Looks like you water has cleared up." I walked up and to my amazement the water was really clear and you can start to make out rocks at the bottom of the pond. I was floored. I would have never thought that it would have been such a night and day change this fast. This morning when I got up and checked on it, the water was even clearer. I am really happy about the filter and the plants are really going nuts with a growing spurt. Last night I also saw one of the fish I put in there a week ago and he looked like he was quite at home. Hope to get some more fish soon. I hope to post some more pics soon also.

Dog Tired

Today we worked in the yard. Brando had the rock spread on the pond when I got home. We played on the tire swing and danced in the bubble machine that Pilot and Needles got the kids for their B-day and A-day. Then I hooked up the wagon on the lawn mower and loaded up the family and went to visit Kunkle Pilot and Aunt Needles. After getting home I started to mix up some weed killer and Brando and the kids came out and said, "We NEED ICECREAM!" I figured that since they had a gun to my head, might as well. After we got home we sat outside and enjoyed the sound of the waterfall. Tomorrow I think we will pressure wash the green stuff off the North side of the house. Fun Fun Fun.