Tag: sprinkler head

The Blooming Continues

Frank, the landscaper, came by last week to reseed parts of our lawn. Much of what sits over our septic system never recovered when the system failed and was rebuilt a few years ago.

Talk about a foreign subject to a city boy: we now have a septic system that could handle the prune growers convention! Trust me – when you store poop under your front yard, you don’t want the system to fail&#185!

We also have a sprinkler system (our 285 foot deep well doesn’t seem to mind supplying the water), which was off for the winter. In order to get the lawn going, I needed it on. I phoned the irrigation service company.

Their recording says, “wait.” I couldn’t.

I left a message saying I was going to do it myself. Amazingly, they came the next day, before I could throw the switch. Oh… they also found a sprinkler head that needed replacement (as they ALWAYS do).

Though the grass is lacking, the color show associated with our flowering trees continues. On our east property line are a few peach and apple trees. As with the others, these came to us in the back seat of my car.

In sixteen years I’ve eaten three peaches and never seen a real apple. I don’t spray – it really is my own fault. I still like having the trees.

Each of the flowering buds I’ve posted in the last week lives a very brief life. Within a few weeks, the most brilliantly colored blooms in our front yard will turn lush and green and fade in with their surroundings.

Right now, I’m enjoying the show.

&#185 – Though not terribly unusual in Connecticut, our sixteen year old house has well water, a septic system and uses oil heat (delivered by one of frequent commenter Woody’s trucks). There are no sidewalks on our street of eight homes.

Friday Night With A Clarification

Aboard the Norwegian Star

In the morning we’ll be docking at Manzanillo. We’re under 200 miles away.

I haven’t found anyone to go to the volcano with, so I’ll be on my own – which might actually be better. I’ll let you know.

Earlier today when I looked at this website, I realized it looks like the ship is jammed with people. It’s really not like that. Just an unlucky choice of shots I suppose.

Most of the time, there’s plenty of room to stretch out or go at your own pace. Many areas (and this might be on purpose) seem perfect for introspection.

We went back to Aqua for dinner tonight. Once again, it was excellent. I had a steak with a banana based dessert. In fact we all had the steak.

I like Aqua better than Versailles. They both have the same menu, but Aqua wins on decor. I especially liked the artwork, which from a distance seemed to be ceramic.

I mentioned this to someone at a hold’em tableand he felt just the opposite. I’m not saying it’s the right opinion, just that it’s my opinion.

Each table at Aqua had a small candle flickering away. Nice touch until I noticed someone at an adjacent table playing with his. It was actually a solid state light, programmed to flicker and look like a candle.

Where has the romance gone?

Our table was at the window. That was nice until the Sun went down. It is pitch black outside the ship, especially when there are clouds.

It has since cleared, and I’m on the balcony looking at a sky full of stars. The only thing that breaks the night is the translucent plume of smoke trailing us. The wind must be blowing from port to starboard.

Since Wednesday evening the ship has been moving through the Pacific. With light seas it’s easy to forget you’re moving. There’s no noticable noise when you’re inside.

On the other hand, if you’re on deck it’s unavoidable, as water is rushing by constantly.

Every once in a while, I feel myself swoon and think, “I must be tired.” I guess swooning is something I do when I’m tired, but never think about. On the ship it’s just a reaction to the slight sway we’re constantly under. It’s funny how the mind works with unusual stimuli.

If you watch the wake along the side or rear of the ship you realize our motion is part of a complex interaction with the sea itself. The wake is never quite the same over any stretch of time, though patterns do repeat. It would be interesting to see it plotted out.

Most people think a ship’s rock pivots from the keel. There are actually multiple pivot points and they’re constantly changing. The ship is rocking side-to-side, front-to-back and other ways I haven’t thought of, all at once!

I hope I’m making myself clear. This is a tough concept to try and explain.

The ship itself is quite complex. It seems as if no space is left unused. That’s especially true in the hallways were there are utility closets and storage lockers in the space between cabin.

I noticed a piece of electronics hanging on a wall and came in for a closer look. It’s a cellular telephone site – in the hallway! I saw another one earlier on the side of an open deck.

The ships officers communicate with cell phones in their own mini-network. Passengers can buy in for outrageously expensive calls back home.

Fire is a huge concern. Fire at sea is incredibly dangerous. You can’t go more than a few feet without seeing a smoke detector or sprinkler head. There are also storage lockers with fire fighting equipment. On the water, we’re on our own.

As big as this ship is it’s easy to get lost, so there are flooplans all over the place. I was surprised earlier today, looking to go the stern, to look at the water rushing by the ship and still go the wrong way!

Tonight’s entertainment was Dave Heenan, a comedian from New York though he sounded Irish to me). He is living proof that good stage presence trumps good material, since he was better than his material would indicate.

He is a large man… maybe immense is a better word. He uses that to his own advantage, making fun of himself.

Helaine and Stef laughed a lot. I did too. I was surprised to hear him tell a joke I heard Allan King tell on Ed Sullivan at least 45 years ago.

Later in the week he’ll be performing in a lounge, and I’ll try and see him again. I guess that’s endorsement enough.

By the time I post this, I should be back from the volcano. I do want to keep the blog up-to-date (a labor of love for me), but I also want my vacation.

So far, it’s a ball.