Chasing Rats In The Oven

Here we are in the beautiful SUNNY Arizona oven.  By 5:00 it was 82 degrees, so I got right to it.  (That was yesterday.  THIS morning at 4:30 it is 84 degrees.)  I grabbed my ladder and went to scrape down the facia board.  Not an easy task.   I'm teetering on the ladder in the gravel that's at quite the angle to keep water out of the garage.  It's a balancing act for sure.  I didn't get far before getting overheated.

That's when I noticed these oleanders are getting WAY too big for their britches.  My secret to gardening is not to water anything very much ... that way it doesn't grow and I don't have to prune it.

With all the rain last year, they got bigger than necessary.  Out came the pruning shears and I knocked them down to size.  Well I knocked ONE down to size before becoming completely overheated.  It was 8:00 and 90 degrees when I headed back indoors.  It's not pretty and I didn't care one bit!!

Gee ... only three more big ones to go.  I did clean up the walkway a bit too.  I took the easy way out and grabbed my blower.  The patio cover really isn't listing to one side ... I was just too tired to stand up straight.  More work on that will continue today.

Back inside cooling down, I got a call from my neighbor.  Someone is digging up your water meter.  Oh great ... another problem.  I sauntered down the driveway in shorts and my soaking wet shirt.  I probably scared the guy half to death.  

They said my water meter hasn't been reading any usage for two months.  That's because I haven't been here.  How could that be anyway, since I'm getting a bill every month with meter numbers on it.  He didn't know, he was just replacing the meter.  So for two months they have been "faking" my water usage?  Y'all can imagine how happy I was about THAT!  I'm now expecting a much bigger water bill. 

He tried to placate me with "we are replacing EVERYONE'S meter as they break" ... but mine isn't broken I said!!  Obviously there was no talking to him.  Big sigh ... I guess there won't be any more watering of plants.

I went back inside because now the oven temperature is up to 102 ... feels like 235!  It's 8:00 and time for breakfast.  Here's my best buddy waiting for his scrambled egg to be doled out.

The finch have been out in full force.  I've never seen so many here before.  This appears to be an epic year.  They love the shade and the damp soil.

And then it happened.  I looked outside to see water coming from my sprinklers.  It's not time for sprinklers.  Back out into the oven I go, to discover even if I turn them OFF, water stills runs.  That's not good.  Not good at all!!  I lifted the cover to find a nice big fat RAT laying by the valves.  

With no shovel in sight, I picked up a big slab of rock and slammed him.  I sideswiped him.  I ran to grab the shovel, but that didn't work either.  There's no room beside the concrete without cutting wires.  He ran off into the yard with me in full pursuit.  I can hear you laughing!!!!!

RATS!!  The rat got away.  I set this trap, but later moved it underneath the cover which I placed just so ... hoping he crawls under it again and gets caught!!  Just what I need ... another problem!!

Oh but wait!!!  I STILL couldn't get the water to the sprinklers to shut off.  I finally figured it out.  It's not because of the rat chewing on anything ..... it's the VALVE (the top one) which is broken.  Upon closer inspection, I have three that are leaking.  Big sigh!  I'm so tired of having to fix stuff!!!  It's constant around here.

I watched a couple of YouTube videos on how to replace them without cutting off the pipes.  I guess I'll make another trip to Home Depot to buy some valves to the tune of $80 for four and see if I can fix them.  Worst case, I don't fix ANY of them and I no longer have grass or plants in my yard.  I'm thinking that's not a bad option at this point.

THEN .... the story continues ... I smelled smoke.  I know it's coming from next door because he's always burning something.  The next time I'm calling the fire department.  I walked out the front door and snuck around the corner to see if that's what it was.  And what do I see sitting on the rocks by the OTHER drip line valves?????  You guess it ... THAT #$%@#$$ RAT!!  Of course I have nothing to hit him with, but I chased him off into the desert.  I'm sure he'll be back in no time.  I set another trap.  The hunt is one!!!

By now I'm totally beat up from the heat, so I sat on the couch with Cooper and watched the Calgary Stampede.  At least I can still laugh at the mutton busting names ... Lady Baa Baa, Ewe Haul and Seat Cover were my favorite.

The only redeeming factor of the day was this nice sunset.  If it weren't for this, I probably would have packed up and left.  

I should be out painting as we speak, but I just don't have the fortitude.  The heat really takes it out of you, even if you ARE putting salt in the water.  I'm hoping today is a better day.

If you see Prince Charming roaming around on his horse, PLEASE send him this way.  I have a really big TO-DO list!!