The Oven Is DRY!!

 This is me in the early morning hours, walking around the kitchen like a zombie looking for my coffee cup.  It takes a few sips before using the couch and the coffee table to get on the floor for ... you guessed it ... the ball game.  I was told in no uncertain terms that the ball was under the recliner and required extraction!  I finally used the SAME coffee table to get myself back upright.  There's work to be done.

This is a tiny bit of a sunrise, along with a small rain cloud you can see hitting the ground.  We didn't get much this time ... just a few big drops.  Raindrops in California are maybe 1/4" across when they hit the ground.  Here they range from 1/2" to 1".  When it rains, it pours!

First up ... change out that diaphragm in the sprinkler system.  I quickly discovered the valve itself is not the same, but the rubber piece that controls the water WAS.  I quickly changed it out and replaced the lid.  Time for the test.  I ever so slowly turned the water on, then the sprinklers.  Nothing.  What the heck?  

I SHOULD be hearing water enter the valves.  It was the third one that I changed out, so at least the first one should work.  I tried again.  NOTHING.  Good grief ... now I have NO WATER!!  What's going on?  The only thing I can figure out is the shutoff valve isn't working, even though you can open the handle.  VERY big sigh!!  I suppose it's no big deal because the monsoon rains will keep everything watered, and to be honest, at this point I don't care if it ALL DIES!!!  My back yard oven is dry for the time being.

I'll call a plumber this morning, because this is something I don't want to mess with.  I need them for my kitchen sink also, which has decided to become a problem.  Just my luck!  

So let's take out some of that frustration on the cactus trying to live on this side of the house.  I don't know why squirrels, spiders and snakes want to make holes under cactus .. maybe for the protection ... but I think they are going right under the foundation.  This stuff needs to go.

It was only 100 degrees when I grabbed my trusty shovel and went to work.  Cactus is very interesting.  Everywhere it hits the ground, it sends out new roots.  It was a bit of a struggle, but I got them all out except that one woody bush.  The black box holds rat bait, but the rats are too smart to eat it.  I'll get back out there this morning with my rake and clean it up a bit more.

That was it for the day.  One good thing ... all this exercise is keeping me moving!  To balance that out, I spent quite some time on the couch watching the Cheyenne Rodeo Finals while the trains went by.  This picture just shows how close the trains are.  I really don't pay much attention to them, but I hear them coming and check out the engines to see what's pulling them.  If going to the right, they are heading to New Mexico and states East.  If going the OTHER way, I guess they are heading to California.

Suddenly .. this happened.  The entire sky was lit up pink and purple, even making my patio pinkish.  One thing Arizona has is amazing sunsets.

And then the rains came yet again.  I couldn't just sit ... I had to try and capture the lightning.  Even with video, this is the best I could get.  The lightning is very high up in the clouds and goes across the sky instead of hitting the ground.  I'm sure there's a name for it.

It's a wonderful feeling 77 degrees this morning.  Time to take water down to the critter trough.  That's one bad thing about that valve not working ... it also fills the water trough for the desert kids.  Just another way to get in my daily exercise I guess!!

Thank you everyone for the RV service tips.  I have a feeling they are going to tell me they are 2 months out on appointments.  I'll let you know.