A Comedy Of Errors

What can you do but laugh!!  One problem after another has beset this house and I'm pleased to say it wasn't my fault.  If it was, I would feel even worse!!  First up ... termites.

SO ... these are not termites.  These are carpenter ants that have set up housekeeping by the water tank.  No surprise ... there's water there.  They may get in your house, but they won't EAT your house.  It seems the entire state of Arizona is a huge honeycomb for ants.

Here's a couple up close, though they didn't follow my instructions to smile for the camera.  There's one carrying those leaf pieces.

 

Here's the official picture taken by Arizona Pest Control.  Those that were flying around the yard?  Those were indeed termites, but THOSE are not a real threat around here.  Rarely do you have to contact a pest control company for them.

Here's one of the carpenter ants eating one of the flying somethings.  Sorry he's blurry ... he just would NOT stand still for a photo.

These ... THESE are the problem around here.  They are subterranean termites that will definitely snack on your house if they get the chance.  They are blind ... and they make little mud tunnels up from the ground going up your foundation.  They have even been known to make those same little tunnels inside the house going down the wall.  Nasty little critters.

I got out my Sherlock Holmes magnifying glass and checked both the exterior and the interior.  I see no little trails anywhere.  So for the moment ... I can relax about the termite action.  Should I see anything like that, I will call a pest control company to come drill holes and deposit poison.  Not that your house will fall down on your head, or that you will fall through the floor (said BobsEyes) but they can cause some damage.

There you go ... termites 101.  I'm sure there's lots more to learn about them, but the less I know the better I feel.

As for the quilting machine ... THAT was a comedy of errors.  I was not amused, but I laughed because I didn't want to scream HE'S AN IDIOT!!  

Here's the story ... My machine ended up at the repair shop where it was repaired.  Then it was driven BACK to the main store where the Manager would pick it up and deliver it to me.  When he arrived, the USB port to the computer had been smashed, apparently by the DRIVER because it was fine when it left the repair shop.

Another day goes by and that gets fixed with a replacement part.  It still doesn't work.  Finally the SECOND repairman shows up with a big box of parts.  The DRIVER had also smashed the encoder at the bottom of the machine.  That's a pretty pricey part that I don't have to pay for.  In fact, all of this was no cost to me.  With both of those things fixed, I was ready to roll.

BUT WAIT ... I can only see half of the screen.  I can't see or reach the part of the touch screen that I need in order to tell it what to do.  I called two shops, but they were all too busy.  I called the manufacturer HandiQuilter and luckily reached a very patient lady.

It took us 45 minutes on the phone to finally get the entire screen to show up.  It's a Windows based computer.  Nancy should not work on that stuff when she is frustrated.  Thankfully the nice lady didn't hang up on me.  At long last, I was back in business and surrounded by 85 pieces of paper describing what to do ... I just had to figure out which one was going to work.

At long last, I finished TWO quilts before my legs gave out, four hours later.  I literally have to relearn the entire machine ... but I'm getting there.  It's a challenge.

The roof is coming along nicely.  They will return to do the garage today, at the same time the plumber is going to fix my sprinkler plumbing.  Slowly but surely ... with lots of patience ... this too shall pass.