... who fix many things.
Walking around the yard two days ago, Joan discovered that the sprinkler/irrigation system wasn't shutting off. Well, that's not good. She shut off the water at the main line for that system and investigated - opening the water box in the ground where the valves are, water was spraying in there. Yeah, that ain't right.
I went to the source of all knowledge: Google and YouTube. It may be just the diaphragm in the valve, or the valve that controls the water flow. Joan ordered both from the source of all goods and products: Amazon.
I find it interesting how Google, YouTube, and Amazon have changed the way we do things in the last decade. But, I digress.
The valve and diaphragm came in (same day delivery, thank you, Amazon). We left the water off on that line to let the ground in that water box dry out a bit. Then, this morning, I invited Dan to come out with me to open, inspect, and replace as necessary.
I took photos along the way (as suggested in the YouTube instructional video) to make sure things went back together in the same way they came apart...
In a surprising twist of fate, it was just as described: the diaphragm had a deformation in it, the new diaphragm was an exact fit, and it all went back together with no fuss. I turned on the water line and... you could hear it fill with water, and no leaks.
Joan came out, turned on the system from the control box, and we have a functioning plant watering system again.
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Would a "manly man" do this...
Taking Murph for a walk in the stroller. I'm secure in my masculinity. Yeah, this post took a different turn. ;-)
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Here's a look at the finished product from the class Joan and Steph took...
It needed to have a layer of "grout" put onto it, which Joan did this morning. It is not the "broken glass" I thought it would be - but there are a lot of small beads on there, too. Sounds like it was a good Mother-Daughter outing.
One other Mother-Daughter project today: Steph's "Rubina friendship bracelet" (I don't know what else to call it, but it spells out Rubina) pulled apart this morning. Well, Dicha pulled on it, and... pop. Steph and some of her friends are wearing these bracelets in support "until Rubina makes it" through the 8 stages of her final training at the Guide Dogs for the Blind campus (she is currently in stage 2).
Mom to the rescue: Joan pulled out a bead board she has - just for making bead projects - and stretchy thread, then helped Steph get started on remaking her Rubina bracelet... better than original.
2 comments:
Sounds like good projects. We had one sprinkler valve that needed a new diaphragm this year on startup. Plus a new irrigation pump (a much bigger project). Ours was DOA after sitting all winter, but it was making funny noises all last summer, so that was not a total surprise. But I finally have all my sprinklers working in time for it to hit 90° this week. Neat glass and bead work crafts too.
I get how Murphy might be calmer in the stroller than on a leash, fully exposed to the world and all the threats. We tried walking Duke on a leash around the yard that first spring so he would be familiar with "his" yard and house if he ever got out. We eventually realized it put him on Red Alert and was not productive.
We had a sprinkler system in Texas, but it was all maintained by the Maintenance Dept, who also contracted with a landscape company to mow all the grass. Easy. On the flip side of that, we are OK with not having "real" grass.
We started Murphy on the leash right away. But with the walls around the property, it is easy to go out with him and keep a close eye on him. He can jump to the top of that 6' wall in a heartbeat. When we were out in the van last week, we did take him out on the leash - he did fine with it.
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