The only profitable thing I've done today besides getting my first AfterEffects composition finished and rendered, is getting the new float valve put on the horse trough.
When I headed out to do it, shortly after Savannah left for her chiropracter appointment, I figured it would be a fairly easy job that would only take maybe 30 minutes (since I had never put a float valve on before). Well...it took closer to two hours.
First, I made several trips back and forth between the barn for tools. No biggie--that's pretty normal. I wasn't sure I was going to get the pipes unscrewed, and then they came and I got sprayed big time with water. I hadn't turned the pump off. Well, I went and jammed something in the points, but it didn't seem to slow the water down much (if at all), so I went ahead and pulled the fuses. I just hope Granddaddy didn't need any water in the house...
Then I discovered that diameter of the fitting for the pipe was bigger on the new valve than on the old one, so I made several trips for pieces. None of them were going to work, as I eventually figured out. Feeling rather blued, I headed for the barn and found an old float valve with plenty of pipe on it--and the pipe was going to work! I would end up returning to the barn with that chunk to stick it in the vise and take part of it off.
Now all that wouldn't have been so bad, except that someplace fairly early on Snip showed up and was a regular pain in the neck for the rest of the afternoon. On top of that I'm not sure that I'm not fighting Mollerat Meningitis again so I'm trying not to push too hard.
But, back to Snip, he wasn't content just to stand and watch me...no, he had to get his nose right between my face and my hands (and therefore what I was working on). He chewed on the shovel, on the pipes, on the tools, on the box (I eventually snatched that from him and tossed it over the fence). He nibbled on my hair, on my pockets, and at one point, he stuck his sandy nose on the small of my back which really tickled besides dribbling sand down my britches. He got excited and reared up some (at least he didn't kick!) Part of his stupidness was he thinks I'm going to feed him anytime I'm out there.
Finally, I had my pipe all ready and then I realized that when I had dug the weeds out from around the tub that it had slipped some so the pipe coming from the ground was no longer lined up with the opening in the tub...so I had to dig out from the other side of the tub in an attempt to tip it. While on my knees on the edge, rocking back and forth and trying not to take a header into the fence and water, or to tip off backwards and soak my seat in the puddle (either of which would have probably put Snip into one of his crazy 'dances' where I wouldn't have been safe), suddenly whatever was plugging the drain hole gave way and the tub emptied it's contents. It sure made that aspect of what I was trying to do easier. I removed my boots and socks so I wouldn't soak them. I didn't bother about rolling up my pants since they were already wet and filthy. I tossed the boots over the fence to keep Snip from chewing on them. I lifted up on the tub and discovered that I could pick it up, but couldn't hold onto it with one hand and shovel with the other--then I saw a chunk of an old fence post lying there that would work just fine--so I walked around in my now wet, barefeet, stepping on plenty of goat-heads in the process (ouch!) and retrieved the piece of wood. Then I had to ward Snip off. I was fully inclined to whack him over the head with the wood if he got any more belligerent. Sticking the wood down under there and shoving it farther with my foot while I lifted worked.
Then I got the pipe and the valve screwed on and got the pumps up and running again.
Once I put the fuses back in I went in search of a plug--first in the horse lot where I stepped on even more goat-heads and then got whalloped upside the head (my left eye to be exact) by Snip's very sandy nose. I looked like I had a black eye. I don't think it actually bruised, but it sure looked like it before I got cleaned up!
Anyway, the thing is working like it should and holding water now. It took far longer than it should have and I found myself on the brink of tears at least twice simply because I don't feel the greatest and Snip was being such a nuisance! BUT, it's done and that I'm pleased about! :)
When I headed out to do it, shortly after Savannah left for her chiropracter appointment, I figured it would be a fairly easy job that would only take maybe 30 minutes (since I had never put a float valve on before). Well...it took closer to two hours.
First, I made several trips back and forth between the barn for tools. No biggie--that's pretty normal. I wasn't sure I was going to get the pipes unscrewed, and then they came and I got sprayed big time with water. I hadn't turned the pump off. Well, I went and jammed something in the points, but it didn't seem to slow the water down much (if at all), so I went ahead and pulled the fuses. I just hope Granddaddy didn't need any water in the house...
Then I discovered that diameter of the fitting for the pipe was bigger on the new valve than on the old one, so I made several trips for pieces. None of them were going to work, as I eventually figured out. Feeling rather blued, I headed for the barn and found an old float valve with plenty of pipe on it--and the pipe was going to work! I would end up returning to the barn with that chunk to stick it in the vise and take part of it off.
Now all that wouldn't have been so bad, except that someplace fairly early on Snip showed up and was a regular pain in the neck for the rest of the afternoon. On top of that I'm not sure that I'm not fighting Mollerat Meningitis again so I'm trying not to push too hard.
But, back to Snip, he wasn't content just to stand and watch me...no, he had to get his nose right between my face and my hands (and therefore what I was working on). He chewed on the shovel, on the pipes, on the tools, on the box (I eventually snatched that from him and tossed it over the fence). He nibbled on my hair, on my pockets, and at one point, he stuck his sandy nose on the small of my back which really tickled besides dribbling sand down my britches. He got excited and reared up some (at least he didn't kick!) Part of his stupidness was he thinks I'm going to feed him anytime I'm out there.
Finally, I had my pipe all ready and then I realized that when I had dug the weeds out from around the tub that it had slipped some so the pipe coming from the ground was no longer lined up with the opening in the tub...so I had to dig out from the other side of the tub in an attempt to tip it. While on my knees on the edge, rocking back and forth and trying not to take a header into the fence and water, or to tip off backwards and soak my seat in the puddle (either of which would have probably put Snip into one of his crazy 'dances' where I wouldn't have been safe), suddenly whatever was plugging the drain hole gave way and the tub emptied it's contents. It sure made that aspect of what I was trying to do easier. I removed my boots and socks so I wouldn't soak them. I didn't bother about rolling up my pants since they were already wet and filthy. I tossed the boots over the fence to keep Snip from chewing on them. I lifted up on the tub and discovered that I could pick it up, but couldn't hold onto it with one hand and shovel with the other--then I saw a chunk of an old fence post lying there that would work just fine--so I walked around in my now wet, barefeet, stepping on plenty of goat-heads in the process (ouch!) and retrieved the piece of wood. Then I had to ward Snip off. I was fully inclined to whack him over the head with the wood if he got any more belligerent. Sticking the wood down under there and shoving it farther with my foot while I lifted worked.
Then I got the pipe and the valve screwed on and got the pumps up and running again.
Once I put the fuses back in I went in search of a plug--first in the horse lot where I stepped on even more goat-heads and then got whalloped upside the head (my left eye to be exact) by Snip's very sandy nose. I looked like I had a black eye. I don't think it actually bruised, but it sure looked like it before I got cleaned up!
Anyway, the thing is working like it should and holding water now. It took far longer than it should have and I found myself on the brink of tears at least twice simply because I don't feel the greatest and Snip was being such a nuisance! BUT, it's done and that I'm pleased about! :)
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