Another damn update

I really wish I had entertaining or thought-provoking stuff to write about. Instead, another update. Much of the last week or so (since the last time I wrote) was spent working at my mom's place. We were there on Tuesday and today (Friday), doing the usual.

I'm really bored with writing about that. Folks, it hasn't been a fun summer for us--one when we can go out and do fun things. The Minnesota trip was fine, but that was the exception. We have had no other trips, not even one-day trips to local places or long drives. All our one-day trips have been to the house. Finally, in early August, we will take a trip (two or three days) south into eastern Wisconsin. Call it a mental health break. Then, back to work.

The big news is about the well. I think I told you earlier that we need to put in a new well at the house. The well guys worked at the site this week.

Earlier they told me they may have to go down as deep as 300 feet to find water, and the whole project could cost about $12,000. A pretty penny, but what could I do? You can't sell the house if it doesn't have water service. And I figured I'd recover the expense eventually when the house is sold.

So what happened? How far down did they have to go? Only 48 feet. That's where they came across water, and it seems like a good supply. While we worked at the house Friday, the water was running merrily out of a hose connected to the new well--they will put in a new pump and bury the new water line to the house next Tuesday. The guy I talked to sounded surprised and pleased--other wells in the area, he said, are a lot deeper.

As for the cost: I had sent them a $4,500 down payment. The guy I talked to on the phone said I may even get some of it back. No question about it: very good news.

We continue to boxes of stuff out--either to St. Vinnie's (St. Vincent de Paul, the local thrift store) or back home. Today we took a few things to the local historical society and my mom's church (except they closed early on Friday so it's all still in my car's trunk).

We found more interesting stuff. I'm taking pictures of many of the stranger or more unusual things, and eventually you will see some of them. Today, the big find was knitting needles and crochet hooks. Dozens and dozens of them. I also took pictures of some baby clothes found in a box in a cubbyhole. Guess whose baby clothes?

Other stuff I did this week:

I covered a women's golf tournament on Thursday, for the U.P. championship. Covered the championship match, walking all 18 holes with my camera and notebook. That was about 3.5 miles or 6 kilometers. A woman from our area was going for her fourth consecutive U.P. title, but she lost. By strange coincidence, this was the first women's title match I have covered in person. You don't suppose ... ?

I also covered the local high school football camp, with 175 players from a wide area. It was fun; gets the engines revved up for the new season. Football is the high school sport I enjoy covering the most.

On Saturday, I'm going to a parade in town and then will be off to some motocross races on the other side of the county. Did a feature about two of the racers for this week's paper. So on Saturday--picture after picture of racers getting big air coming off the big jump near the start-finish line.

In early August, practice starts for high school sports. Their seasons start near the end of August, and that's my own target date to be finished with the work at the house--finally!

It's hard doing all this work a day at a time, but once the water is running in the house, my wife and I will be able to stay there overnight instead of driving back and forth (50 miles each way). Who knows? Maybe we can have some fun in the back yard after dark. ;)

That would be fun. The back yard here at our house is right in town, very small and not shielded by anything. As I wrote last year, sometimes when it's hot at night, I switch off the motion-sensor light and sit naked on the back steps to feel any cool breezes blowing around. It's cooler out there than inside. (Though we did get a room air-conditioner for the bedroom a few years ago.)

The weather was coolish this week, but some hot stuff is supposed to be around next week. Just in time for the U.P. firemen's tournament late next week. Remember from last year?

You can bet that my camera and I will be pretty busy during those days and nights.