Water Main Woes in Wellman

First it was the sewer.  Then it was the electricity and internet.   Now it is the Water!  What's left?   The Natural Gas Main?   Seems we will be getting new utilities no matter how you slice...or in this case:  DIG it!  You dig*?

 (*That's '70's lingo for " Do you understand")


So I should explain.   The crew that has been working on our sewer for the last three weeks has done it again!   This time,  while digging the trench for the sewer to our neighbor's house...  they cracked into our water pipe.  Thus we have been without water for the better part of the afternoon.  Luckily,  we don't drink the stuff and our showers can wait for a little while.

The guys noted that the pipes were almost completely filled with "Iron Sediment"  and a new pipeline was long overdue.  When they finally fixed it ( a few moments ago) the water ran this wonderful brown color for several minutes.  Reaffirming  our choice to never drink it!


The poor crew working out there do not strike me as "incompetent".  Actually, they strike me as fairly competent.   Every time they break something...they know just who to call to get it fixed right away!  I guess practice and experience make perfect....even when things go invariably wrong.  Planning to fail seems to trump failing to plan.  Or so every insurance agency would have us believe.

Speaking of screw-ups:   Check out my new embroidery mistake!   I blame my meaty paws with the pushing of the "X" button on the touch screen instead of the "Y". (They are right next to each other on the touch screen, after all.)  It is the first time I have ever done anything like that... even though I have caught myself  with typo's before.  Heck, this blog is a prime example.


Other than those little things,  it has warmed up to a pleasant day outside currently.  So warm, in fact, that the last few remaining butterflies have been stopping in to sample our flowers.   Those Marigolds are wonderful Fall flowers as they seem to continue to bloom despite all of the chilly nights and mornings.  I wonder how late into the Fall they will last.    We shall see.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday.   The weekend is right around the corner....good news for those folks with jobs.  Enjoy the next couple Autumn days while you can.  It's the best time of year!

The Iowa Indian Summer

Iowa Indian Summer

Has finally arrived!   I've been in this state for 6 years now, and I can say in my limited time here that this has been one of the hottest summers in memory!  ( with a study group of  whopping 6 years!)   Perhaps natives will know of past years being more sultry,  but I'm a newbie.

A Pearl Crescent butterfly.  

That being said,  the weather has finally arrived where it is cool to cold in the mornings;  warming up in the afternoons, and then cooling down slowly as the sun sets.  In other words... The weather has become pleasant.  And what else is there to really talk about in Iowa... Other than the weather?

So, I'm finally finished with my 45 hour week of scoring for Pearson.  I now have the opportunity to post a few things that have happened these last couple of weeks that I have not had time to chat about.

No more noise for Subie!

First:   Subie got a new Catalytic Converter!  Only a cool $800.00   After we were finished with the Marathon in Chicago.  Good Timing Subster!  Cheryl was still in a good mood after running the race, that the topic of when we should fix him never came up.   She simply told me we would get him fixed the next day!   Usually,  She is pressuring me to keep the cost low and "How serious is it really?"  Which is code for:  " Do we really ave to fix this?"   Only after my anxiety becomes more annoying than the car noise does she relent.

With that huge hole in our bank account,   I have been working my eyeballs off to score as much and as long as I mentally can over these last two weeks.   Pearson has authorized 45 hours a week to allow them to finish up the project on time.  I have been scoring over 12 hours each day until I can secure that 44.9 hours ( Pearson does not like it when you go over their overtime allotment.)  I only had to work 4 hours today to get that number.   AND I have been geting the double bonuses for scoring the minimum amount of papers in a given day.  (156!  Which is a LOT! )   I've been scoring around 170.  So,  I'll leave it to your imagination just how frazzled my brain is after that.

Moth playing Hid-and-seek

Oh,  Don't get me wrong.   I actually enjoy the freedom I get from scoring at home.  I am able to take breaks and snap pictures of the cat in the front yard.

Along with a number of other pretty sites as they flutter by.

Skippers abound!

Another shot of the Crescent

The colder weather has chased off the hummingbirds,  and most of the butterflies and bees that used to visit the front yard flowers.  However,  the Skippers and Moths have been becoming more common each day.   Daytime flying moths are actually kind of rare compared to the butterflies.... until now.

Day-flying moth

Skippers everywhere

Mums in Full Bloom

Our $3 Mums are in full swing now.  We have already had a couple of heavy frosts in the morning, and yet these flowers are  unfazed.  I have been trying to keep them watered and I eventually plan on planting them somewhere along the building.  Perhaps the Landlords will have an idea on their placement.  We shall see.

Hiro on the porch

Our Lazy Guard Cat

Fall flowers with visitors!

Other than that,  Cheryl has another race coming up this weekend.  We plan on combining it with an IKEA visit.  Since this one is on the fly,  we shall see how things turn out as they happen in real time.  

Another Chicago race for Cheryl

Bringing Bearing and Butterflies To The Blog

A New wheel bearing

A little alliteration always spices up the blog from time to time. Why not have some fun!

An "Old" wheel bearing.  i.e Mine!

So,  we went for the rear wheel bearing replacement via professionals for Subie yesterday.  Meaning:  I left if to the "real" mechanics.  The place we go to was great in fitting us in on a Friday with no appointment.  And,   best of all,  they had it done by the afternoon.   We had a full day of scoring at College board yesterday, so we hardly even noticed the car missing.

 the "bearing" is missing in this one

WHAT A DIFFERENCE!   I'm not entirely sure how long we had been living with that bearing noise.  All I know is the Subster  is so quiet now that I think THAT is a new problem.   It just does not seem normal that our car could be so quiet.   Cheryl informed me that Subie can not break anymore for the rest of the year.  AND   She also told me to stop talking about "phantom" car problems.  Regardless if they are real or imaginary.  That is what the blog is for.

All these parts.  Call the Pros on this one!

So the Mechanic said the bearing came out in "parts" and "Pieces".  Meaning either it was made up or numerous small parts...  Or it was totally shot and the small bearings came out in  even smaller parts  than originally designed.  After watching the videos on how the bearing is "pressed" together,  I imagine it is a little bit of both.  There was no way I was going to be able to work on this job and feel confident about it.

Hiro Stands Guard in the Front yard.

Female Tiger Swallowtail

Other than that,  our time at college board is coming to a close.    Next week is our last week,  and we have a half marathon coming up that Saturday. ( A week from today.)  The money might be tight, but at least I have a certain level of confidence that the Subie will get us there.

While prepping to write this entry,  I had the rare opportunity to capture a few "moments" in our front yard.  Even though we have flowers by our front window,  and even though it is not "uncommon" for butterflies and other colorful creatures to visit them;   it is VERY rare that I happen to have the camera handy when an  opportunity presents itself.

She likes the purple flowers best.

Notice the two rows of yellow dots on Hindwings.

Behold!   The Tiger Swallowtail....Black Female Version!   Very rare indeed!   Allow me to pull out my Lepidopterous hat and explain.

Tiger Swallowtail Common form

 The Tiger Swallowtail butterfly is usually a large butterfly with tails on its hind wings.  They are easily identified by their bright yellow colors with black "tiger" stripes.  However,  one of the common phenomenons about butterflies is their ability to mimic things.  First as eggs,  then as larvae.   But sometimes they even mimic other butterflies!

Pipevine Swallowtail  ( poisonous)

So,  the female Tiger Swallowtail butterfly has a built in recessive gene that allows it to take the colors of a Pipevine Swallowtail ( they are poisonous)  or a Spicebush ( they are bitter tasting, I think)  so that, in the event a bird decides that tiger swallowtail butterflies are the latest "healthy food" fad,  and begins targeting them for dinner,  the species will live on because a few of the females will look COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from the species norm.  Pretty cool! Eh?

She was very nice to pose for me.  I even got to pet her.

I guess I will never lose that Biologist side of myself.   Life is a pretty cool subject, after all.  Hope everyone is having a great weekend so far.  Perhaps the little posting will enhance your Trival Pursuit game someday.   The topic Can be confusing as there are often MANY overlapping and parallel  ties that connect butterflies.   So many I do not want to make this posting any longer than it has to be.    But, what can I say.  I love bugs  ( most of them) and Subarus    Even if the love is one sided most of the time.

Instead, Imagine Pretty Butterflies…..

Well, the Pearson Qual sets are looking pretty grim.  I finished the last training set and did my first of two Qual sets…..let’s say things could have been better.  I’m not sure if it is reassuring or disheartening to think that I missed it by so little.  I don’t think that barely passing will give me as much confidence as you might think.   Instead of sticking to vagaries,  I’ll just say that I missed the first Qual set by one in two of the four domains….and missed it by one non-adjacent in one of the other domains.   So…FAIL!   Please Try again.
I have only one more Qualification set to get it right….so..no pressure!   You think I would be a little more anxious about this, however,  I’m mentally drained after slugging through that last set of papers….Funny how scoring really taxes your mind.  I’m unusually tired for this time of day, and I’m guessing that the reading and evaluation of papers is the blame. On the other hand,   we sold three stockings today, and I had to take time out to do the names on three and the buttons on two of them.   Looks like I will find things to do in my spare time without scoring…should I fail the next Qualification set.  So…No Pressure!
  Other than that,  Cheryl and I went on a 14 mile tapering run this morning.   It was a nice day and Cheryl ran at a level she can be proud of.  ( especially after that 22 mile long run.)   A couple things of note were the butterflies!   Lots and LOTS of butterflies.   Monarchs must be getting ready for their long flight to Mexico.  We would pass by large clusters of field flowers and the Monarchs would swarm over us as we passed by.   It was similar to being in a butterfly garden!  Bummer I did not have the camera to take a few pics or video of the event.  Maybe they will still be out there for our next long run.
In addition to that, I discovered something unusual…..Wild HOPS growing along the trail!   What are Hops,   you ask?     Hops are a Key ingredient for BEER!   I have never seen them except on beer labels and posters.   So, To find Hops growing Wild on the trail makes me want to go out and pick some so I can take a stab at brewing my own beer!    We shall see how motivated I am about it perhaps later this week. 
So, Wish me Luck on the Final Qual set!  If I pass YEAH!  I’m not only smarter than I sometimes think..But will be able to have employment for three weeks.   If I Fail!   Ah Well….What are you gonna do?   I will focus on stockings and  maybe blog more.   Blogging is a way to ease the depression a bit.  And it exercises my fingers!