Saturday, September 27, 2008

A Hot Saturday Afternoon

93 American degrees here, it is HOT, HOT, HOT. Not humid but warm enough that you appreciate being indoors out of the sun. Audrey came down yesterday afternoon to watch the McCain / Obama debate with us, frankly I thought it was interesting but nothing was going to change my mind anyway. McCain seemed relaxed and easy going, unflustered and answered the questions well. Obama seemed more organized and completely at ease with himself. Not big differences from all I heard. We sat out in the sunroom til dark and chatted away.
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This morning Audrey and I tore into the pool filter/pump system, actually turned it on and got the water to flow a bit. Then we openned up the route to the rooftop solar heating device and l'Viola! A waterfall! A 1.5" plastic pipe had pulled loose and thus delivered a rather substancial quantity of H2O into the roof gutter which promptly backed up as it was blocked by a sequence of bird nests and overflowed simulating a 8 foot replica of Niagra Falls. Nice. So up we went, saw the break and realized that the black PVC had SHRUNK from the sun exposure and pulled completely out of the rubber fitting that joined it to the solar array. Off to ACE Hardware to get the needed pipe, glue and misc for the fix. Back, we climbed up tools in hand and proceeded to cut in a section of new pipe and glued it into place with solid couplers. Now wait two hours for testing. Kelly and Audrey took off for the grocery store to acquire the needed items for tonights experimental food meal.
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I tested the new pipe before they returned to find another break at the low pressure return, sunlight had crystallized the plastic joint at a turn and it had sheared off...another waterfall Niagra-like ensued. I went back on the roof and retrieved the failed pipe/joint and all and brought it down to measure for replacement. Audrey and Kelly returned I helped them unload the car them Audrey and I, once again, took off for ACE Harware to get 2" pipe, 90 degree joints and a 1.5 - 2" adapter. Back once again we assembled the replacement after cutting it to length
and away we went, all good. Now we await the cure of the glue and testing about 4:30.
We shall see whatelse needs fixing, won't we?

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