Another week starts. . . .

. . . let’s hope it’s a good one!

This past weekend I spent many hours in Santa Fe taking a concealed carry course. I’ve taken a similar course previously and decided to pass on getting the permit. This time I will get the permit. I doubt I’ll carry much, but it’s getting weird out there lately and it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

I enjoyed being out there shooting again, but doing it with 16 people is a less than enjoyable shooting experience. The class was supposed to be about 8 people, but it grew. A couple of women were in the class that were very inexperienced and they slowed things down considerably and then there was one woman that was more interested in gossiping than shooting. And then there were the hard of hearing, who also were wearing hearing protection. You had to physically chase them down and grab them to get their attention and shoot. One of the range officers said that it was like herding cats.

ERIN, NINA, AND DEBRA

Yesterday they went to one of the casinos for a horse show. It was one of those dancing and leaping horse type of events, and Erin came home so excited and wired. She was dancing and prancing around and playing like she was the ringmaster. She even got to pet some of the horses. Debra went with Nina and Erin in my place. The above class made me going impossible. I would have liked to have gone, but priorities.

Erin is going to be in a wedding soon. Roger, Belle’s old boyfriend, is getting married soon and he dropped off her dress while she was gone. Last night she tried it on and the dress combined with her horse show high had her dancing and spinning and just being such a girl, it was fun to watch.

SEPTIC SYSTEM

Well, it looks like this nightmare should be coming to an end today. The enviro creeps are coming for a final inspection to see if the pumping system delivers the water in an even manner and if that passes, Rudy and crew can cover and finish this pain in the ass and move on to his next project.

We had an issue over the weekend with the high-water alarm. The float that controls the pump and the alarm needed adjusting and wasn’t switching the pump on. I overrode the automated part of the system and emptied the tank. While it was emptying, I called Rudy and made him aware of the problem and he came out Sunday morning and adjusted it. I later ran across him in Santa Fe at the Plaza Cafe South where we went for lunch after shooting. He was there with his wife and son.

Dat’s it.

Al Capones Vault, Here In New Mexico!

  • And it was on my property. See pic below!
  • Well the enviro people approved of the system but they want to see it running before they sign off on it as finished. That should happen on Monday.
  • The vault? It was a septic tank for the campground that we did not know existed.
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This old septic tank that was found on the property was bone dry, unlike the one next to it that still had a nasty smelling liquid in it an was half full. The one with liquid was a standard tank, but this one was HUGE. At least 10 feet deep and 15 feet long and about 6 to 8 feet wide.
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This old septic tank that was found on the property was bone dry, unlike the one next to it that still had a nasty smelling liquid in it an was half full. The one with liquid was a standard tank, but this one was HUGE. At least 10 feet deep and 15 feet long and about 6 to 8 feet wide.
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This is an old pumping station and it had hoses attached to it like we’ve been finding all over the property. It seems like the original owner used effluent to irrigate plants and stuff on the place.
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It’s made of steel and was a bear to pull out of the ground. We’re thinking that there’s an old pump in the bottom under the dirt and stones.
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Side view.

 

Final Stretch~ I Hope!

Well, there’s a very good chance that the septic system will be finished today. Of course the enviro people are planning on being there today to inspect the visible system and I’m pretty sure these petty dictators will decide to make some changes to the system that will cost us even more money.

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The soon (I hope) to be approved septic field. Inspection pending for today and IF approved, a 4th line will be added after the first 3 are covered.
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Just another view of the same area.
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The view from the opposite side. The pipes sticking out currently will be capped with a valve in case they have to be flushed. The infiltrators will also be capped with a end cap prior to being covered.
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Just another view of the same area.
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The 4th row of infiltrators waiting to be installed.
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Just another angle.

I’m probably going to go apeshit on the enviro people if they don’t approve this system.

Halfway there

  • To May that is. April has been flying by.
  • Erin has been having kids to play with here. DJ, Michael’s son and Serenity, who is M’s niece. It’s been fun watching them play together, even with the age difference.
  • Yesterday I had to cut Rudy a very big check for ½ of the work done on the septic system. Normally he wouldn’t make such a request, but due to the enviro department’s interference, this job has taken much longer than planned. Damned Enviro Hippies!
  • Beth and company’s river cruise has been somewhat of a disaster, or at least in my opinion from her description. I think the group consists of about 8 people and right now the boat is parked in a cement company’s docking area. Sounds dreamy, right? I hope the rest of the trip is 110% guys.
  • Old Fartz today. I have to say that while there’s a lot of interesting people in the group, there’s also a lot of drama involved. All via email and none of it happens at the lunches, but the drama is just stupid.
  • More septic pics below.
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Two backhoes moving tons of dirt. It’s amazing how much spare dirt I had lying around!
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After disconnecting the old septic drain field, they run a pipe to it to keep the new tanks running while they construct a new drain field.
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The new system, and updated one after the enviro department interfered, is a mound system. It should give us a 4 foot rise that we will plan with something to lessen the visual impact.
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After the enviro dept. stopped work on the trench and sand system, we had 4 trenches to fill and it seemed like the perfect place to bury the old septic tank and surrounding soil.
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If you enlarge the pictures (by clicking on them) you can see that the old tank was cinder block construction. Surprisingly the tank was still fairly tight and had no leaks. The top was massive and appeared to be one solid piece of concrete about 8 inches thick.

 

System on track again

My septic system is back on track. Different configuration, but signed permit in hand. Work started again around 1:00 p.m. and they’re kicking ass on it now. Two backhoes moving soil and ripping out trees, mixing sand and soil together.

I assume that it will be done in short order. Infiltrators and a mound. I want it done yesterday.