Clean water, Spanish lessons, preparations

When I got home yesterday Mama asked me to check the screen on the washer – just to make sure. It is a good thing she asked. It was almost fully plugged. When I pulled and cleaned it, I left the hose disconnected from the washer. Using a short garden hose, I hooked into the washer cold water line and ran the hose out of the laundry room window. I ran water though that hose for about an hour. When I caught some of the water in a glass jar, there were still tiny bits of gravel in the stream, so I let it run for another half hour. Each test yielded less and less foreign contamination until, after a couple hours, the water looked clear. Whether or not that holds true remains to be seen, but at least Mama can wash a load of good clothes and get through the entire cycle.

While I was at it, I pulled the screens on all the other faucets throughout the house and cleaned them again. Maybe we are passed the silt and specs. Mama asked if we could leave the screen out on the washer and I explained that cleaning the screen is a whole lot easier and less costly than replacing the pumps that would be ruined by the bits of gravel getting into them. I have seen in the refining industry what very small pieces of debris can do to pumps with tight clearances. We may have a few more issues, but I think we are past the major contamination hurdles. At least for now.

Mama headed to Ladies Meeting while I was out doing a few odds and ends around the farm. She debated going. She always does. She always enjoys herself when she does go. Last night was no exception. She was happy she chose to eat some of the rice concoction I made for dinner. The only thing that was served at the meeting was cookies and ice cream. Mama should discover this morning that I trimmed back the asparagus to reveal several new stalks. I have let it all go to seed in the heat, but now that the temperatures are cooling a bit, we will harvest some of the stalks as they shoot up. Temperature wise, it has been a little crazy. Monday, the high was 104°. Yesterday, the high was 81°. Quite a difference. I suppose that qualifies as a cold front when the ambient temperature drops by more than twenty degrees. We will still have days in the ninety’s, but the triple digits are out of the forecast for the remainder of the year. One day made that much of a difference. Amazing!

Victoria got home just as I was getting back inside. She quickly set up for Spanish lessons. A lady who used to work with her at the Bowie Walmart pharmacy used to teach Spanish in High School. She is an excellent teacher. I participate from a distance. Victoria is doing quite well. She struggles where all of us do; with conjugation and vocabulary. But, overall, she is progressing quickly. I think she has her heart set on being more engaged in normal conversation when she goes back to Honduras in October. I believe she will meet that goal. In little bits, I am able to help her with the Spanish I have learned over the years, but neither of us speak it to each other the way we need to in order to be proficient. Doing so excludes Mama, so we are careful to speak Spanish only in limited conversations. Besides, that is all that Victoria has to offer right now anyway. It was a wise choice for her to get lessons. And she picked wisely in her instructor.

Tonight, and tomorrow we will set up the spare bedroom to house the twins. Mama and Victoria are heading to Oklahoma City Friday afternoon to get the girls. Brittany and Andrew are taking a long weekend together, so we get to keep Zoe and Sophia Friday night through Monday afternoon. Monday, Mama and I will meet Brittany and Andrew in Altus, OK to give the girls back. It should make for a fun weekend.  

I need the distraction.