A crew from Sauk Centre Public Utilities, and a specialist, came this morning. They tracked where the sewer went, once it left the house. The 'specialist' used to work for SCPU. Now, SCPU likes to go to him for this sort of work, I think mostly because he knows so much about how they work, and what's under the streets in Sauk Centre.
The process sounds simple enough: uncap the sewer pipe, run a tape that's attached to a transmitter down the pipe, outside, turn on the transmitter, and then track the signal outside.
I knew they were having a hard time with the sewer pipe cap, by how loud the banging was. I was outside at the time, and could hear it clearly. They had to break the cap to get it off, but no worries: They replaced the old cap with a new one.
Then outside, about four guys were going around the yard and intersection with gadgets that look a little like giant, mutated dustbusters.
Happily, although the sewer pipe is in an odd place, it could be a great deal worse. The thing turns north after it leaves the house, then after a few yards turns northwest, joining the sewer main around the far side of the street intersection, I gather.
The SCPU guy thinks that sewer service was added as soon as the sewer line got to Ash and 9th. Which makes sense: As far as we can tell, we're in an old farmhouse that the town grew around.
Also, I found out that the SCPU thinks that there's bedrock near the surface, at the south end of this block. There seems to be ridge, running roughly east-west, down there, although the surface is flat.
The best news, from a practical point of view, is that the sewer and water work is going to cost a great deal less than it might have. Still, this project is going to be a hard hit to the family finances.
As the last of the SCPU guys was leaving, he said, "thanks for being so cooperative." Nice of him to say that, but I wonder: was I really that different? I just let the guys in, showed them were things were, asked a few questions, and stayed out of their way.
I called my father today: he was sounding a lot better than he did yesterday, when I tried talking to him. Turns out, they'd been trying to treat one of his breathing problems with scopolamine - I think that's it - and it didn't agree with him: no wonder he sounded so incoherent.
Today, he was better, and we had as much of a conversation as his shortness of breath allowed.
Then, this evening, while my wife, #3 daughter, and our son, were at Soo Bahk Do, I got a call from the hospital. We've got a caller-ID service, so I knew where it was from before taking the call.
It was good news, sort of. My father had managed to get himself out of bed - something of an accomplishment these days - and then had fallen. They're keeping track of him and his vital signs now, and he's got no more than a bump and scrape or two, so it could have been worse.
Oh, right: one more thing. Today is our anniversary. My wife and me were married on this day, long ago.
I forgot all about it! That's funny in a sitcom: not so much in real life. Worse, I hadn't gotten her gift. Happily, a backup arrived in the mail today.
She's taking it rather well, all things considered. She's had a great deal of practice, dealing with my foibles.
Gotta go now, goodnight.
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2 comments:
If I forget, my wife does too, so it works out. We wish each other happy anniversary on the next day. Often, though, my mother's greetings get to us first, so then we know.
:D
"...it works out." Thanks for sharing that - the phrase seems to cover quite a bit in life.
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