Somebody Call the Plumber

The Big News from Space .

They had to send the Shuttle up to take care of their little problem. Fortunately things did work out, as reported by the BBC.

"Crew members have fixed a toilet at the International Space Station with a pump delivered by the shuttle Discovery.

After three tests, the toilet appeared to be working, according to an update from US space agency Nasa.

Russian Oleg Kononenko worked to replace the toilet pump and install new hoses in the Russian Zvezda module for more than two hours.

Spare parts for the Russian-built toilet had been rushed from Moscow to Florida ahead of Discovery's launch.

Two Russians and one American had been using alternative facilities on the Soyuz capsule because of the breakage.

Correspondents say the toilet problem had become the main topic of conversation at Nasa press conferences.

"It's unfortunate we're talking about toilets, but that really is the life, that's the future of human exploration in space," said deputy space station programme manager Kirk Shireman.


"I don't take it as a really bad thing. It's just something perhaps everyday people can really relate to."

Space urinals generally use jets of air to guide waste down a tube into a container, where it is then separated into liquid and gas."

The Fuzz has a simpler solution to these problems. There's no flushing involved.

Water

We finally got some much needed rain. When I say "much needed", I mean, much needed.
We are on a well here, and it is not a very deep one. Here in North Carolina we have had a hot, dry summer. Dry is not good if one's water source is an old shallow well. But this is not the first time, and if the Climate Change People are right, probably not the last time.

Over the years we have worked out ways to deal with this. This is our Emergency Drought Water Management System. We are fortunate in that we are able to reduce our water consumption considerably when necessary. I think this may have been born of some camping experience, where one must either carry, or find, enough to get by. The two barrels store about 100 gl. It is drawn out though the handy spigots and carried were needed. This is primitive, I know, but quite effective. It also is an opportunity for some good, heathy exercise.
The Oriental Vehicle is equipped with a barrel of it's own. This is filled in town at the home of an Accommodating Friend, and then driven home.

The last step involves getting this water into the Emergency Drought Management System. The Fuzz has found, that rolling the 400 lb. barrel off of the Oriental Vehicle and carrying it to the rest of the Emergency Drought Management System, is somewhat difficult. But since the driveway is at a higher altitude than the side yard, a simple hose connecting the barrels easily does the job. All The Fuzz has to do, is sit and watch !
We have learned to conserve water. It is really surprising how little one needs. The Fuzz can take a complete shower with a gallon jug of warm water. Only a cup is needed for tooths brushing, and our Special Facilities require none at all.
Soon it will be time for the County Fair, and it always rains for that.

Long Time Gone

I took a walk in the woods the other day. And as I wandered, I came upon this relic of bygone days. It seems this was once part of a thriving homestead. For those who are uneducated in these matters..... I wonder if a quiz would be in order ? Probably not. Yes, this was once a state of the art outhouse. I know all about these things on account of I, myself, recently made a visit to similar facilities right here at home. Of course, ours is equipped with walls and a roof. Be that as it may, there is a melancholy attraction to these remnants of abandoned homes one stumbles upon out in the woods. I always wonder, what kind of people lived here ? How long has it been ? Why was it abandoned ? How many cold nights did someone come here in a solitary moment, and just relax their mind, forgetting about the cares of the day ? Here one could sit in peace and admire the stars, listening to the crickets and the frogs of the night.
Here the old ways and the new ways coexist. I write these words on this electronical wonder, but step out into the night for peace.

The View

This is actually a long range shot. This tree is quite tall and a good way from where I was sitting. This is one of the paradoxes of these modern times. We have this wonderful digital camera, which though the wonders of modern technology, has the ability to make distant objects seem so close. The paradox is that I was sitting in an old fashioned low tech outhouse at the time. I don't think I really need to go into exactly why I was there. Let's just say I had my reasons. But as I was enjoying a peaceful moment there, my gaze wandered upward toward the now bare branches and a curiosity caught my eye. Why does it appear as if there has been an ice storm ? It did rain the night before, but it was not cold. Especially not cold enough for ice, not even a frost. And yet this has the appearance of a real ice storm, the kind that breaks trees, turns out the lights, and causes general havoc. I suppose it is just the sunlight catching the still wet branches, but to me it seemed special.
No, I don't carry a camera each time I visit the little house or go, as we say, "down the hill". But this was too good to pass up and I had to capture the moment before the "ice" melted.