Tuesday, November 08, 2005, 19:28
Good to Go
"Look at all the Asian beetles," said the furnace repair man.
I peered over his shoulder.
About a dozen dead ladybugs were inside the furnace.
"Oh," I said, "that's nothing. I would have thought it would be more than that."
I explained that at times, I have swept up ladybugs by the snowshovel-full in the basement.
"Yeah," the repairman admitted, "I've seen 'em worse than this, too."
There was nothing wrong with our furnace, but I decided it would be a good idea to have it serviced -- filters cleaned and/or replaced, oiled, that sort of thing.
The man also ran a carbon monoxide test on the furnace.
"Less than 50 is acceptable," he said.
The little machine that he had hooked up to the furnace registered 16.
He also replaced the old permanent filter with a new disposable filter. I've been looking for a new filter for years. I hesitated to try anything else for fear I'd get the wrong filter. We once tried an electrostatic filter in the furnace. It was a disaster.
I told him about the electrostatic filter.
He smiled. "Paul Harvey advertises those. He's good for our business. Those electrostatic filters are okay for people who live down south where they don't need a furnace much in the winter. They're worthless up here, especially for someone who lives out in the country with farm fields all around. It's all that dust, you know. Gets in the furnace and plugs up the electrostatic filter almost immediately."
Tell me about it. That's exactly what happened with the one I tried. The things are expensive, too -- $75 -- and they're worse than having no filter at all.
The service on our furnace cost us $67. Worth it, I think, to know the furnace is in good running order. Of course, now the weather forecasters are saying it will be a mild winter. Either way, I know we will need the furnace, and I'd rather have it working properly.
November Rose -- I can't hardly believe that I have a rose blooming in November! Seems impossible. But it has been so unseasonably warm this fall that I suppose my old rosebush doesn't know any better. Soon I will have to cut it back and cover it for the winter.
Click here to see pictures of my November rose. (I also caught Sophie napping!)
LeAnn R. Ralph
Monday, November 07, 2005, 17:13
Lots of Tape -- No Ducks
I had to put duct tape on my old gelding's feet this morning. Ever since he had his feet trimmed two weeks ago, he has been so sore he can hardly hobble around. And he's starting to lose weight. I don't know if that's because his feet are so sore, or if it's from the heart condition -- or both. But in the past, a couple of layers of duct tape on the bottom of his feet have provided some cushion and made walking a little easier for him.
I hesitated to put duct tape on Kajun's feet before this because the ground has been damp, and so of course, his feet have been damp. And when his feet are damp, the duct tape doesn't stick very well. I almost had to carry him in the barn this morning to get his grain, and that's when I decided to try the duct tape.
He looks funny, walking around with silver feet. In a day or two, I'll know whether the duct tape is helping. You wouldn't think a couple of thin layers would make much difference, but apparently it does. If nothing else, I know for sure it will keep sand and mud from building up underneath his feet, and that will help, too.
Unfortunately, Kajun is like a kid on a sugar high when he's in the barn and cannot see Isabelle. He is afraid that if he cannot keep her in his sight at all times, she will pack her bags, let herself out of the pasture and will go to live somewhere else.
It's quite an interesting task, trying to put duct tape on a moving target that's dancing around and trying to jerk his foot out of my hand.
I don't know why Kajun is so worried that Isabelle will leave if he can't see her. When he *is* next to her, on the other side of the fence, he pins his ears back and tries to bite her and charges at her to drive her away from the fence. He's really not very nice to her at all -- which, of course, is why we spent two days moving a shelter into Isabelle's pasture two weeks ago.
Anyway, I will probably have to put more duct tape on his feet tonight. I've put duct tape on his feet many times over the years, to help ease the pain after he has had his feet trimmed, and it usually does help.
But you know what? That's the funny thing about duct tape. I have used it for Kajun's feet. I have used it to fix halters. I have used it to fix dog leashes. And to fix rubber boots. And windows. And to tape boxes shut when I'm shipping books. And to tape cracked hoses. And for dozens of other uses. Over the years, I have used many, many rolls of duct tape.
Never once have I used it to tape a heat duct -- which is what it's made for.
I've often wondered if the people who invented duct tape knew it would have hundreds of other uses. And if they did, why didn't they call it "all purpose tape" instead of duct tape. Or as many people say -- "duck tape." There is a brand name of duct tape called Duck Tape -- complete with a little duck on the label -- but there's lots of other duct tape with no ducks.
As my nephew once said in reference to duct tape, "I wish I had thought of that."
Me, too.
LeAnn R. Ralph