Sunday, September 11, 2005

Leeches, leeches, what leeches...

OK, not leeches, it is leaches I am sorta talking about.

It has been a crazy time not just for us but for the USA.

Anyway, I think I can stop my constant tears and TV watching, what I was doing was just not healthy. Interesting thing is that natural disasters in other countries I am in I can handle, Katrina wiped me out and I live in Arizona....

So, in order to get on with my life as I am sure any survivor would want me to do, I will tell you about a neat little rigged job we discovered....

But first let me ask... where does your grey water go?

Most people might say the sewer or perhaps even the septic system.
We noticed an odd odor in the back yard... so we dug.

Only to discover that the grey water from the washing machine has been slowly killing the oleanders for years and years...
Pictures will come I promise.
I still marvel at how this house has managed to withstand not only this harsh desert climate but "fly-by-night" jobs...
So, if any of you readers (all one I think) have seen the flickr slideshow... is there something that you are intrigued by to help get me out of this Katrina induced slump?
Oh and the leak in the basement was a leak in the water main... the joys of old homes is NEVER ending isn't it!

And, another question... I have a huge front porch, how tacky would it be to have real furniture on it and have an extended outdoor living space?
Is this OK or are my southern (NC and TN 4 generations back) roots showing or are my northern roots (MA and PA 5 generations back) just horrified?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you worry about Squink trying to eat the oleanders? My mom drilled into me from an early age that just touching the things would practically kill you. I don't actually know how poisonous they are.

As for the porch, I would probably do wicker furniture or something -- something more porchy. However, I love the way a really dressed up porch looks. Several of my neighbors have art and other sorts of decorations that are more common indoors on their porches and they look wonderful.

Anonymous said...

I agree on the wicker furniture. In one of our porch rooms we actually have wooden outdoor furniture and it looks pretty cool even though the porch is enclosed. In another, we have been collecting old sports equipment for a sports theme since we need a place to hang the bikes anyway.

our gray water waters some ornamentals. It's all a matter of how it seeps and what's in it (no bleach).

Blair said...

I have had two of my huge overstuffed chairs hanging out on the front porch since we started teh move in and I find that I like it. I saw a picture in a magazine that ahd a porch with rugs and such but I did not know if I am pushing the envelope here... Will post a photo of said charis when I manage to get to my house while still daylight.

Anonymous said...

Blair, you should also check your local codes. Here in Nashville indoor furniture (meaning stuff that is upholstered, for the most part) is not allowed on porches/decks/etc.

Blair said...

Duh! I can't believe I did not even think of it.
I just looked into the city code and it is rather ambiguous and does not define enclosed structure... though I think it was to prevent couches from lounging on the street or on the front stoop... I don't see my porch as a front stoop and according to the definition of enclosed and of structure I may be just within a hairsbreadth of the law