Whew ... for a second, I thought I had posted the wrong pics!!!
^_^
Introduce yourself with a picture!
lol
oops
WNYwB - Given the "swamp" location It's most definitely hydrostatic pressure. Some swamp lands are seasonal - submerged at times then dry others. Swamps here ( right in my vicinity) go dry every August. The sure fire fix is a raised water garden or a higher location where water doesn't collect. An alternative is to install drains and grading to take the water in another direction, but then you might have a problem with municipal or zoning regulations about grade changes or even make a neighbor angry with changed drainage. Unfortunately iIt will only happen again unless you can figure out a fix.
Here's another link. Check out the picture!
http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?p=2776525
Another excellent link! Thanks!
I am very fortunate that my father (I now have the family homestead where I was raised) and the next door neighbor (still there) installed a line from the backyard (underground) to the street sewer for the gutter to drain to. The goal was to add drainage tiles. I am not sure if what they did together was OK, but, nonetheless it is there for me to take advantage of. I can certainly install drainage tiles to minimize that issue, and I am sure my neighbor would be thrilled to have this "problem" corrected, without complaint! I bet he would even be there telling me exactly what I am not doing properly!! It's kind of nice to sort of still have a "dad," others time a royal pain in my a ..... um .... you know!
My dear pa passed in 86 at the awfully young age of 59 due to complications from Asbestosis. He was an insulator for many years installing the stuff, and then removing it after it was deemed so dangerous.
Thank you TONS for all the brainstorming!
You're welcome. But really it's DG. This is what DG is all about - Information sharing.
I lost a fellow Humane Society volunteer to asbestiosis. She died about three years after her husband died from it. He contracted the disease from his work at John-Mannsville which probably produced the insulation that took your Dad's life. They believed she got it from contact with his clothing. Supposedly the company was unaware of the dangers at that time. She was a great gal. I'm sure your Dad was a great guy.
This message was edited Mar 2, 2009 10:04 PM
Yup. Same Johns Mansville that got my Pop. And Hooker Chem. And Donner Hanna. And Oxy Chem. And And And ad nausium!!!
I am dreading blood work (yes, I am one of the statistics without health insurance for the past 20 years), because I am guessing I have had plenty of contact .... Dad comes home .... Kids hug Dad ..... Mom washes Dad's clothes ..... Mom washes everyone else's clothes, etc. .....
And, we learned from the lawsuit that it was well known to be dangerous from very early on, but those determinations were never made known by the developers of that "stuff." Instead, those studies were shredded. We haven't come far in these past 40 years, in some respects.
"Just wear a painter's mask, if you're worried ...... you'll be fine!" That was what he was told.
In hindsight I know that Dad did his VERY best, despite several, mind-blowing set backs. My dearly departed (oldest sibling) sister passed from Leukemia at age 4 due to the doctor not wanting to be disturbed Christmas Day, so he X-RAYED!!!!! the baby inside to make sure it was OK to induce labor on Christmas Eve Day. Imagine the depth of the insult – Mom was an RNurse at the time. Christmas has never been easy in our house. Understandably so, but hard to grasp as a kid at the time.
Any way .... enough of that past ..... I am doing MY best now to make sure all that he sacrificed for us was not for naught. I am proud to have, preserve and improve the home he built for us with his life.
Thanks, again .... for ALL the info .... and for letting me vent a tad ^_^ everyone.
"What does not destroy me, makes me stronger." ~Friedrich Nietzsche
Forgot to add .... Remember Love Canal???? That's the next town over.
Sure, I remember Love Canal. Venting's good. These things need to be said and rememberd. A lot of lives were lost and many others permanently and profoundly affected. I'm sure you're making your Dad very proud.
Okay I have a lot to say . . . Thank you Willie for being our first Male Poser and you win King of Dave's Beauty Contest! Why on earth would you be down on your appearance (or is that your lame version of being humble . . .????). Get out from behind the camera and have more pictures taken. That way you have more pictures to chose from next time someone needs a picture . . . )
Second, I had no idea what I was looking at when you posted your bird. I thought it was a plastic dinosaur toy or something. In the following picture I could tell. I used to live in Australia and those birds were considered pests. I was awestruck by them and their beauty (and their size-they are way bigger in Australia). What do you do for a living that you could take a baby bird to work? If I were to make a prediction I have feel you work in something creative or in software. Anyone else wanna play "Guess what Will does for a living?"
BTW: I had 3 private D-mails telling me to hurry and look at the latest posting. Apparently you impressed quite a few of us (myself included). We now need a full personal resume on your life Willie. If your not married or dating anyone we fellow ponders might be able to be a match maker for you. I guess in our hearts and minds you would be an excellent match for another gardener-at least you both will go into the poor house together buying in co-ops . . . Thanks for posting, Awaiting answers . . . LOL!
Will: If you ever need an expert in asbestos I know that doctor. He is considered the #1 doctor in the world in Asbestos and Asthma (he wrote the chapters in the medical books on that subject and has testified on behalf of victims many times). If you are worried about your second hand exposure and want an outstanding evaluation and lots of information please dmail me directly. This doctor in located in the midwest.
BTW: I, too, lost my Dad at 59 years old to leukemia. The type of cancer he had was very rare and was considered a form that you would only get from an industrial exposure. My Dad worked in Insurance. I could worry myself to death about what the future holds regarding the cause of his illness and if I was exposed to something in some way but the stress would only increase my odds. I was 26 years old when he died. His illness is the only reason I returned from living in Australia. It has been 20 years now and my father has missed three of his kids get married (but he did know two of the three future spouses), and missed the births of 6 grandchildren and now some of those grandchildren are getting close to getting married themselves. I sometimes have these incredible dreams where I will hear his voice again and see something familiar about him that I forgot about. You know those little quirky things that make each of us unique but are not significant in the big scheme of things. The longer time has passed, the less frequent the dreams but when it does happen it is almost like a surreal visit from him.
How long has it been since your Dad passed away?
Sorry, I reread your post and saw it was 1986. You must have been very young when this happened.
Oh, now that is funny, Linda!! THREE d-mails ?!?!?! (is THAT all??) ;-)
I am just a regular guy who doesn't take himself too seriously. Thus, the warnings. Hehehehe Let's face it .... we can't possibly appeal to everyone. Plus, vanity is a sin (not that I am overly religious, but I think it is a good value to be humble and know that your place in "it all" is relative).
Mother Nature has been the best teacher of humility, to me. Nothing more humbling than dirtying yourself in mud to serve the Great Mother of us all. Plus, I am a REALLY late bloomer.
Also humbling is servitude to the animals for which I care. Though I don't really mean it, I often say I will step over a dying bum to pet a happy, healthy dog. Meaning: Man can really "stink" at times.
I have read that Cockatoos are one of the main causes of property damage in Australia. I think that is Awesome that you have had the experience of living there! Of course, I think my "baby" is thee most beautiful thing born, EVER! :-) Mine are Cacatua Alba, or Great White Umbrella Cockatoo ... they are not the largest, but up there. I LOVE those HUGE Black Palm 'Toos.
And, your "feeling" was pretty dead on.
Though, my degrees are all music (classically trained piano player - which is different from pianist) related (yes, plural), my vocation is in graphic design / large-format printing, so pretty heavily software / computer dependent. As for what I did that I was able to bring my bird, well, at that time I worked for a large, local grocer and I am sure I violated all kinds of code bringing Boo and Leukos to work to show them off. Of course, on days off. The grocery scene was not for me, however. Just as bad as politics .... go figure, eh? Now, I have my own small business doing graphic design and large-format printing.
I am not married. In a relationship, but nothing overly serious at the moment. Not a player, just realistic about expectations, and have always been one to take things thoughtfully slow.
Gee Wiz!! I think y'all now know more about me than anyone I know! LOL.
Any OTHER questions???? ^_^
Dad went into congestive heart failure in 1979 (I was in 8th grade) and given 6 months to say good-byes .... Stubborn old man took until 1986 (his birthday) to finish those good-byes .... Tough as salt he was. Fought it with every ounce of his strength. I was 21 and just starting college when he finally let go. What a horrible way to waste away into nothingness. It was terribly hard to watch him fade from a strong as steel 6'1 and 175 pounds down to 90 pounds in the end. I truly wish I had only memories of him healthy.
He was not a man of words, so I did not hear it from him, but in the end, the eyes simply said it all. It wasn't until a couple weeks before he passed that things (our life) started to make any sense.
I am sorry you know first hand this experience, Linda. Truly sorry. No one should have to go through it. But, we are who we are (strong) because of that experience.
I have never had dreams of him. That I remember, anyway. Usually silly stuff ... like being on the Metro bus and having the driver hit and run over the car in front of us sitting at the red light and proclaiming "Oh! That can't be good!" Hehehehehe.
I just might hit you up for that Doctor's name, if, when I do go for blood tests something looks "strange" in there (hopefully this year I can afford health ins., as the business is entering its third year of success .... I am holding some faith in this current administration).
Dad was a party guy .... so, there is no grief, nor sorrow, nor regrets .... only good times a-comin', Ya Know!
Did I mention I was born 7 pounds 7 ounces and the 'rents were considering naming me Seagram!! That should give you some insight as to their priorities!!! LOL.
Willie - so nice to finally meet you - Your pets are wonderful. I have to ask - what do you think you will do about the pond situation? It sounds like from what snapple said, that if it is raised up, the problems with the water underneath it go away. When you go start the process of taking care of it, I'd like to request you start a thread and take pictures so we can all see along the way, the progress and how it is done. I hope I am not asking too much - I think it would be an opportunity for the rest of us to follow what is going on.
Willie and Linda - interesting what you say about fuzzy dreams and the feelings of somebody that has passed being with one at certain times. I too have experienced very similar things. I truly believe in spirits and I know my grandmother has come to me several times since she has passed and I can honestly tell you that she came to me to tell me she was ok. My husband watches those shows about hauntings, etc - I cannot do them, because I do believe in them and I know there have been times where my long deceased familly members have been with me. We even had an incident where not too long after my mother passed that there was a very large picture on the wall that was lifted up and over the nails holding it on the wall. DH and I both know it was my mother and my husband even started in "Now Jan...." I wasn't home at the time - I wish I had been.
The exposure to the asbestos thing scares me. I have a 24 year old son that will help friends remodel friends homes, etc and will not wear the face protection -. You can't tell him anything - I have tried.
Carolyn22 - My Dad was an industrial engineer and consultant for industrial boiler heating systems. Asbestos was THE staple in insulating boiler heating systems. He worked at a lot of job sites where asbestos was being installed. His exposure was high and he never contracted the disease. Keep nagging at your son because there is a risk, but worry a little less. It's not an absolute.
Fret not, Carolyn .... I am planning to well document the process of the pond revisions.
I think the main problem was with the shape .... kind of like a lotus bowl .... with the bottom of the pond very wide, and very flat (horizontal).
|________________| Like that. Should be more like _/, I think. I will also place flagstone on top of the liner, like a pathway, along the length of the pond in the trench. I don't think flagstone pavers will be as bad a bacteria harborer as say gravel, etc., but, will keep the liner weighted.
As a final precaution, I will investigate those "Pressure Release Valves," and most likely install one in the center of it all.
Carolyn, maybe a trip to the hospital to visit someone with a congestive lung ailment is in order for your son. Kind of that "Scared Straight" approach ......
A caution about the pressure release valve. It will allow ground water to mix with the pond water. Can you get a sample of the ground water? From your photo it doesn't look to be in short supply! It would be good to understand what, if any, minerals it contains and the basic pH.
Actually, I had thought of that, but not for minerals and pH, but for petrols. Directly behind my property is a VERY LARGE Semi-Truck Service Station / Truck Dealer that has been there for over 50 years. I am more worried about oil and gas contaminants. Buddha only knows how much they dumped there.
I am also, in the back of my mind, considering perhaps installing large PVC pipes underneath the pond, which would be left open-ended to relieve the pressure, kind of like a big straw. I am thinking, though I could be WAY wrong on this, that this would provide the path of least resistance, seeing as how "pressure" is involved. My best guess is drainage tiles in the yard to divert the water from flooding in the first place, combined with steeper walls and less wide of a flat bottom, perhaps even sort of rounded. I bet the biggest mistake was so wide and flat a bottom.
Our house was one of the first built on this part of the street, and those who developed afterward all filled in their lots to a higher grade than our property. Both neighbors, on either side, have no flooding.
I do stay on my son about this stuff, but one never knows what goes on when one is not around.....
Willie - can't wait to see everything when you make the changes to the pond.
Sorry to veer off topic for a minute, but I had a dream last night that you all caused. Ehem, MM!!
I was making sandwiches next to my aquarium and suddenly I realized that I was eating my fish and I flipped out. I started to cough and the fish all came out on my hand and when I put them back in the tank, they all swam away. Talk about weird and GROSS! I blame this on you guys talking about sushi guilt :) Thinking about eating fish right now is making my stomach turn. eew
Glad I never liked seafood
a-n-g, I just came back from the market. Tonight it's wasabi mashed potatoes, fresh green beans with almonds and broiled salmon. There's tuna steak in the freezer. No problem here!
WNYwB - Knowing the problem is the biggest part of the solution. Although, with the surrounding area draining onto your property, the solution will probably be a major drainage project.
This message was edited Mar 3, 2009 1:57 PM
hope everyone is having a great day! :)
This message was edited Mar 3, 2009 1:20 PM
Who knows underdrains? Anybody?
This message was edited Mar 3, 2009 2:22 PM
Snapple - I'm coming to your house for dinner. I love salmon - it is one of my very favorites! Another favorite I have is Brook Trout. Tell you what - I'll bring dessert!
Sorry Susanne -somehow I am able to compartmentalize it!
underarms yes, underdrains no . . . hehehe
Willie I remember the first time I saw your posts about acquiring and naming your fish. I thought you were an older man. You must be an old soul.
Funny when I guessed at your work I immediately considered graphic design and saw you sitting on a tall seat at a draftsmen type table. I dismissed that idea because that is the business that my husband in in (Advertising) and works with graphic artists. So I thought it was a familiar type thing that I thought of that for you. Classical pianist? Wow, if I were your age I think I would like you A LOT! Piano, gardening, pets, fish-other than the environmental issues with location this would be a good deal! LOL! Do you still play? I am looking for someone to teach my sons piano but I can't seem to find the right teacher. I need someone who will look cool, teach them modern music and be inspiring. So far all the teachers I have met have been boring women who wouldn't know "cool" if it hit them over the head. Someone who would teach them Guitar Hero songs and Beatles songs would work because my kids might respect them. I have two HARD children. They are too smart and can rattle anyone's cage if they don't like them. That intelligence gene that my husband gave them in their gene pool is sometimes a curse . . .
A-N-G: Stop eating the fish and get back to work! That was a funny story. Glad it was your dream and not mine . . .
Linda: I have often been called an old soul! I am definitely rather "old-fashioned." Victorian sense of value, but in a modern sort of way. I think I get that from grandmother (b.1907) and great grandmother (b.1876) whom I had the great pleasure of enjoying / knowing my formative first 5 years. Just wish I could remember it more.
No tall seat, just a swivel chair, small desk and computer.
Buffalo draws a lot of untrue and unflattering "stereotypes." Like a lot of snow — all the time, poverty-driven economy, etc. But, much like all stereotypes, that is really only true to a very minute degree. The people here are top-notch people who know the value of the dollar they work hard to earn. Buffalo IS the "City of Good Neighbors," it's true! I have travelled the country a ton, and the world to a lesser degree, and aside from Amsterdam in the Netherlands, I find no place else I feel more at home and comfortable. Because of the people!
I try to draw a clear distinction between "pianist" and "piano player." I can (and still on occasion do) slam out some Chopin, or Brahms, or Bach, or Rachmaninoff alright, but I do not have, nor did I ever have, the desire to spend the hours and hours of isolation in practice to really be "good." It's definitely good enough for parties, though!
Try calling the local University or College Music Department, the Admissions Office will often keep a hit list of students who offer piano lessons ...... I know I was WAY turned off as a kid taking lessons from some lady who was no inspirational introduction to keyboards (really nice lady, though).
Maybe find out when the piano department is having their student recitals and attend one or two. I never really liked, or considered organ an appealing keyboard instrument until attending college and hearing skilled performers playing "seriously hard" music. All I could do was associate it with going to church, which I did not like doing. LOL.
I actually quit and taught myself how to play, initially, before embarking on serious, directed studies.
Here is a shot of Great Grandma (1876-1969) when she was but a youngin'
My grandma was older than your great grandma which is making me feel old . . . not good Will-I've gone off you now. . . sniff. Give me back that crown! LOL!
LOL .....
What crown? ^_^
Here's my Great GREAT Grandmother (1848-1913)????
Oh my gosh you guys have been busy!!! I am just catching up. The new position I started yesterday is keeping me hopping - no time to check DG, even at lunch time! I fear it will only keep getting busier.
Willie, I personally think those baby bird pictures are adorable, but I have three parrots : )
One of my three is a Goffin's cockatoo. I don't have a lot of pictures of her because she is a major feather plucker - doesn't have many left other than her head, tail and flight feathers. Poor little 'too : ( She is perfectly healthy, we've tried everything, she is on an organic diet, etc. Has been like that for most of her life and she is around 12 now. All of my three are "second hand parrots" so I never knew them as babies but I bet they sure were cute!
So, in defense of your baby fid pictures - I liked them!
Elizabeth
Oh, I know all about pluckers. Leukos, aka The Prince of Darkness, (Queen Boudicca's brother), picked up that habit from his mother, Lady Godiva, who plucked herself bare, hence the name!
Although, Leukos does not pluck himself nearly as much as Mom did. He is just a bit, how shall we say .... tattery. I pulled Boudicca's egg from the nest box and incubated her, but I left Leukos' egg in with mom and dad to incubate, and they raised him the first month, then I pulled him out of the nest box. He was NOT a happy camper! He would raise his crown feathers and puff himself out all big and mean and flap his wings about hissing the whole while. Which is why we called him Lucifer, Prince of Darkness .... at first. He turned out to be THEE most cuddly lover bird, so we changed his name to Leukos (after dad's name) which is the Greek word for White, of course.
Lady Godiva was given to me by some co-workers of my mom's who were teachers. Purchased her on summer vacation, showered her with love and around the clock attention, then had the nerve to go back to work in Sept. and leave her home alone all day ..... D'uh .... No wonder she plucked all her feathers. So, they gave her to me, as I already had the male. It broke their heart to see her like that, and they thought it was best for her to have a man. They bonded well, but took 10 years to lay eggs. She let the feather grow back, but ALWAYS had them in tatters, so I guess Leuk thinks that that is what he is supposed to do / look like.
I had a couple shots of Leuk all tattered, but I cannot seem to find them at the moment.
I wanted to breed parrots for a while, but had a bad experience when I purchased (3) breeding pairs of African Grays .... Two days after they arrived, one of them dropped dead of Proventricular Dilatation Disease, or Parrot Wasting Disease (Like HIV for Birds). My avian doctor was superb! Though the situation was VERY serious. I did manage to get the seller to take back the remaining birds, much to the vet's chagrin, as the disease is VERY contagious and he was sure they ALL had the disease. In order to get my $$ back I had to ship him back the remaining birds, at MY expense.
I feared for Lady Godiva and Leuk Sr. for the longest time after that. Lucky for me, I kept the cockatoos in the greenhouse and the grays sort of isolated in a bedroom in the house. They were fine, luckily.
I am still scheming for a retirement plan with parrot raising somehow involved. Maybe Hyacinth Macaws.
OMG, another novel .... I better stop!
Since our 401K's are now bust, I'm planning a koi retirement plan!
MM2 - you said that word - 401k. I am afraid to look at mine - I told DH yesterday I wasn't going to look anymore. Too depressing. Just wish I had more money to buy stock - now is the time.......
That has to be thee most horrible thing to stress about .....
For me, it used to be NOT having a 401K in which I was invested for my future.
Instead, I recently invested in starting a small business. I was fortunate to have discovered a small niche that was open in the area, and the means to take advantage of it.
I used to work for a company, who is now my competition, who I knew first-hand lacked quality control, skills knowledge, and most importantly, ethics.
So, I built my company on just that: high quality skill (at low quality skill prices), and quality control supported by strong, responsible ethics. The best thing making this all happen is that I can do it at home, reducing to almost nil the overhead costs of having a business.
We are entering our third year, this Jan 1, and have been growing despite the economic situation nationally.
I find my customers (store owners who resell my products to their customers) appreciate hearing how much I appreciate their business because it keeps me in business. The old "Without you, I am nothing" approach.
Amazing how far a little humility can carry you. Of course, it has to be genuine, not contrite, to work.
Willie: What do you do in this company?
Linda:
It offers Graphic Design and Large-Format Digital Printing.
Think full-color banners, signs, car wraps, etc. can go just over four foot by any length.
Okay, if anyone needs signs and lives in the Buffalo area Willie is the guy!
Anyone else going to surprise us with some pictures today??? I haven't given out a "King" or "Queen" of beauty award today! (Will-that was the crown joke I made a few post earlier . . .)
Well you all are so young and I am so old but here goes nothin!!! I hate to have my picture taken. BEV
Trying to hide. LOL
