Liquid Fall Sunshine

The rain moved in around 7 pm last night...it started with just little spits here and there.  By 11 pm last night, it had begun to fall fairly steady.  It's not a downpour like we've had recently, just a steady, gentle rain.  Now that we are moving into the dry season, I guess I should be thankful for any extra rain we get.  Our yard has only barely dried out from the last round of rain.  I hear the mention of 'Fire danger' everytime we have a few days without rain...you couldn't ignite my yard right now with a blow-torch, its that squishy.

All this rain could very well send hubby home early today...great, that just means he'd be underfoot inside the rest of the day.  At 7 am the temperature is 71 degrees, with grey, cloudy skies and a steady rain.  The forecast is for rain all day.  I'm hearing the chickens start their protest about being left inside...they will just have to deal until the rain ceases.  There is plenty of room in both coops for them to stay inside on days like this.

Called sis like every morning, she told me yesterday she has the baby early today, so I could call her whenever...I just called at 7:30 am and as luck would have it, she's still in bed...rain has kept the baby's daddy from working today.  Too funny really as we seem to play 'phone tag' frequently...she calls me and I'm sleeping in, I call her and she's sleeping in.  Such is life.

Finally pulled the vacuum apart again...looks like the belt probably stretched when it got warm the other day...either way, it isn't moving the roller brush at all....SIGH...and I so liked that vacuum.  Not sure if it's worth fooling with at this point...when I pulled it apart the first time, I noticed the roller brush was wallered where the end caps fit into the vacuum head.  There seems to be damage to the slot those caps ride on as well.  Great...got floors deep with dog hair needing vacuumed, friends possibly visiting tomorrow and my vacuum refuses to operate...just perfect.

I had started some of the trimming with the weedeater before dark last night...got a good bit of it done right out front along the walk and around the split rail fence closest to the drive and walkway.  Finally had to give it up the last time I ran out of line as it was getting too dark to see and the sprinkles were beginning.  Didn't get all that I wanted to do cut back, but eventually it will get cut.  The last time hubby cut out there for me, I told him to take it to the dirt...that area has been dug out and cut back hard anytime I use the weedeater.  I don't want grass or other stuff growing there in the walkway.  He just knocked the growth down a few inches.  I did manage to take it to the dirt in the parking area and around the pots by the fence.  The Mexican Petunias have taken over the front bed again and the walkway behind the fence as well.  There are a couple that have wound through the bush next to the steps...the bush is over five feet high, and the Petunias are peeking through the leaves at the top.  Looks pretty nice, but I just don't want them there.  They get so thick and I've already spotted a couple snakes next to the foundation by the steps....the one was a Dusky Pygmy Rattler.  I worry about the dogs sniffing around because of them, especially where I can't see what they are checking out.  There was an article in the paper not long ago about a 'Good Samaratin' helping someone's dog who had been bitten by a pygmy.  The person paid for the anti-venin, $2500, for the dog because the owner didn't have the money to pay for it.  Not long before that there was an article about the anti-venin being not only expensive, but scarce.  Maybe they should come snake hunting in my yard so they can replenish their supply.  We've seen the Pygmys and Corals here and several of those were pretty large for the species...right at two feet long and thicker than my thumb.

Wow, its so dark right now that it reminds me of what it looks like when we first get up in the morning.  Absolutely zero sign of the sun...rain, rain and more rain...what a lovely day...Liquid Sunshine...

Fall showers...liquid sunshine...sorry appliances

It's almost time for hubby to come home for the day and it has just begun to pour liquid sunshine all over us.  As I was adjusting the kitchen window and noticing the little frog fellow sitting on it, my nose caught the scent....at first I thought it was the Bottle Brush tree just outside the window...but no, it was the smell of rain moving in.  A few minutes later I heard the drumming of raindrops on the roof.  This is a welcome relief, as the heat had reached about 89 degrees outside....instantly the air began to cool.

The major disadvantage to these afternoon showers....we will be unable to do anything outside around the house, such as trimming or mowing.  But, all this liquid sunshine will help keep the drought index above fire threat....a good thing for those of us with lots of pine trees dropping their cones and 'straw' everywhere.

I managed to run the growling vacuum across the carpet, briefly.  Dumped the dirt cup twice and called it quits...just sounds like its in major pain.  The dog hair is temporarily at bay and I've read through the warranty for this thing...of course the roller brush is one of the items NOT covered by the warranty.  Figures.  So now I may just pull it back apart and see if there's a way to 'fix' the problem.  Can't take much of the growling, chewing sound it makes the longer it is run.  Probably isn't real healthy for the motor either. 
What I'd like to know...What has happened to decent quality in the area of vacuums?  They all seem to be made entirely from plastic now.  I realize that most things have become 'disposable', but come on....who wants to purchase new appliances every couple of months?  Not me, that's for sure!

Eureka is now part of the Electrolux line from what my warranty information indicates.  Weren't they one of the better vacuum products years ago?  I recall the one my Grandmother owned and that was one cleaning little machine.  What has happened here?  Am I the only one who is having such sorry luck with vacuums now?  My Hoover is ancient, over twenty years old...still useful for some things, but the carpet attachment just doesn't pull the hair very well.  The new one is an awesome cleaning machine....or was until the roller brush died....sigh....sorry appliances....just makes me wonder why I even bother trying to keep the house semi clean....

UPDATE: 4:55 PM  Flipped the tv on as the rumbling thunder and dark skies indicated a bit more severe type weather...our area is now under a Tornado Warning until 6 pm tonight.  Looks like we have several storm cells that could produce the Tornado action...