USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Ringel05]

I do believe the monsoon is upon us. Lots of pregnant looking clouds out there, we have cooled down to a really REALLY pleasant 74 though today's rain looks like it will skirt around us to the west.

But over in Arizona:

I was out a while ago in the garage, had a crack of lightning the rolled from west to east, that was really cool. Not long after that the rain hit us, we had some decent rain for about 15 - 20 minutes and continued to sprinkle for a while afterwards.

We have a little over a half inch in our rain guage. That is awesome! Hoping for a little more but watching the radar the storms are weakening and will probably start breaking up and dissipating now that the sun is down.

So I can get a better handle on monsoon season, how much total rain can you expect from it?

It's nothing close to what you all get where you are by a looooong shot, we are in the desert. Our average total annual rainfall is 11 inches with about 11 inches average snowfall. Much of our water comes from the Colorado rocky mountains snow pack melt and rain run off.

 

[Foxfyre]

I do believe the monsoon is upon us. Lots of pregnant looking clouds out there, we have cooled down to a really REALLY pleasant 74 though today's rain looks like it will skirt around us to the west.

But over in Arizona:

I was out a while ago in the garage, had a crack of lightning the rolled from west to east, that was really cool. Not long after that the rain hit us, we had some decent rain for about 15 - 20 minutes and continued to sprinkle for a while afterwards.

We have a little over a half inch in our rain guage. That is awesome! Hoping for a little more but watching the radar the storms are weakening and will probably start breaking up and dissipating now that the sun is down.

So I can get a better handle on monsoon season, how much total rain can you expect from it?

Adding to what Ringel said, we get about half our annual rainfall during the summer monsoon that is usually from early to mid July to early to mid September. Rainfall usually comes in quarter or half inches but that is sufficient to regenerate desert plants. And sometimes we get real frog stranglers of 2 or 3 inches or more pretty much all at once and that can create devastating flash flooding.

But all rain is welcomed, appreciated, and enjoyed in the high desert.

 

[gallantwarrior]

I guess they're sending out emergency alerts for fires now. I just got two new ones, same area, but the fire is new. These are evacuation alerts and have a designated meeting point identified. We're safe from this one, but now I can live in fear that the next one will be for my area.
The partner was able to move both his right arm and foot this morning. His arm looks a lot less swollen and inflamed, too. Of course, everyone wants a call and an update. I'm just going to start group texts. Of course, it's Sunday and I don't plan on going back to town before Wednesday. He knows that and said he was OK with it. I hope lots of guys from work show up to visit, it really cheers him up and I think it makes him feel less isolated and alone. The kid hauling hay for me tomorrow is bringing his SO and her three kids. I've laid up some fare for burnt offerings and will feed them all BBQ for lunch. The kids love the animals but mom is not so pleased 'cause farms are soooo dirty...

 

[Ernie S.]

I do believe the monsoon is upon us. Lots of pregnant looking clouds out there, we have cooled down to a really REALLY pleasant 74 though today's rain looks like it will skirt around us to the west.

But over in Arizona:

I was out a while ago in the garage, had a crack of lightning the rolled from west to east, that was really cool. Not long after that the rain hit us, we had some decent rain for about 15 - 20 minutes and continued to sprinkle for a while afterwards.

We have a little over a half inch in our rain guage. That is awesome! Hoping for a little more but watching the radar the storms are weakening and will probably start breaking up and dissipating now that the sun is down.

So I can get a better handle on monsoon season, how much total rain can you expect from it?

It's nothing close to what you all get where you are by a looooong shot, we are in the desert. Our average total annual rainfall is 11 inches with about 11 inches average snowfall. Much of our water comes from the Colorado rocky mountains snow pack melt and rain run off.

We can get 11 inches in one day. We average about 66". about 4 years ago, we had a storm where we got 26" in 24 hours.

 

[Ernie S.]

I do believe the monsoon is upon us. Lots of pregnant looking clouds out there, we have cooled down to a really REALLY pleasant 74 though today's rain looks like it will skirt around us to the west.

But over in Arizona:

I was out a while ago in the garage, had a crack of lightning the rolled from west to east, that was really cool. Not long after that the rain hit us, we had some decent rain for about 15 - 20 minutes and continued to sprinkle for a while afterwards.

We have a little over a half inch in our rain guage. That is awesome! Hoping for a little more but watching the radar the storms are weakening and will probably start breaking up and dissipating now that the sun is down.

So I can get a better handle on monsoon season, how much total rain can you expect from it?

Adding to what Ringel said, we get about half our annual rainfall during the summer monsoon that is usually from early to mid July to early to mid September. Rainfall usually comes in quarter or half inches but that is sufficient to regenerate desert plants. And sometimes we get real frog stranglers of 2 or 3 inches or more pretty much all at once and that can create devastating flash flooding.

But all rain is welcomed, appreciated, and enjoyed in the high desert.

I do remember a few flash floods. While I was theree, they built a huge retaining pond/ lake... It was a maybe a hundred feet deep and 1/4 mile in diameter with a concrete canal coming in and big pipes going out. I saw it fill to about half capacity in a single afternoon.

 

[Ringel05]

Eventually we'll redo the bathroom, while I like the huge walk in shower we really need a tub and the wall mounted sink really need to be replaced with a vanity.
The hardware scheme is square, oil rubbed bronze, makes it kinda hard to find exactly what we want in towel bars and toilet paper holders. Welp, I finally found the perfect toilet paper holder, exactly what we are looking for...... Fifty freakin' bucks!!!!!!! You've got to be kidding me!!!!! Towel bar, Seventy freakin' bucks for one 18" bar!!!!!!!!
The search continues..........

 

[Ernie S.]

Eventually we'll redo the bathroom, while I like the huge walk in shower we really need a tub and the wall mounted sink really need to be replaced with a vanity.
The hardware scheme is square, oil rubbed bronze, makes it kinda hard to find exactly what we want in towel bars and toilet paper holders. Welp, I finally found the perfect toilet paper holder, exactly what we are looking for...... Fifty freakin' bucks!!!!!!! You've got to be kidding me!!!!! Towel bar, Seventy freakin' bucks for one 18" bar!!!!!!!!
The search continues..........

Anything but chrome is going to set you back. The faucet in my kitchen is polished brass. It cost $100 more than the same thing in chrome plated solid brass.

 

[Ringel05]

Eventually we'll redo the bathroom, while I like the huge walk in shower we really need a tub and the wall mounted sink really need to be replaced with a vanity.
The hardware scheme is square, oil rubbed bronze, makes it kinda hard to find exactly what we want in towel bars and toilet paper holders. Welp, I finally found the perfect toilet paper holder, exactly what we are looking for...... Fifty freakin' bucks!!!!!!! You've got to be kidding me!!!!! Towel bar, Seventy freakin' bucks for one 18" bar!!!!!!!!
The search continues..........

Anything but chrome is going to set you back. The faucet in my kitchen is polished brass. It cost $100 more than the same thing in chrome plated solid brass.

Yeah, I know, there's alternatives that are close but not exactly what we want for $75 for an entire set of towel bars, toilet paper holders, etc. The bathroom faucet we already have.

 

[Foxfyre]

I do believe the monsoon is upon us. Lots of pregnant looking clouds out there, we have cooled down to a really REALLY pleasant 74 though today's rain looks like it will skirt around us to the west.

But over in Arizona:

I was out a while ago in the garage, had a crack of lightning the rolled from west to east, that was really cool. Not long after that the rain hit us, we had some decent rain for about 15 - 20 minutes and continued to sprinkle for a while afterwards.

We have a little over a half inch in our rain guage. That is awesome! Hoping for a little more but watching the radar the storms are weakening and will probably start breaking up and dissipating now that the sun is down.

So I can get a better handle on monsoon season, how much total rain can you expect from it?

Adding to what Ringel said, we get about half our annual rainfall during the summer monsoon that is usually from early to mid July to early to mid September. Rainfall usually comes in quarter or half inches but that is sufficient to regenerate desert plants. And sometimes we get real frog stranglers of 2 or 3 inches or more pretty much all at once and that can create devastating flash flooding.

But all rain is welcomed, appreciated, and enjoyed in the high desert.

I do remember a few flash floods. While I was theree, they built a huge retaining pond/ lake... It was a maybe a hundred feet deep and 1/4 mile in diameter with a concrete canal coming in and big pipes going out. I saw it fill to about half capacity in a single afternoon.

We have a small version in our back yard--called a "French drain"--consisting of a usually dry pond lined with rocks that drains the back yard during a heavy downpour and usually prevents the water from coming up onto our enclosed back porch. If we get a real frog strangler of 2 or 3 inches though, the water still comes onto the back porch because the French drain can't hold it all. But it drains out again pretty fast once the rain stops. The floor of the porch is 4 inches below the rest of the house and it has never even threatened to get into the house.

All day rains or even hours of rain are extremely unusual. It rains, sometimes hard, for a few minutes, and then it's gone. We love the rain, but we don't have to put up with it a whole lot.

 

[Foxfyre]

I guess they're sending out emergency alerts for fires now. I just got two new ones, same area, but the fire is new. These are evacuation alerts and have a designated meeting point identified. We're safe from this one, but now I can live in fear that the next one will be for my area.
The partner was able to move both his right arm and foot this morning. His arm looks a lot less swollen and inflamed, too. Of course, everyone wants a call and an update. I'm just going to start group texts. Of course, it's Sunday and I don't plan on going back to town before Wednesday. He knows that and said he was OK with it. I hope lots of guys from work show up to visit, it really cheers him up and I think it makes him feel less isolated and alone. The kid hauling hay for me tomorrow is bringing his SO and her three kids. I've laid up some fare for burnt offerings and will feed them all BBQ for lunch. The kids love the animals but mom is not so pleased 'cause farms are soooo dirty...

Yeah farms can be pretty 'dirty' and they usually smell too. And I love it.

 

[gallantwarrior]

Eventually we'll redo the bathroom, while I like the huge walk in shower we really need a tub and the wall mounted sink really need to be replaced with a vanity.
The hardware scheme is square, oil rubbed bronze, makes it kinda hard to find exactly what we want in towel bars and toilet paper holders. Welp, I finally found the perfect toilet paper holder, exactly what we are looking for...... Fifty freakin' bucks!!!!!!! You've got to be kidding me!!!!! Towel bar, Seventy freakin' bucks for one 18" bar!!!!!!!!
The search continues..........

Anything but chrome is going to set you back. The faucet in my kitchen is polished brass. It cost $100 more than the same thing in chrome plated solid brass.

Yeah, I know, there's alternatives that are close but not exactly what we want for $75 for an entire set of towel bars, toilet paper holders, etc. The bathroom faucet we already have.

I buy a lot of things for the cabin from a place called "The Restore Store". It's like Salvation Army but they sell building materials. It's run by Habitat for Humanity and I've gotten lots of good quality things for pennies on the dollar. ( i.e. my living room floor is Kahrs industrial grade oak. I got enough 4x4 ceramic tiles for the kitchen backsplash and a heat sink behind the heat stove for $10 a box.) They often have plumbing fixtures, too. Is there anything like that where you are?

 

[gallantwarrior]

I was out a while ago in the garage, had a crack of lightning the rolled from west to east, that was really cool. Not long after that the rain hit us, we had some decent rain for about 15 - 20 minutes and continued to sprinkle for a while afterwards.

We have a little over a half inch in our rain guage. That is awesome! Hoping for a little more but watching the radar the storms are weakening and will probably start breaking up and dissipating now that the sun is down.

So I can get a better handle on monsoon season, how much total rain can you expect from it?

Adding to what Ringel said, we get about half our annual rainfall during the summer monsoon that is usually from early to mid July to early to mid September. Rainfall usually comes in quarter or half inches but that is sufficient to regenerate desert plants. And sometimes we get real frog stranglers of 2 or 3 inches or more pretty much all at once and that can create devastating flash flooding.

But all rain is welcomed, appreciated, and enjoyed in the high desert.

I do remember a few flash floods. While I was theree, they built a huge retaining pond/ lake... It was a maybe a hundred feet deep and 1/4 mile in diameter with a concrete canal coming in and big pipes going out. I saw it fill to about half capacity in a single afternoon.

We have a small version in our back yard--called a "French drain"--consisting of a usually dry pond lined with rocks that drains the back yard during a heavy downpour and usually prevents the water from coming up onto our enclosed back porch. If we get a real frog strangler of 2 or 3 inches though, the water still comes onto the back porch because the French drain can't hold it all. But it drains out again pretty fast once the rain stops. The floor of the porch is 4 inches below the rest of the house and it has never even threatened to get into the house.

All day rains or even hours of rain are extremely unusual. It rains, sometimes hard, for a few minutes, and then it's gone. We love the rain, but we don't have to put up with it a whole lot.

I plan to install a French drain eventually to remove "gray" water from the house. Ours are a bit different because the drain lines are buried below the frost line in gravel trenches. Do you guys even have a frost line?

 

[gallantwarrior]

I guess they're sending out emergency alerts for fires now. I just got two new ones, same area, but the fire is new. These are evacuation alerts and have a designated meeting point identified. We're safe from this one, but now I can live in fear that the next one will be for my area.
The partner was able to move both his right arm and foot this morning. His arm looks a lot less swollen and inflamed, too. Of course, everyone wants a call and an update. I'm just going to start group texts. Of course, it's Sunday and I don't plan on going back to town before Wednesday. He knows that and said he was OK with it. I hope lots of guys from work show up to visit, it really cheers him up and I think it makes him feel less isolated and alone. The kid hauling hay for me tomorrow is bringing his SO and her three kids. I've laid up some fare for burnt offerings and will feed them all BBQ for lunch. The kids love the animals but mom is not so pleased 'cause farms are soooo dirty...

Yeah farms can be pretty 'dirty' and they usually smell too. And I love it.

It's a good, healthy, real smell, though. Beats all hell out of city smells. In addition to animals, you get the fields and forests mixed in there, too. But fields and forests are pretty dirty. I had one young fellow bring his GF out here, once. She had a thing about bugs. They haven't come back since. At least in Alaska we don't have snakes, or really big spiders!

 

[Ringel05]

Eventually we'll redo the bathroom, while I like the huge walk in shower we really need a tub and the wall mounted sink really need to be replaced with a vanity.
The hardware scheme is square, oil rubbed bronze, makes it kinda hard to find exactly what we want in towel bars and toilet paper holders. Welp, I finally found the perfect toilet paper holder, exactly what we are looking for...... Fifty freakin' bucks!!!!!!! You've got to be kidding me!!!!! Towel bar, Seventy freakin' bucks for one 18" bar!!!!!!!!
The search continues..........

Anything but chrome is going to set you back. The faucet in my kitchen is polished brass. It cost $100 more than the same thing in chrome plated solid brass.

Yeah, I know, there's alternatives that are close but not exactly what we want for $75 for an entire set of towel bars, toilet paper holders, etc. The bathroom faucet we already have.

I buy a lot of things for the cabin from a place called "The Restore Store". It's like Salvation Army but they sell building materials. It's run by Habitat for Humanity and I've gotten lots of good quality things for pennies on the dollar. ( i.e. my living room floor is Kahrs industrial grade oak. I got enough 4x4 ceramic tiles for the kitchen backsplash and a heat sink behind the heat stove for $10 a box.) They often have plumbing fixtures, too. Is there anything like that where you are?

Yeah, we have a Restore just a few miles from here, they don't have what I'm looking for though i keep checking every week or two.

 

[Foxfyre]

We have a little over a half inch in our rain guage. That is awesome! Hoping for a little more but watching the radar the storms are weakening and will probably start breaking up and dissipating now that the sun is down.

So I can get a better handle on monsoon season, how much total rain can you expect from it?

Adding to what Ringel said, we get about half our annual rainfall during the summer monsoon that is usually from early to mid July to early to mid September. Rainfall usually comes in quarter or half inches but that is sufficient to regenerate desert plants. And sometimes we get real frog stranglers of 2 or 3 inches or more pretty much all at once and that can create devastating flash flooding.

But all rain is welcomed, appreciated, and enjoyed in the high desert.

I do remember a few flash floods. While I was theree, they built a huge retaining pond/ lake... It was a maybe a hundred feet deep and 1/4 mile in diameter with a concrete canal coming in and big pipes going out. I saw it fill to about half capacity in a single afternoon.

We have a small version in our back yard--called a "French drain"--consisting of a usually dry pond lined with rocks that drains the back yard during a heavy downpour and usually prevents the water from coming up onto our enclosed back porch. If we get a real frog strangler of 2 or 3 inches though, the water still comes onto the back porch because the French drain can't hold it all. But it drains out again pretty fast once the rain stops. The floor of the porch is 4 inches below the rest of the house and it has never even threatened to get into the house.

All day rains or even hours of rain are extremely unusual. It rains, sometimes hard, for a few minutes, and then it's gone. We love the rain, but we don't have to put up with it a whole lot.

I plan to install a French drain eventually to remove "gray" water from the house. Ours are a bit different because the drain lines are buried below the frost line in gravel trenches. Do you guys even have a frost line?

No. The 'frost line' here is the point that the temperature drops below freezing and could damage outdoor plants.

 

[gallantwarrior]

Getting ready to go into the jaws of hell for the day. I'm waiting for my phone to charge because it's important that I can be reached right now. I texted the partner earlier. His left side works fine, and he's left-handed but even texting is a challenge right now. I'm not planning to go back to town until Wed right now, there's not only a lot for me to handle, now I have to do a lot of the things my partner would have done. I'm pretty happy that our friend is willing to pick up $1000 worth of hay and that our hay guy is willing to load that much hay for someone he's never met and told me to put the check in the mail.
I'm also waiting for a call-back from my surgeon. If he says it's imperative that I have my surgery now, I'll have to decide what I do. I'm hoping he'll agree to a three month postponement. I can probably deal with three months more pain (partner doesn't have the option of a postponement) and we should have some better idea how my partner will be doing by then. My brother is a real sport, he told me he's retired now and can be here when I need him.

 

[Ernie S.]

I was out a while ago in the garage, had a crack of lightning the rolled from west to east, that was really cool. Not long after that the rain hit us, we had some decent rain for about 15 - 20 minutes and continued to sprinkle for a while afterwards.

We have a little over a half inch in our rain guage. That is awesome! Hoping for a little more but watching the radar the storms are weakening and will probably start breaking up and dissipating now that the sun is down.

So I can get a better handle on monsoon season, how much total rain can you expect from it?

Adding to what Ringel said, we get about half our annual rainfall during the summer monsoon that is usually from early to mid July to early to mid September. Rainfall usually comes in quarter or half inches but that is sufficient to regenerate desert plants. And sometimes we get real frog stranglers of 2 or 3 inches or more pretty much all at once and that can create devastating flash flooding.

But all rain is welcomed, appreciated, and enjoyed in the high desert.

I do remember a few flash floods. While I was theree, they built a huge retaining pond/ lake... It was a maybe a hundred feet deep and 1/4 mile in diameter with a concrete canal coming in and big pipes going out. I saw it fill to about half capacity in a single afternoon.

We have a small version in our back yard--called a "French drain"--consisting of a usually dry pond lined with rocks that drains the back yard during a heavy downpour and usually prevents the water from coming up onto our enclosed back porch. If we get a real frog strangler of 2 or 3 inches though, the water still comes onto the back porch because the French drain can't hold it all. But it drains out again pretty fast once the rain stops. The floor of the porch is 4 inches below the rest of the house and it has never even threatened to get into the house.

All day rains or even hours of rain are extremely unusual. It rains, sometimes hard, for a few minutes, and then it's gone. We love the rain, but we don't have to put up with it a whole lot.

That storm I mentioned where we got 26" in a 24 hour period brought the level of the creek up 12 feet, about 4 feet from the floor of my house. Overall, it is pretty flat here. My property does raise up from 24' to 40 feet above sea level. Sandy Creek which is just across the road here is a fairly small stream that you can jump across in most spots, grew to about 100 yards wide. There was 6 feet of water in a neighbor's house about 1/4 mile away. The road is 1/2 mile long and ends in what you might call a cul de sac if it weren't a gravel road. Beyond the dead end is several thousand acres of US Navy property that I border for 620 feet. The address is Foley, but fire and police respond from Elberta, AL. Technically I am in Baldwin County and not in any town.

 

[Ernie S.]

We have a little over a half inch in our rain guage. That is awesome! Hoping for a little more but watching the radar the storms are weakening and will probably start breaking up and dissipating now that the sun is down.

So I can get a better handle on monsoon season, how much total rain can you expect from it?

Adding to what Ringel said, we get about half our annual rainfall during the summer monsoon that is usually from early to mid July to early to mid September. Rainfall usually comes in quarter or half inches but that is sufficient to regenerate desert plants. And sometimes we get real frog stranglers of 2 or 3 inches or more pretty much all at once and that can create devastating flash flooding.

But all rain is welcomed, appreciated, and enjoyed in the high desert.

I do remember a few flash floods. While I was theree, they built a huge retaining pond/ lake... It was a maybe a hundred feet deep and 1/4 mile in diameter with a concrete canal coming in and big pipes going out. I saw it fill to about half capacity in a single afternoon.

We have a small version in our back yard--called a "French drain"--consisting of a usually dry pond lined with rocks that drains the back yard during a heavy downpour and usually prevents the water from coming up onto our enclosed back porch. If we get a real frog strangler of 2 or 3 inches though, the water still comes onto the back porch because the French drain can't hold it all. But it drains out again pretty fast once the rain stops. The floor of the porch is 4 inches below the rest of the house and it has never even threatened to get into the house.

All day rains or even hours of rain are extremely unusual. It rains, sometimes hard, for a few minutes, and then it's gone. We love the rain, but we don't have to put up with it a whole lot.

I plan to install a French drain eventually to remove "gray" water from the house. Ours are a bit different because the drain lines are buried below the frost line in gravel trenches. Do you guys even have a frost line?

What's frost? We will get into the 20s a couple times a year, but I've never seen frost here.

 

[Foxfyre]

And while you guys look at and hunt for things to make your homes beautiful, we just spent our annual household upkeep budget on two toilets.

 

[Ridgerunner]

we just spent our annual household upkeep budget on two toilets.

With heated seats I assume...