The System

I have a friend that would call everything a "system". Even things you normally wouldn't think of as a system - yet he made it work. There are different kinds of systems in this world. You got your money system, highway system, fast-food system, sound system, Lego® system, stack-of-papers system, computer system…the list is endless. Well, I've got another kind of system that I've been working on for a couple months now. It's an automatic sprinkler and irrigation system. That's right, here in New Mexico these are of utmost importance if you want to save water and have a bit of green around your house. The only way to persevere through a project like this is to keep the vision alive - the vision your family and friends (if they remember who you are) enjoying the oasis like sanctuary sometime before summer of 2006 says goodbye.

If you've had the opportunity to build one of these things by yourself (and you're not a professional plumber or sprinkler system dude), you know that it's quite an undertaking. I had to build my manifold and valve/vacuum breaker system twice because of a leak. I had to have a new water line (from the street to the house) put in because the old one was so crusty that no plumber would touch it. I rented a trencher twice. After rototilling the back yard which felt like solid rock - I had my arms surgically removed and replaced with exact replicas. And I haven't done this all by myself - a few family members and friends have stopped by on occasion to help shovel. Not to mention my sweet wife who delicately removed a small boulder from the already finished pvc pipe system this morning.

Okay so you get the picture. It's been a lot of work. Just today we filled in the trenches in the back yard and the sprinklers work! Just in time for the sod delivery later this week. Woot! Here are a couple photos of "the system" which lives in the now ginormous crater in the front yard. E.J. is inspecting Dada's handiwork.

Below are my two fearless and darling helpers dying for a spot of grass.

Carrot Juice

A couple weeks ago I was sick as a dog. So the usual remedy is get lots of rest, drink lots of fluids - mainly fresh carrot juice. And in about a day - I feel much better. But this time around the virus or bacteria knocked me around for 2 weeks. It was awful. I think I drank more carrot (with a bit of apple and OJ) juice than...well I drank alot. Here's my son Emery and I chugging it down.