The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - leak again

Wednesday August 29, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 63 degrees and mostly sunny to 91 degrees and sunny. This is a nice morning temperature.

Sunrise

Richard and I built a rack to hold a fifty-gallon drum that we will fill with the gray water members can take to their lots or use in other common areas. We placed the drum on the rack next to the gray water tank.

There other punch list type things we are doing too many to name. Although Jerry was at another members lot diggin for another water leak we found.

There is a coupling leaking there, the right side was tightened but still a slow drip. These couplings are a mechanical repair type and loosen over time when berried underground. This is the third leaking coupling we have found this summer. We are replacing with another design type and expect a better product that is glued in place.

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - empty

Tuesday, August 28, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 66 degrees and mostly sunny to 95 degrees and sunny. These morning temperatures are much nicer.

Mens coffee, doughnuts today thanks Greg and water committee meeting. Our water use is much better after repairing three leaks outside the old laundry building. We are checking the cost of a water meter to check the water actually coming into the park. Here the state requires the park to report all water pumped from out wells (we have two deep water wells). Part of our pumped water is piped to waste from the reverse osmosis system that removes iron, nitrates and impurities (hard water) from the water.

Water treatment room

In the old laundry building the water treatment room is now empty stripped back to the studs. At lunch Bonnie and I went to Carlsbad to eat then to Lowes to purchase concrete blocks for steps, the west deck I built Saturday needed a small step.

Steps on both sides

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - Sunset

Monday, August 27, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 67 degrees (for a short time) and mostly sunny to 94 degrees and mostly sunny and a twenty-one drop rain shower

Pressure check the repaired pipes no leaks. Mike and I started the fill in of the hole.

Bonnie and I went to Carlsbad for lunch. Slowing down a little this week.

Merry our cat posing for us when we returned

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

Sunset

The camera did not capture the defined bright line above the edge of the cloud.
 

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - computer

Sunday, August 26, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 73 degrees (for a short time) and mostly cloudy to 92 degrees and partly sunny.

New Laundry Building

Well today I found that it is a network card in our computer that is preventing connectivity to the Internet. I am on an old "slow" computer making this entry.

I have to install the Picasa picture program to upload pictures as I have not used this computer this year for pictures

After borrowing a plugin network card that also did not work. One thing I tried was system restore. In reviewing the options I noticed there was a windows update that was done. With that information I selected a date before the update and ran the system restore. Walla, things are normal.

This morning Wally and I cleaned up around the new laundry building other than that it was a rest day.

Sunset

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house. After dinner we went back to the ranch house for the birthday and anniversary celebration at seven o'clock .

One birthday Charlotte

Anniversary's

 

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - internet

Saturday, August 25, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 68 degrees (for a short time) and mostly cloudy to 91 degrees and sunny.

Richard installing screws

Richard and I built the small deck outside the west door today. There was no connection to the Internet today. the pictures are uploaded Sunday.



At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - slide show

Friday, August 24, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 66 degrees (for a short time) and mostly sunny to 100 degrees and sunny.



Old laundry room

The water use was excellent today 42 gallons per rig. Wally and I went to lowes and purchased some PVC and wood. While we were gone Richard started to do demolition on the old laundry room removing propane gas pipe. By lunch time with our help Richard, Wally and I had removed the old water heater tanks and most of the plumbing in the water treatment room behind the old laundry room. In the picture above the water treatment room is beyond the wall. We cleaned out two water heater tanks and allthe plumbing there.

Bonnie and I went to Carlsbad for lunch and some light shopping.

At three thirty Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house for a special slide show a visitor put on of their twelve year around the world sailing trip before becoming fulltime RV'ers.

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - tires

Thursday, August 23, 2012

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 71 degrees and mostly cloudy to 91 degrees and mostly cloudy with a rain shower at dinner time.

Right front tire

First thing in the morning I went to lowes in Carlsbad to purchase plumbing parts to repair the three water leaks outside the old laundry. On the return trip there was a slapping noise I heard coming from the right front tire, stopping to check there was some of the steel belt coming out of the tire. I continued home at a slower pace with no problem. Mike went ahead with the repair and I took Silver Sally to get new front tires.

Left front tire

These tires were on the car since July 2010, 29,566 miles driven plus the towed miles of almost twenty thousand miles.

Here at the ranch we have water meters on the wells and we track the water pumped and the number of rigs occupied to get a gallons per rig daily average. The average for Tuesday was seventy-four. Our experience has shown us that an average above sixty means there is a water leak somewhere in our distribution system. We had been tracking above sixty for quite a while but were unable to locate any big water leaks. Wednesday with the water shutoff to the leak area the gallons per rig daily average dropped to forty-eight and today’s average was down to thirty-five gallons per rig. There is not water going into the old Laundry building now.
At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.
 

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - water

Wednesday, August 22, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 68 degrees and mostly sunny to 93 degrees and mostly sunny.

Add caption

Dig we must, (Mike, John and I) to control our water. There were three leaking pipes in the hole at the edge of the old laundry building. Richard said there was a spaghetti explosion there, pipes going in many directions for many different things. There was one pipe that was to just one sink in the kitchen, rumor has it as a soft water pipe to the original laundry.

Richard and I completed the rabbit wire around the new launday building. The grey water recovery system is now complete. We still need to build the small deck outside the west door. There is a cabinet needed in the bathroom for cleaning supplies then finish raking the outside grounds. Thank you to Lucy and Keitha (a visitor) for weeding the other day. Thank you to Charlotte and Dennis for the donation of the appliance mover used to move the washing machines and dryers.

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - water leak

Tuesday, August 21, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 71 degrees (for a short time) and mostly sunny to 93 degrees and mostly sunny then clouding into rain shower. You can see the sunrise moving to the right in the pictures.

Sunrise

Mens coffee, thank you Bonnie for the Ginger bread cake and water committee meeting. Our water use is up again as we had to shut water off to the ranch house and old laundry, two pipes leaking there, thank you Jerry and Mike for the digging. We also located two lots where there is a water leak. These are repeat leaks on these lots, more digging.

Outside old laundry

Richard and I setup the second grey water tank, just need to add one more fitting to the tee at the bottom after Mike came beck from town. The tank is raised to allow us to  draw off water using a bucket. We also filled in the trench for the sewer. A small deck will be built to allow entry from the west.

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

 

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - complete (inside)

Monday, August 20, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM 67 degrees (for a short time) and mostly sunny to 95 degrees and sunny.

Greg and I moved the five washing machines into the new laundry. Richard completed the painting on the clothes folding tables. There was a bunch of other small items handled to complete the move. All laundry operations are now functioning in the new building.

The water will be shutoff in the building after digging the pipes up outside as the water flows into the laundry prior to going into the ranch house. Back filling of the drain piping has started. In tracing out the water flow pattern we also discovered there is water leaking outside the old laundry.

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

and the old;

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM

Sunday, August 19, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 66 degrees and mostly sunny to 89 degrees and sunny. I was told there was a nice rain over night, I did see the puddle reflecting there was rain but I did not hear anything (Zzzzzzzzz).

Rest day and NASCAR race Michigan 400

　

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - operational

Saturday, August 18, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 69 degrees and mostly sunny to 90 degrees and sunny.

One of our neighbors eating out side the gate

Greg and I ran the water pipe for the toilet and installed the toilet. Richard and I installed the grab rails beside the toilet. Except for completing the painting (thank you Richard) of the second clothes folding table we are done inside for the machines and all laundry operations. Still needed in side are the cabinet for cleaning supplies and samll table by the west door.

Out side we need to prepare the second gray water tank site and build the tank platform. Plumb the two tanks together and add the second tank water outlets. The outlet on the bottom of the second tank will be raised to allow a five-gallon bucket to be placed there to draw off water or be pumped out.

At four o'clock I went to happy hour at the ranch house, Bonnie went to Roswell today and came back latter.

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - drain

Friday, August 17, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 76 degrees (for a short time) and mostly cloudy "Isolated Thunderstorms" 92 degrees and mostly cloudy. The clouds did keep the temperature down and working outside in the acceptable range. Just after four-thirty we got "isolated thunderstorms" for more than forty-five minutes with real rain.

Richard, Greg and I worked in the drain and completed that late today. Working with the large pipe (three and four-inch) is not fun. Richard and I also glued the Formica on the second clothes folding table. Richard also painted the first table base. The punch list is getting smaller.

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - rain

Thursday, August 16, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 78 degrees (for a short time) and cloudy to 95 degrees and partly sunny. There is rain and storms off in the distance.

About four o’clock this morning there was a clap of thunder to wake me with some light rain hitting Buster’s roof and about a half hour later enough rain to make puddles "Isolated Thunderstorms". What I realized is that the pecan groves hail cannon’s did not fire off as yesterdays small rain did have the pecan groves hail cannon’s firing. And two more showers before seven this morning, wow a lot of rain for here in the desert.

Yesterday roughing in the plumbing for the drain Greg was the outside and under man of this job. Maybe today I will have to give Greg some "floaties" while working today.
Actually Richard and I worked inside today building the second clothes folding table getting the base built and the top wood cut and installed on the base.

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - punch list

Wednesday, August 15, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 77 degrees (for a short time) and partly cloudy to 104 degrees and sunny to overcast and rain shower (enough to make things look wet) at four o’clock.

Rough plumbing under the building

A busy day today in the new laundry with members using the washing machines (2) and dryers and Richard, Greg and I working to complete the drain and start a punch list to complete the build out. We accomplished the two holes thru the floor of the bathroom for the toilet and the drain water from washing machines and sink. Now we need to complete the plumbing. I started the build of the second clothes folding table.

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - gas complete

Tuesday, August 14, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 70 degrees (for a short time) and mostly sunny to 95 degrees and sunny in the afternoon and clouding up in the wast at dinner time.

Mens coffee and water committee meeting today. Cortez came back today and completed the propane gas piping leak check to all the dryers then set the gas regulator for the hot water heaters. Propane gas is complete in the new laundry building with two washing machines and hot water operational. Molding and trim are complete throughout the building. The new clothes folding table had the Formica glued on and is curing.

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM -

Monday, August 13, 2012
The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 69 degrees (for a short time) and mostly cloudy to 92 degrees and sunny. Isolated Thunderstorms forecast for today, last night I was awakened by wind gusts and the awnings flapping then some real light tapping’s of water (rain). When I looked out this morning I saw a lightening flash in the distant east.

Mike went to Tractor Supply and Lowes for parts and a pump for the gray water system. Neil and I worked on the clothes folding table completed the shelf and have glued the top boards together and drying.

Cortez came later in the afternoon to leak check the propane gas manifold and our dryers fixing some leaks but not completing today and will be back tomorrow. I completed the platform edge molding. Greg and I moved another washing machine into the new laundry.
At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - table

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 73 degrees (for a short time) and partly sunny to 103 degrees and sunny.

S

Sunrise

Early before it was hot and sunny I cut some plywood and table top out back at the managers shed. That was complete before eight thirty and work was done for the day.

The table will have Formica on the top and the corners rounded when completed.

NASCAR race at the Watkins Glen, NY and rest the remainder of the day.

Fitst clothes folding table

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house.

The Original Ranch, Lakewood, NM - table legs

Saturday, August 11, 2012 The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 69 degrees (for a short time) and mostly sunny to 103 degrees and sunny.

Table legs

Neil and I built a table leg set for a clothes folding table. I installed the corner molding on most of the platform.

Needed one more piece of trim

I needed another trip to Lowes for nose and fittings for the gray water tanks. There will be a tee fitting and two valves on the second tank one to connect a pump and one for a ground drain hose, or drip line.

Gray water tank will be plumed to have water transfer

table base built today

At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house. Bonnie was ding-a-ling (leader of the program) today.

Friday, August 10, 2012 The Original Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 69 degrees (for a short time) and sunny to 102 degrees and sunny.

Sunrise

New large washer installed

Rudy, Mike and I installed the new washer in the new laundry building and have it working with cold water only. (Mike programed the washine machine and oprerated it with water only) The propane gas company will be here next week to check and adjust the new gas regulator and we will have hot water in the laundry again. In the picture you can see the corner molding is layed there and baseboard molding for the platform, both need to be installed properly. We will bring over another washing machine on Monday.

The Washing machine waste water tanks

As the ranch is a group of RV’ers you can tell from the people I name as helpers changes from time to time as they come and go or are doing something of their own.

Rudy Has a pickup truck he drove us into Carlsbad so I could purchase wood and materials to build clothes folding tables. We also returned the roller used to install the floor tile to the rental company.


At four o'clock Bonnie and I went to happy hour at the ranch house. The ding-a-ling today was Cowboy (Al) age 92.

Cowboy