Saturday, April 14, 2012

Adventures in plumbing - part 1

Maybe not part 1 as I do most of the plumbing repairs here, but for this time it is. The bathroom sink was getting slow in draining before we went to Kona and it not getting any water run through it for a few days probably did it in. So, a week later it didn't drain to speak of.

Assuming that this was a simple clog in the trap I took a plunger to it, got a bunch of debris out but it still didn't drain. Took the trap out, I know how, I put it in there the last time. There is no @#$%#$ clog in the trap. Figures, that would have been too easy. As I already have the trap out I might as well try to snake it, but there's a 90 degree angle right past the wall, so that's no go, and I don't want to force this because this same drain snake already broke once (I'm working with the shorter piece). I know where that pipe comes out because it has clogged before and my husband opened up a clean out plug about 20 years ago (it was full of sand then, and it most certainly wasn't from us). However, the clean out plug, not having been moved on 20 years won't budge under my weight (on an adjustable wrench) or a hammer on the same wrench. at this point in time the choice is to call a plumber or to try drain cleaner. As we have enzyme drain cleaner (I try to stay away from caustic stuff), after consulting with my husband, I put the drain back together and put the enzyme drain cleaner in, and some hot water until the pipe on the other side of the wall got warm.

As the enzyme drain cleaner says to wait 6 hours I then went about shipping that days orders and to work. (to be continued)

On the Hilo Beads side: If I pick another 3 1/2 pounds of Jobs Tears this weekend I'll have as much again as I did at the beginning of the week.

The title of this treasury matches my mood that day:

'I've Got The Blues Tuesday ' by marieisom

It's a rainy day on the Big Island, Hawaii. Colors are muted and the sky is gray. Using my favorite colors here to help turn those blues into beautiful!


Blue Handmade Recyc...
$11.00

Men's Boxer Cot...
$18.00

Blue Yellow Home De...
$14.00

Hawaiian Sky Book V...
$8.00

Hawaiian Job's ...
$15.00

Vase Hand Painted C...
$20.00

A Glimpse of Lani
$14.00

Children Baby Onesi...
$15.00

Kitty Glitter origi...
$300.00

antique bottles no....
$25.00

Vintage Button Magn...
$12.50

Canvas Acrylic Pain...
$28.00

Turquoise Mountain ...
$9.50

barrel shaped bags
$20.00

Spring Blue Spiral ...
$30.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio



Wednesday, April 4, 2012

There's an end to this clove tree seed season

After about 10 months of having clove tree seeds there really is an end now. I found about 10 in the last 2 weeks. Not enough to put an order of any size together that is worth mailing, considering that they have to be inspected and/or mailed. I will now have time to deal with the large amount of seedlings (which I cannot ship, please don't ask) and try to sell them locally. I'm sure I will lose most of them in transplanting as clove seedlings are forever finicky. If any of my local readers interested, please let me know, you got first dibs (on the ones that are already in planters).

In the meantime I have picked some more Job's Tears which you can find in my Etsy, Artfire and Zibbet shops (under hilobeads), but still way less than I sold last year so I may run out again later in the year. The main time to pick those is now or past, they really are a mostly winter crop here.

As winter crops go in Hawaii, as little success as I had with snow peas I decided not to plant any this winter. My arugula is already bolting (but it tends to do that in April), and much to my surprise my tree kale is blooming. I have no idea what to do with that. Tree Kale, for all I know isn't supposed to bloom, so it remains to be seen what comes off that. I really hope it won't die on me as I found it really difficult to get another one after the last one died.
It's time to plant my pole beans and tomatoes. The celery and green onions are doing OK so far.

Connie included me in this Etsy treasury:

'Green Rose Hula' by redemptionart

"My love goes to the green rose, the blossom I esteem the highest"This hula is written in honor of the indigenous Hawaiian green rose...as with most Hawaiian ballads there is the hidden message of lovers...Enjoy!~Team Hilo Etsy


Vintage Button Neck...
$45.00

Noa Noa Book by the...
$12.00

Light Color Hawaiia...
$12.00

Children Baby Onesi...
$12.00

Moria Artisan Gemso...
$8.00

Miniature CloisonnÃ...
$32.50

Pretty Hand Painted...
$36.00

Green Pearl Beaded ...
$25.95

Men's Boxer Cot...
$18.00

Green Handmade Recy...
$11.00

Round Wall Mirror -...
$110.00

Earthy Tones Heart ...
$10.50

Gardenia Fragrance ...
$4.80

Hawaiian Hula Dolls...
$164.00

Kona Coffee Burlap ...
$50.00

Tahitian Gardenia (...
$7.00

Treasury tool supported by three quick questions