Septic Troubles

I believe I recently mentioned we were

having issues with our septic system.

Thinking back, it might have been

going on for 2 years or so.

As evidenced by the fact that the

grass used to grow THICK and LUSH 

and GREEN over the septic and leach fields.

And then it didn't.

So it turns out the pipes that come out 

of the tank and carry the, um, water

out to the leach field had all broken off

at the tank.

No idea how.

Kyle thinks it was the horses.

Everything bad is the fault of the horses.

Or the chickens.

But CERTAINLY not his dogs.

EVER.

(Unless Shadow ATE it.)

(which pretty much covers EVERYTHING lately.)

So anyway.

When I last left you, we had the septic company

(our very friendly neighbors)

come and pump out the, um, contents of the 

two tanks.  First (only?) time it's been done

in a good long time.

(Considering Saturday was our 10 year

anniversary of closing on our house...)

(HAPPY ANNIVERSARY HOUSE!)

They suggested we would need to dig out

the leach field, remove the existing pipes

(which were now packed FULL of Florida sand)

and then replace the pipes and recover it all.

Estimated cost:

$5,000.

Yah.  

No.

So Kyle grabbed his trusty shovel and got started.

He dug out TWO trenches.

Each 25 feet long and 2.5 feet deep.

HOLY TOLEDO!

Sadly I did not take any pictures.

Rod might have.

But he didn't send them to me.

Anyhow.

It was an amazing feat.

And he was whooped.

He said

"My brain isn't tired, and even my 

body isn't really tired, but I can't

raise my arms."

Ha ha ha ha ha ha

So... he dug out the old pipes from the

grey water tank.  Then we bought some new

pvc pipes (with strategically placed holes)

wrapped them in that black weed fabric

and stuck them in the trenches.

(And then went back and glued them all 

together so they don't wiggle or whatever.)

Then Jim and Sabrina happened by,

so Jim and Kyle then re-covered them with dirt.

Then it was time to start digging on the OTHER

tank (which happens to have THREE pipes,

requiring THREE trenches 25' x 2.5'.)

So Kyle decided to call it a day.

(This was a Saturday)

Sunday, at church, we sat next to the family

that Kyle has worked for the past 3 years.

He basically "manages" their property and

supervises all the other young men they

occasionally hire to help out.

(He prefers NOT to hire help)

(Kyle, not Doug - Doug is happy to hire

young men to help out.  Kyle prefers to

work alone - more gets done and done

correctly, but whatever...)

So anyhow.

Doug mentioned he hadn't seen Kyle all

week and that he had said he was working

on our septic.  He wondered about the project

and the expected length.  (He has more stuff

he needs Kyle to do...)

We described Kyle's latest adventure.

Doug's eyes got big.

And then he said 

"WHY didn't he just come get the backhoe???"

Um.

Well...

Uh.

Because he didn't think about it?????

Obviously Monday morning he rectified that.

Oh, THIS!

THIS is MUCH better!

This is NOT a picture of Rod digging
with a BAD BACK.
Nope.
It's not.

And even kind of FUN!

And the ENTIRE job was done.

AND he scraped up the pile of composted

horse manure that has been in the pasture by

the barn for several years and spread

it in the alleyway and my horse's stall

taking care of many low spots 

and creating MANY wonderful places for

the chickens to dig holes and eat bugs.

TOTALLY AWESOME!

Oh.

And the sink/washing machine/dish washer

all drain successfully now.

And the toilet quit gurgling.

WIN!

Thanks Kyle!

(And Doug)

(And Rod)