In Minnesota, all of the snow is gone, and it rained pretty

[MineralMan]

good this week. So, the sump pump in the basement is running, off and on. However, the temperature went down into the 20s last night, and the hose that takes the water from the sump pump and dumps it in the back yard froze. It doesn't completely drain after the pump shuts off, due to the grade in my back yard. I heard the sump pump running, but it didn't stop. I pulled the plug on it. Left to run continuously, the motor would overheat and I'd need a new pump. I have one, as a standby, but it's a PITA to install.

So, I ventured outdoors, disconnected the hose, and connected a different one that had been stored in my basement. Bingo! Sump pump is working again. I brought the frozen hose back into the house to thaw, so I can repeat the process, if needed, later.

That's another benefit of working from home, like so many people are doing right now. I do that all the time, so I've gotten used to the sounds my house makes and have prepared for sounds it makes when in distress. If you're working at home now, you'll get a chance to learn what the sounds your house makes and what they mean.

It's amazing how little most people know about the systems in their own homes. This is a good time to learn about them. The Internet is full of good advice about those systems and what to do when they don't do what they're supposed to do..

[mrs_p]

1. We are supposed to warm up here in Fargo

Can’t wait to join the no snow club. We plan on redoing the deck and organizing the garage over the next few weekends.

[MineralMan]

2. Yes, you folks are behind, as usual, on the advent of Spring.

Here in St. Paul, we cleaned out our garage, basement, etc. last fall. We had a 20 yard roll-off dumpster in the driveway for a couple of weeks, and I filled it up. Very satisfying. We also took several pickup loads of odd electronics and broken appliances to a community cleanup day event, and I hauled a couple of more loads of brush and yard waste to the free mulching site the county offers.

So, we're ready for Spring. I won't drain the snowblower's fuel tank and put it in the back corner of the garage for a while yet, though, nor will I get the mower ready for a couple more months. But, it's coming.

[marked50]

3. Good advice about listening to your house

I am on a well and am attuned to the frequency of the pump starts and stops by the sounds of the switches. Once when the frequency increased it was due to the backflow valves failure at the pump. Had to have the whole thing pulled and replaced. And another time it just was a slow leak in a toilet tank.

[MineralMan]

4. I learned to listen to mechanical systems from my father.

He was an outstanding automotive diagnostician and mechanic. When I was 16, and driving, he let me drive part of the way on a 10-hour drive to Arizona with the whole family in the car, even though I had only gotten my licence a few days before. I was beyond nervous, with my father sitting in the passenger seat on that drive.

I kept looking down at the speedometer to make sure I was driving at a steady speed. My father, observant as always, noticed that I was doing that. He said, "Don't use the speedometer to maintain your speed. Listen to the song the car is singing, instead."

I immediately understood what he meant, and began listening to the sounds of the car as I drove. The road noise, the engine sounds, the wind, everything. As long as I kept those sounds the same, I was maintaining my speed. Brilliant!

He had lots of other things to teach me about driving, all of which I remember and follow, but that one was especially useful.