Doug's Missoula Lifestyle Montana Living

New Year New Beginnings

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:29:00 +0000

Simply a little greeting to acknowledge that we begin a new year with optimism and high hopes for the next year.

I am happy to be finished with saying "two thousand and...."
Now we can say "TWENTY-TEN"

Looking forward to the Winter Olympic Games from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A wonderful city to visit. Wonderful people too. I hope the remain that way after the Olympic CRUSH of people!

Hate to admit it but am looking forward to new television episodes again, plus the next installment of regular reality television. Biggest Loser and The Bachelor and I am thinking there are some others too, that we don't watch.

Oh yeah, and American Idol. I'm not much of a fan of the tryout shows with all the stupid, attention-getting idiots just making fun of the entire process. The Las Vegas segments are when it begins to get interesting. Looking forward to seeing Ellen Degeneres as an Idol judge. We really like watching her talk show.

We have a Frost Fever Run to participate in at the end of January, so are in training now. We bought a Wii game console and the Jenny McCarthy fitness tape to workout with. I like the bowling game in Wii too.

Additionally, I hope you all have a wonderful January and 2010 in general.

Merry Christmas Snowman

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:20:00 +0000

This little guy is made of aluminum and looks great sitting in the Living Room next to our Christmas tree. YARD SALE item!

Villanova Beats Montana Grizzlies for National Championship

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 04:49:00 +0000

Villanova decisively beat the Montana Grizzlies for the 2009 FCS National Championship.

The Grizzlies were out-muscled and out-played. The Montana coaches were at a loss to figure out how to stop the Villanova ground game. Although Montana dominated the First Half, the Villanova Wildcats completed controlled the second half.

Congratulations to the Villanova team on their first National Championship.

Congratulations, too, for the Montana Grizzlies gave us another great season, undefeated since the 2008 national championship game, the Griz went 11-0 during the regular season and 3-0 in the playoff rounds.

Just wait until next year!

Montana Grizzlies Beat Stephen F. Austin 51-0

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:29:00 +0000

Montana coasted into the national semi-finals in the Football Championship Subdivision with a 51-0 quarter final win over Stephen F. Austin on Saturday in Missoula.

The Lumberjacks of SFA have the number 1 offense in the FCS but never got untracked. The cold weather took its toll, with TEN Lumberjack turnovers.

Next up for the Grizzlies will be hosting Appalachian State in the national semi-final. The game will be on Saturday afternoon, Dec 12, at 2 pm MST. ESPN will broadcast nationally. Because of the 2 pm kickoff and the early sunset in Montana, they will set up lights at Washington-Grizzly Stadium for the game. This has been done only once before, and it worked out okay. Takes a lot of work and coordination and electricity, of course.

Congratulation to the Montana Grizzlies, who have scored 91 straight points over the past two games while not giving up any scores at all. (That includes the 40 unanswered points last week against South Dakota State.

National Novel Writing Month 2009 Success

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:05:00 +0000

I successfully completed a 50,000-word novel during November's National Novel Writing Month so I am officially a "winner" of this year's challenge. We are all winners. Our prize is a certificate that says we are a Winner.

Now the difficult task of editing begins, and I am fairly confident that my Young Adult fiction work will be marketable. I will now plead with relatives to read my book, including some youngsters, and get their feedback. One granddaughter already read about 15 pages or so and informed me that she did not know what "acting like a Secret Agent" meant (she is 9 years old), nor did she understand why someone would say "toot" a car horn. My goal was to write a novel that would appeal to kids in 4th grade through 8th grade. I have a lot to learn from them too.

NANOWRIMO.org also provides "Winning" writers with assistance in marketing and printing our novel.

I am not so vain as to believe that this little book is ready for market. I have a lot of re-write and editing to do, but that is, as the NANOs say, what December is for

Long Day for Grizzly Football Fans and Players Too

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:15:00 +0000

At halftime the University of Montana Grizzlies trailed the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, 34 to 14. A series of Grizzly miscues, coupled with effective South Dakota play, left the Montana squad in a deep hole.

The 3rd quarter started out the same way the first half ended, with a Grizzly miscue on a 4th down punt, blocked and recovered in the end zone for another Jackrabbit SIX. Score 40 to 14, and Montana hasn't shown that they can play on the same field, or at least at the same level, as these fired-up Jackrabbits.

But then, trailing 48-27, something changed. And the final score, Montana 61-48 over SDSU was the comeback of the season. For the Griz Seniors, the comeback of a Career. For the Fans, just the greatest comeback in the 109 year history of University of Montana Grizzly Football. What changed? For the players, perhaps Montana had a little more energy remaining, a little more desire, and of course some plays went the Grizzlies way. The SDSU Jackrabbits are a fine team. Perhaps they deserved a win, but in the end, they didn't quite earn it enough.

#1 seed, Montana, will host Stephen F. Austin University in the second round on Saturday, December 5, 2009.

Wow. What a day.

Meet Me in Missoula

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:54:00 +0000

Meet Me In Missoula for the holidays is the theme for this year's seasonal attractions sponsored by the Missoula Cultural Council.

The hyperlink above, and the graphic to the right, both link up with the Meet Me In Missoula schedule of events, beginning on December 4th, with the Festival of Trees, a theater performance of A Christmas Carol, and the First Friday Evening Art Gallery showings.

Events continue throughout the weekend, and many are free. Everyone is invited, and a great time should be had by all.

SUSGRTYGFQAJ

Montana Grizzlies take perfect 11-0 record into playoffs

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:10:00 +0000

The University of Montana Grizzlies defeated their cross-state rival, the Bobcats of Montana State University, 33-19, on a cold, blustery day in Bozeman.

The Football Championship Series will begin this next Saturday, with the Grizzlies of Missoula hosting a first-round playoff game. The Grizzlies grabbed the number ONE seed, which I believe they deserve, but must have surprised many of the Eastern Conferences. The Grizzly opponent will be South Dakota State.

Here is a schedule for the First Round of the FCS Playoff games on November 28, 2009:

November 28 at Missoula, Montana
South Dakota St. (8-3) at No. 1 Montana (11-0)
November 28 at Nacogdoches, Texas
Eastern Wash. (8-3) at Stephen F. Austin (9-2)
November 28 at Richmond, Virginia
Elon (9-2) at No. 4 Richmond (10-1)
November 28 at Boone, North Carolina (ESPNU/ESPNUHD at Noon ET)
South Carolina St. (10-1) at Appalachian St. (9-2)
November 28 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Holy Cross (9-2) at No. 2 Villanova (10-1)
November 28 at Lake Charles, Louisiana
New Hampshire (9-2) at McNeese St. (9-2)
November 28 at Carbondale, Illinois
Eastern Ill. (8-3) at No. 2 Southern Ill. (10-1)
November 28 at Williamsburg, Virginia
Weber St. (7-4) at William & Mary (9-2)

This is a link to the 2009 NCAA FCS Playoff Brackets.

In over 100 years of Grizzly football, only five teams have gone undefeated through the entire regular season. The Grizzlies have been undefeated in Big Sky Conferenc play, but usually their has been a Division 1-A BCS team on the pre-season schedule that ruined a potential undefeated season right from the start.

The 2009 UM Grizzlies are now ready to match up against the best of the FCS teams. The top 16 will be chosen for the playoffs. The Griz anticipate being one of the top FOUR seeds, which will guarantee them two home playoff games, assuming they continue to win. They were ranked #3 prior to the Bobcat game, and it is unlikely that the Bobcat game will change any of the voters minds about the Grizzly team power. Many voters seem to believe that the Big Sky Conference does not provide as tough a schedule as some of the other teams face, thus even though the Grizzlies are the ONLY undefeated team, they remained a big question mark for voters back East for the entire season. Now, however, with FCS Conference leaders doing the voting and seeding, the Montana team may finally be recognized as deserving of the Number One Ranking.

The Montana Grizzlies will now have an opportunity to prove themselves on the football field against the best that the FCS Division has to offer.

Brawl of the Wild Set for Saturday High Noon

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:55:00 +0000

UPDATE: Grizzlies win 33-19 to finish 2009 regular season undefeated at 11-0.

University of Montana Grizzlies vs Montana State Bobcats.

This Saturday is the "Brawl of the Wild" and will be the 109th meeting of the two teams--and their fans.

The game is in Bozeman and kick-off is at 12:05 pm.

The UM Grizzlies have won 20 of the last 23 meetings, including the last three. A Grizzly win would give them a perfect 11-0 season and will be important for the FCS playoff seedings.
Bobcat Stadium was full of snow a couple of days ago, and you can see that the crews were in the stands clearing the seats. They were also on the field. As you can see from the photo at bottom, taken from a webcam today, which I zoomed in to the stadium, the seats are now clear.

The weather forecast is for snow and a high temperature of 30. I think, maybe, a good day to watch on television at home or in a Missoula Sports Bar.

Another NaNo Effort Reaches Mid-point

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:05:00 +0000

Progress on my novel is at fifty percent. This is half-way, on a 50,000 word journey to complete a novel in 30 days, during the month of November.

By now, there have been numerous posts about National Novel Writing Month, abbreviated as NaNoWriMo, and United States participation this year is in the THOUSANDS!

There are so many aspiring novelists in the United States, all of us competing for the reading audience, one has to have self-doubts about ever writing a "best-seller."

Most of us would settle for far less than a best-seller. Just publishing something without having to PAY a publishing house would be a pretty fair success.

There are many genre to choose from, and for NaNoWriMo 2009, I have chosen the Young Adult and Youth Fiction category. I am writing for the 4th grader through 8th grader market. Some would say that I have found the appropriate mental capacity for me to connect with. Ah so...doubters.

Taylor Swift Charming and Gracious in Victory

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:37:00 +0000

Taylor Swift's album "Fearless" has gone Gold or Platinum in 14 countries. That garnered her a FIFTH award at the Country Music Awards show this past Wednesday night.

Brooks and Dunn, who won the award last year, presented her with the award backstage at the CMA's.

She had quite a night. In sports, they would call it a "career" night, one in which she won as many awards as a successful star might win in an entire career. She did it in one night, representing just one year of what will become an even more amazing career as she progresses. She is 19 years old. Album of the Year (Fearless), Female Vocalist of the Year, Video of the Year (Love Story), and ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR!

How can she have accomplished so much at such a young age? (She also hosted Saturday Night Live last week, just before the CMA's.) There are few others who have achieved so much at so young an age. None, now that I try to think of one, at least in the professional music business.

Traits that young stars seem to have in common include incredible energy, creativity and an almost unbearable need to express it in as huge a manner as possible. They are ambitious, true, but, in the beginning at least, huge success and money is NOT what seems to motivate them.

Miley Cyrus seems to be that way too.

Both of these young women began their incredible careers at a very young age. Miley had the advantage of a fairly well-known Father, Billy Ray, plus the Disney organization as a launching pad. (Hannah Montana)

Taylor Swift moved herself (with her adult family) to Nashville, where she launched herself, at what, about age 13? Launched herself. No other way to put it.

I have seven grandchildren; and all are girls. I hope that my grandkids will develop just HALF the drive and ambition of these two. I wish them both continued success.

No Excuse for Tolerating School Bullies

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:17:00 +0000

We had a recent incident of a family withdrawing their autistic son from a public Middle School due to constant taunting and bullying.

The problem with this is not just that a kid is bullied; it is that the weakest in the pecking order is chosen by the others to be picked on. Usually there is a ring-leader. He is the bully. It is like onto a "gang" mentality. What one does the others must follow, in order to prove themselves or to "fit in."

This is animal kingdom behavior as well. The weakest in the flock or the herd is singled out to be shunned; then another species moves in and removes the animal that has been left apart; kills it and eats it. Tears it to pieces.

If you watch hidden camera videos of a group of boys (or girls...yes they do it too) as they laugh and playfully poke and push at each other, taunting one of their own to go over and "do something" to the kid that is different, is weaker, is of color, is gay, is of mixed blood, is deformed, has a disability, or whatever they have found to be "different" than they are, you would be sickened by the scene. Most often these scenes play out in locker rooms in high schools, in restrooms of middle schools, or on the playground of elementary schools.

Teachers can't be everywhere. There are too few parents who want to volunteer to be eyes and ears for no pay, too few students who have the courage to stand up to bullies and protest their behavior, too few with the courage to step in and protect the innocent. They have all been bullied by the fear that they will be next.

Most schools know who the bullies are, but efforts to engage the parents in behavior modification mostly prove fruitless. It's too bad that school administrators do not have the power to compel a parent to accompany their bullying son or daughter throughout the day or face expulsion. Too often, a bullying child is the product of a bullying parent and a home environment where the bullying child is himself mistreated or ignored. Since the parents are often the source of the problem, they should be forced to become part of the solution.

This would take a Judge and a Court to enforce. After expulsion, the bully could be sent to a camp for kids that are anti-social. That's what bullying is: anti-social behavior. A Boot camp for Bullys. Bully Boot Camp.
Too bad the kids often come out of a boot camp even worse than when they went in.

When a school administrator hold a meeting for parents and teachers to discuss bullying and policies and possible remedies, there are usually many parents in attendance to demand action. The parents with the bullying children are never there, are they?

I don't know what the solution is. Here, locally, at least one Middle School is contracting with the National Coalition Building Institute, a non-profit that specializes in reducing school violence, among other goals.

Full Speed Ahead! Writing the Novel

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:02:00 +0000

First of all, I am happy to report that my internet speed is back to normal. After conducting a two-hour PC scan and finding nothing wrong, I went to my DSL modem's URL site and saw that my speed was only about twenty percent of what I am accustomed to (and paying for)!

I performed a "reboot" of the modem (I could have simply cut the power and turned it back on it seems). Speed is back to normal at 7 MB/sec and we are happy campers again.

Progress on my novel for National Novel Writing Month is AHEAD of the power curve, with my Friday writing of nearly 6,000 words carrying me all the way until Monday. Our goal is to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days so that is an average of 1667 words per day. I do NOT want to fall behind, because catching up again is really, REALLY difficult!

So, no novel writing this weekend. In fact, my spouse and I are organizing our paperwork, bills, insurance papers and other "official" stuff so we have it all in one place. Why does it take ten years of marriage to finally get around to doing this?

PROCRASTINATION, BABY! It's like writing a novel.

Slow Internet Speeds while Writing a Novel too.

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:45:00 +0000

My Internet connection is incredibly slow today.

It doesn't seem to matter which browser I use, IE, Firefox, Chrome, they are all bogging down. I depend on the Internet for doing research, and that bogs me down in general.

So it is with my Novel. I am bogging down here too, and just six days into National Novel Writing Month. I looked for some feedback and was not happy with the result. Another problem is that I moved my story along too fast, or just lacked enough material. The result is that I am, more or less, nearing the end of the story that I had planned to write, but 37,000 words short of the needed 50,000. (You can see what I am talking about at the National Novel Writing Month website.

I won't be writing this weekend, but instead will do a lot of thinking about how I can re-construct my story and characters to save this book.

And I need to figure out why my internet connection is so slow. Every once in a while some virus or pirate program slips through and hijacks my computer, I think, and so my computer is being used without my knowledge to spread bad stuff all over the internet.

So, after I post this I will bring up my Norton, and my PC tools, and do a complete scan. What a pain.

But I guess pencil and paper was a pain too.

Michael Jackson's This is it! is a big hit!

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:16:00 +0000

This is It! has earned over a million dollars, Worldwide, in the first five days since opening. The United States audiences have pushed This is It! to the top for this past weekend.

I went to see This is It! on Sunday afternoon. Our theater was nearly deserted, and that surprised me.

I doubt that the film will garner the huge audience that some people expected, although a $20 million weekend is not bad. Not bad at all.

I just don't believe the film has the appeal to draw repeat views in theaters.

If and when the film is released in DVD it should be a big hit. People will want this little piece of history to keep. Perhaps the DVD would be even bigger than the theater showing.

I've never watched so much Michael Jackson in my entire life! Right here in one view I saw him perform virtually all of his greatest hits, albeit in rehearsal, and sometimes with costume changes cutting in and cutting out, but it was pretty seamless.

The back stage "look" that we are afforded does provide a glimpse into the complexities of putting together a stage production like this. Every step over every dancer is marked. There are no individual hand movements that are not pre-set and rehearsed. The music is terrific. Each "Beat" and tempo is repeated until it meets Michael's standard. He was a perfectionist, yet he shows a lot of patience with his producers, musicians, singers, dancers and technical staff.

There is a lot of love in this film. I enjoyed it and am certain we will also buy a DVD, of course!

National Novel Writing Month Kicks Off November 1st

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Here is a fun and challenging project to tackle: write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. No editing, no re-writes, just fast and furiously pounding away on the keyboard, averaging 1667 words per day!

November is National Novel Writing Month, sponsored by the non-profit Office of Letters and Light.

I am participating this year. I have a plot, a main character, and a setting. Now I must make the words flow....lots of dialog that I am certain will need a lot of editing....but that will be for December (and many months thereafter).

NaNoWriMo, as it is known, also sponsors a Young Writers Program, with hundreds of schools participating in this event.

If you complete the 50,000 words, you win! There are no prizes, just a certificate that says you are a Winner! Then the difficult re-writes begin.

Several NaNoWriMo authors have successfully published their work, inluding Sara Gruen, who wrote Water for Elephants.

I encourage you to participate. Just sign up at the website and join a regional support group. We even have local group here in Missoula who meet up at Liquid Planet on Higgins Avenue, Sundays at 2 pm. Join us!

Real Horror Beyond Halloween

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:47:00 +0000

The real horror in the world transcends any frivolity attached to Halloween. Human famine in Africa and elsewhere claims far more lives than war.

Selling human bones, including skulls, for use in religious ritual, has plagued humanity for hundreds of years. Skulls are used as drinking vessels; and thigh bones as musical instruments.

The human race continues to destroy itself as well as the planet it inhabits, destroying other forms of animal and plant life as well. The planet Earth, and all its live forms: DOOMED.

Puppy Chowdown Time. It's Plastic!

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:17:00 +0000

What am I going to do? This pup just chews anything plastic, wood, rubber, vinyl or DIRT!

She also managed to "dig" and 'chew" a big hole in unfinished dry wall in the garage kennel area. She dug it down to the stud. I noticed she was coughing and hacking when I returned home. Yes, gypsum chalk is difficult to swallow. Yesterday I bought a METAL water dish. I can nail it down to a board so she can't tip it over or play with it. Or eat it.

She is only 31 pounds and 18 months old and I am really happy that she won't get any bigger. She is normally a picture of innocence; but does not like to be left at home alone.
Sometimes I think there must be more than one of her whizzing around the house and yard, but she is just a whirlwind of a girl and we are fortunate to have her. Just have to stop leaving her home alone.

Autumn Harvest Festivals in Montana

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:58:00 +0000

Football season is here and the Farmers' Markets are closing down, but there are Harvest Festivals to attend.

Sometimes called Octoberfest, or OktoberFest, these events bring local folks together with visitors from all over to enjoy the fruits of the late autumn harvests, particularly apples, pumpkins and other squash, plus the pies, the rhubarb, the wonderful baked goods that our Moms still make!

Find a harvest festival near you and enjoy this special time of year.

Montana Festival of the Book Oct 22-24, 2009

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:14:00 +0000

The Montana Festival of the Book will bring together the region’s finest writers to celebrate reading and writing in one of the Inland Northwest’s biggest cultural events.

For the 10th consecutive year, Missoula's Festival of the Book will showcase Montana literary lifestyles over two days and three nights of events.

Here is a link to the 2009 Complete Schedule of Events (pdf).

Approximately 100 authors are on the schedule, with most of the readings and workshops at no cost. This event is sponsored by Humanities Montana, and is one of the most successful book festivals in the United States.

There will be a special tribute to recently-deceased Missoula author James Crumley at 3:00 pm Oct 22, entitled “The Last Good Kiss: An Appreciation of James Crumley,” moderated
by Michael Koepf, with Dennis Lehane, George Pelecanos, Laura Lippman and James Grady, at the the Wilma Theatre.

Crumley passed away in September 2008. Here is a link to an article that appeared on this blog at that time: Farewell to James Crumley-storyteller

Of particular note will be "An Evening with writer-humorist David Sedaris" on Friday evening at 7 pm in the Wilma Theatre. This is a ticketed event.

In the PINK Zone

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:40:00 +0000

Saturday's Breast Cancer Awareness event at the University of Montana Grizzly game was a big success, as this Missoulian article attests. We were all in the Pink, with cheerleaders hoisting pink pom-poms and the team mascot, Monte, sporting a white shirt with pink number "00."

It was really nice to see all the pink on display during the Sunday Night Football on NBC, with the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons players and coaches wearing pink gloves, wristbands, ribbons, etc.; even the Officials participated in the Pink.

So many of our friends and relatives have been affected with breast cancer in the past five years or so, it just seems like it is getting worse instead of better.

We have a long way to go in defeating breast cancer, but awareness and monetary contributions are the first steps.

Officially, the Pink Zone is the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) annual breast cancer awareness campaign, which you can check out at the Pink Zone links.

Fight Breast Cancer This Weekend and Every Weekend

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:37:00 +0000

According to the American Cancer Association, breast cancer ranks #1 in estimated new cases of all cancers diagnosed in America. This equates to 1 in 8 women being diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Each weekend when the University of Montana Grizzly Stadium fills up (25,500), that equates to over 3,000 people affected with this disease. With your help we can raise awareness and funding for this very important cause.
Wear Pink to the game!

University of Montana Football Grizzlies

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:07:00 +0000

The University of Montana Grizzlies, with a 5-0 record this season, are ranked #3 nationally, as they host the Eagles from Eastern Washington University on Saturday, October 17.

Montana is 2-0 in the Big Sky Conference and is the only undefeated team in the league. Eastern Washington, 4-2 overall, is coming off a loss at home to Weber State last Saturday. EWU is ranked #21 nationally.

We could be in for a really good competitive game. The Eagles have enjoyed as much success at Montana as anyone in the Big Sky. They would like nothing more than to be the spoiler in the Grizzlies' drive to the League Title.

Game time at Washington Grizzly Stadium is 1:05 PM, Mountain Time.

UPDATE on Water Well Pump Failure

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:08:00 +0000

The PUMP service guy discovered an electrical short at the pump connection (125 feet down) at bottom of well. He assured me that this was FAR more preferable than having electrical problems between the well and the control unit in the basement! That would involve trenching and cutting through concrete, etc!

As it was, the TIME INVOLVED in raising the pump to the surface and replacing a portion of bad feed wire, then lowering it again, is about the same as replacing the pump; HOWEVER, the cost was much less. Three hours at $60/hour plus $7.50 in materials, so only $187.50!

Since I had been fearful of a $900 expense, $187.50 seemed like good news. Best of all, we have water for flushing, laundry, showers, and dishes, all of which had been delayed.

By the way, we did have a few gallons of bottled water....so when I had *HAD* to flush a toilet, I poured 22 of the 24 little bottles of water into the toilet tank. That gives me some idea of how much water we flush down the toilet every DAY!

Water Well Pump Failure means NO WATER

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:36:00 +0000

Unpleasant surprise this morning when there was NO WATER pressure. Flushed the toilet and NO REFILL! Crap.

Found a blown fuse in the electrical service pump shut off box. Drove 8 miles to ACE Hardware and bought a box of four for $14.99. Replaced fuse, turned on power and BAM! Fuse blows again!

Called PUMP Service man who replaced our pump a few years ago. He says perhaps the capacitor in the control unit is bad. Drive 13 miles to his shop, pick up replacement control unit to test theory. Replaced control unit, replaced fuse (again), turned on power and BAM! Fuse blows again!

Call PUMP Service man again. He will come out tomorrow and check for ground faults and shorts, I think they are nearly the same thing. If he has to replace the well pump...125 feet down...that will cost $900. He doesn't take credit cards.

I will let you know what happens. P.S. Called wife at work...please bring home a few gallons of water, dear. Oh, and we might have to spend $900 tomorrow. Bye.