We are now five days into the New Year. So far, so good, at least here. Not so in California if you are a homeless person, dealing with torrential rains. Such news items (which focus on the effects of bad weather/climate change) will undoubtedly age the new year.

Here, the sun shone bright today. I had hoped to take the day off from work but ended up going into town and meeting with Jessie, the co-editor of the Wheels on Ice anthology. I also boxed up five boxes of books, which are now headed to villages along the Iditarod trail.

If I had my druthers (what exactly is a druther?), I would have stayed home and spent time with my horses. Add to my dismay, they are now trying very hard to convince me that they are well educated ponies. For years I’ve been struggling to find a way of keeping them from ripping chunks of hay off the armload that I have in hand when I come in the gate.

Zac of Zac's well drilling

I resumed target training with all three a few days ago. Tonight, all went right to their targets as I, with hay in hand, stood at the gate. I was able to go into the pen with the hay – they waited at their respective targets for their treats. This was a long time in coming.

Meanwhile, Pete was focused on getting the well pump fixed. He finally called a well pump expert, who came over with a truck with a pole on it – I don’t know the particulars as to how the pair fixed it. I do know that Pete did considerable plowing beforehand, and that the pump is underground.

Pete later came rushing into the house and went and turned on the sink faucet in the kitchen addition. Oh Oh – the pump is still not working right.

I know that Pete takes great joy in troubleshooting. But I also know that he gets frustrated when his trouble shooting fails. And I know that his having called someone in, to troubleshoot with him, pained him because he did not want to spend the money, and of course he would liked to have solved the problem himself.

I don’t know why I know nothing about well pumps. I wish it were otherwise, so that I might also troubleshoot. Being able to troubleshoot, I am sure, gives one God status.

Picture it, in heaven, these guys all walking around fixing things all day and all night. I say, if it’s in your DNA to fix things, you will fix things no matter where you reside.

I wonder if there is such a thing as a trouble shooting gene. Most likely it has something to do with brain make-up and chemistry. You have the knack, and you continue to build upon it. It’s like being good with directions. If you don’t use it, you lose it.

I did write a poem about well pump problems. In doing so, I activated the more creative side of my brain.

Next: 6. 1/6/23: Who’s Counting?