Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Since the key hole surgery I no longer suffer with sciatica,but it had got that bad I was almost a invalid,but I do suffer with this constant aching lower back and top of my legs,truth be told the one thing that helps is daily light excersise I got into the habit of walking roughly 45 to 60 mins every morning,this was when I was back in the uk taking care of father. Since I have been back no exersise just working on the AP daily and the back and leg pain have returned,so it’s a habit I need to get back into.

laying the tile is the easy part unfortunately... grouting is no fun.. keep a wet rag nearby to clean up as you go... much harder to scrub clean after the grout dries.

Andy thank you. I love to hike and on my days off. Up until two years ago I hiked all over our property here in New Mexico. I miss it desperately, my hounds do as well. I could run the dogs while a drive the Jeep, but it isn't nearly as fun. The appointment with the orthopedics group got pushed a week forward so it is now next Thursday. At least it's still close.
Spinal Surgery - Keyhole Neurosurgery. This one? Yikes.

One of the annoying things about inflammatory arthritis is it feels like many other random structural issues. This is why this has been an emotional roller coaster ride.
Although I did take one of those "steps into a dip" in our rough sidewalk while bringing groceries to the kitchen right before this started. I felt my spine click or crack right then. Hopefully the X-Rays I got this week will show what is going on.
I am as tired of not knowing as I am of constant pain.
Yesterday we both did a lot of work and we need to rest today.
Nell has osteoarthritis in her hands and feet and is in worse shape than me.
She is losing hope after a visit to a podiatrist this week as well. Poor baby.
Now that I am going through this, she has stepped up her chores to accommodate and help me. That sucks as much as anything.
It was really good for our spirits to install some tile yesterday.
Thanks to you as well Rob. I do hope the grout goes down well. It seems I can put on knee pads and work on my knees. Bending over on the other hand, not so great. Maybe the grouting will better, I hope so.
In the meantime I am happy to have gotten up and accomplished something.
Sorry about the depressing story.
We are grateful for each other and all we have.
We had a marvelous salad of AP tomatoes and cucumbers mixed with store bought lettuce, walnuts and cabbage from a neighbor's garden. Wonderful meal. That's what it's all about.
Brian

Very nice job to both you and Nell for your hard work!

I have had my two days recovery (three actually) from the trip to Texas and looking @ real estate and time to start addressing things that have piled up.

Mainly what to do in the greenhouse b/c there were no poly tanks for sale and wife is set on seeing all of them........

Adam

Thanks Adam. Poly tanks are cool. If you find one will it be for the Koi? Or are you thinking DWCs in poly? I suppose it doesn't matter since you didn't find what you were looking for.

Wife wants to see her koi and no matter how much I try to steer the direction, large pond made by moi with the current IBC setup for eating?

Who knows, bit need to do something....

Adam

I don't know if you enjoy rock work and masonry like I do, I had tons of fun building our 2600 gallon fish tank. The rubber paint was quite pricey though. I basically stuccoed the inside of the tank. I wish I had smoothed a lot more so it had slick sides. It works and my honey is happy to see the fish and that is what matters.

The tile looks great. I was going to ask how it is going so good to see that you are moving forward. So sorry for your pain. I hope you find a solution.

the grout may not be as bad for you if you can stand being on your knees... that's my downfall. I have Osgood-Schlatters disease in my left knee so I can't stand to be on my knees for long periods of time, even with good knee pads... so I forget that some people don't mind sitting on their knees for long periods of time.

I had to look that up, I'm so sorry. I won't say I'll enjoy grouting on my knees, but perhaps I can try to do some.

Looks great Brian, you are getting it done before the real crappy weather arrives.

For us up here it starts this weekend, with snow and sleet. The moisture is very welcome, but snow? I am not ready for it.

Thank you Gnoib. Yes we are getting a few things together. We had a cold week probably 27 degrees in the morning. As soon as I got the wood heater installed of course it got warm and didn't freeze for two mornings. I expect that very long.
I still need to build nest boxes for the Guineas. I have an idea how to give them their own hen house by using a construction trailer office type thing we already have.
I'm going to relax for a couple days and then go get the trailer which is back in the woods at the moment.
Brian

Nothing to be sorry about =) I think I was about 12 when I was diagnosed with Osgood-Schlatters, so it's been something I've lived with for 20 years now. My pain isn't nearly what you're going through, it usually doesn't bother me at all, just sitting on my knees hurts but otherwise the only time I really have much pain is if a major storm is rolling in sometimes my knee aches... in which case I usually just wear a knee brace, the added pressure /support on my knee seems to help with the pain. It doesn't hurt bad enough to require any pain meds though so it's nothing like what you have gone through.

I've been told eventually I will probably want to get my knee replaced/scoped to clean it out (likely arthritis building up behind the bone separation), but with any luck I won't worry about it for another 20 years or so.

I do hope so too.
I'm relying on hope too much, still. I'm now naively excited again that I'll come through this crap and get some mobility back. I still have a lot of plans and projects I want to accomplish. Next Summer I need to stucco this house. Your greenhouse and Adam's Poultry house looks better on the outside than our home, sheesh.
This setback hasn't hurt us terribly, I got the Koi pond covered although the compost pile water heater project never got the follow through it needed. I'll get out there with thermometer and see what kind of heat is coming off the pile, but I doubt it is much. Our electric bill was high this month which I attribute to the heat lamp in the Guinea fowl van being not set low enough. I can imagine how the electric meter would react to an in-line heater on the Koi spa pond. They may have to tough it out though the Winter. What I am concerned with on that system is the filters getting too cold to function. Maybe one of those great ideas will come to me before it gets really cold. We may get a warmer Winter than normal.
Anyone heard how Mel is doing, I think she was going for hip surgery?

Sarah Jona Nell and I got two projects going at once.

We cut and set in 17 tiles this morning.

This is absolutely wondrous.

Jona set up to plaster the hallway wall viewable from the living-room.
Jona has the nicest tools for plastering. His and Sara's colorant business is in Santa Fe NM. They create their own custom plaster colors. Both have twenty plus years of experience each working in custom colorants.

We are extra lucky as they are doing for us a real plaster wall with a specifically created color in a marbled finish.