What is that? What does it do?
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I am still waiting for the new kitchen floor the spousal unit insisted he could install himself back when our son was in middle school. All of the materials are still here, should he get inspired one day.
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The little red guy is a boat bilge pump to pump out excess ground water from the valve box.
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I had only heard of bilge pumps in reference to boats (several experienced sailors in the family). In the midst of a lawn, where does the water come from and where does the pump take it?
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It is designed for a boat, yep!
We have almost 100% clay soil that becomes a sponge when it rains. It’s misting today, but that water just goes right into the ground and stays there. The pump removes said ground water from the valve box and discharges it 4-5 feet away where it rolls down hill. Does some seep back into the ground and right back into the box? yes. But the goal here is to keep the tops of those solenoids dry, cause water gets in there and they get angry
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Very interesting. Can I ask where you live? State only. I am just curious about how people are coping with the recent effects of stronger storms, etc.
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I’m in the northeast region, in a KEY state 
My township is VERY AWARE of 100 year storms, that now happen every 2 years, not 100 years!
We have quite the data to prove it, and have permanent flood gates installed on some roads that we just lower when flooded rather then having to drag out A frame “ROAD CLOSED” signs that everyone ignores anyway.
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Some stones fall harder than others, nowadaze.
I currently remain unconvinced that we wee humans know how to correct our course towards sustainability, but Dum Spiro Spero…
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Not a Freda waterfall here, but do have a composer and a few rain barrels cause county was giving them away. Rain barrels are great cause, free water! In the grand scheme of things, 55 gal’s of water not going directly into the ground is LITERALLY a small drop in the bucket, but the more in use the better.
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And how old is the son now?
As to procrastination — after vaccines became available and COVID lockdown was over (and my history of cancer twice), I made the first and only bucket list for my life — finish all the projects we started, or said we were going to start. It’s a long long LONG list, but some of the larger projects are done.
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I got you. I made similar bucket lists. Most had to do with the few countries and special places I had not had time to visit before.
I am so glad I travelled so much when I was young and could sleep anywhere.
I have urged our son to travel while he is young enough to enjoy it, and still has friends who will allow him to share their floor in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Paris, Warsaw, etc.
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Hear, Hear!
I’d submit that it’s pretty difficult to make a compelling-convincing case to the contrary to this assessment, handed down to the rest of us for thousands of generations now gone home:
Water IS Life
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It’s actually pretty amazing how different the soil can be from place to place within short distances. I’m in NE Queens NY. Our soil is just like baby Yoda’s. Where I grew up, 11 miles directly south, it’s very dry sandy soil.
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Douglaston, not far from you, has some interesting plumbing issues:
“Another occasional turnoff, brokers say, is that Douglas Manor is the rare New York enclave not connected to sewers. Homes instead rely on cesspools, which require pumping.”
Must be one of their ways to keep the riff-raff out.
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So I cheeped out a few years ago and got rain bird drip tubing, and it works, but wow is it thinner and had memory of the coil!
Spend a little extra $ and get the Mister Landscaper stuff!
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That’s what I have 
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I had 100% mister Landscaper at the old house, when I moved lowes stopped carrying them (and all irrigation stuff) by me, so I resorted to amazon and figured rain bird should be fine!
I mean it works. Field mice love it (but they love the ML stuff also) just the ML tubing feels so much nicer. It’s like a floppy noodle allowing me to hide it better.
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I was wondering where I got that ML stuff from. It was most certainly Lowes because that’s the only place I go. Not a fan of Home Depot anymore. It’s also further away and in a crappy area for a variety of reasons.
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AAANNNDDDD we haven’t needed it since!
BTW, Looks like Lowes DROPPED Mister Landscaper from all stores!!
That being said just placed an order directly with Mister Landscaper for the same price as what Lowes was walk in, and no shipping charge over $ Amount, so I’m fine!
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