Water!
A couple of years ago when we had just returned from a much needed vacation, we were greeted by one of our worst nightmares. Coming home with two suitcases filled with damp and smelly clothes from being in the tropics for two weeks had kept my mind focused on a marathon laundry session. There’s nothing worse than a tropical Mt. Washmore!
Walking into our home after being gone so long is always a joy to me. I love my home and I couldn’t wait to cook (after I booted up the washing machine). It’s fun to go on vacation and eat in restaurants, but for a cook-at-heart, there’s nothing like playing in the kitchen when you’ve been gone a while. Before we had had a chance to empty our suitcases I’d headed for the sink, with some vegetables to wash while Terry prepared the Weber to barbeque some hamburgers. “Hi you shiny sink!” I said in a tone I use for only my best friends.
I turned the handle to the faucet and it said, “spokusssh quut, quut, spitchhosssssh schpauchhossssh.” (That’s Faucet for “There’s no water!”)
Eeegad! We live on a well! The good news was, the well was not dry, but the bad news was we had to install a new pump. $5,800 and three days later we got to get wet again!!!
Our sweet neighbor Michelle had invited us to shower at her house and the walks down our long drive-way with a towel over my shoulder, carrying a purple Flylady grocery tote filled with toiletries and a night gown and slippers made me feel like I was at Camp Julianna (the Girl Scout camp I went to in my youth). Walking home in my jammies tickled me. I pretended I was camping and my home was the tent of a king!
While we waited for the pump to be replaced, I had gone into Little House on the Prairie mode. With bathing taken care, cooking was more of a challenge. I had no idea how much water I use when fixing meals! That first day I had to go to Safeway and buy four gallons not knowing how long it would last. Five hours later I was back at Safeway on another water run. Thank God I didn’t have to run down to the river and fill buckets like the pioneers had to; so much for glorifying Little House on the Prairie.
I learned back then that I waste water and I’d vowed to be more conservative with my use of it. Now, two years later, I’m afraid I’ve gotten back into take-it-for-granted mode. So I think every once in a while I’m going to shut the water off from the house and w
e’ll spend a day in camp mode. We won’t go to Michelle’s to shower but we’ll live on five gallons to reset our gratitude for the precious clean water we’ve been so blessed to have. For now, I’m going to get a drink of it! Will you join me?
