Nov 6, 2012 Water!!



Wild Rose working in the hole. . .


In driving Down There on Monday, I discovered that what I could see of the earth scorched by the fire is already greening up with grass.  I expected that in the Spring, but certainly not this early.  The bogo at Albertson's was a little disappointing - it's been a long time since I bought meat at any store except Costco.  But I did get some nice pork chops.  Then it was back up to Elsie's spa for a nice hot shower.  I practically melted in it.  Filled all our water containers & drove back up the mountain.

Over the weekend we had talked to a neighbor who lost water the same time we did and his is back.  So JB called the well-drilling people again on Monday and got some great advice regarding a possible broken pipe.  He found this out after I returned home and just as I was finishing up splitting the rest of the green wood that JB had previously sliced into 16" lengths, which turned out to be three large wheelbarrow loads.  That green stuff is heavy!  I tried very hard not to work up a sweat after that wonderful shower.  And just as I was finishing, Larry drove up in his Jeep with the intention of taking one of our 50 gal rain barrels down and filling it up for us.  However, when he heard the news on the well, he and JB got busy digging.  They had to dig down to the pitless adapter which is where the water comes through the well pipe to the pipe going to the cistern and is almost five feet down.  (Actually Larry did most of the digging, bless him!)  Sure enough, the pvc pipe was broken!  We turned the well pump on and water spilled out.  So we have water.  We probably have had it all along!  We assumed that since others ran out the same time we did, that was the problem.  Well, you know what happens when you assume - it makes an ass out of you and me. . .  Just another example of how much we still have to learn about living off the grid and dealing with equpment we have never had to deal with before.

First thing Tuesday morning, JB left for the drilling company to buy the necessary parts to fix the leak.  While he was gone, I made the hole larger and a little deeper.  At one point I was sure JB would get home to find me head-first in the hole with just my wildly flaling feet sticking out.  Once again I tried not to work up a sweat, but to no avail.  After he got back and had some lunch, we went to work and got everything out that we needed to but couldn't get one piece of brass pipe loose from another.  So it was back to the drilling company again for JB, but he didn't have to buy another of the piece that was stuck, the guy at the drilling company used a vice and got it out for him.  But that was long delay and JB got home just as dark and rain were falling. 

He will try to get it all back together while I am Down There today.  I have to go down for my annual mamagram and bi-annual bone density test, so I will do some grocery shopping also.  Hopefully we will have water by the time I get back, or I will help JB connect everything if he had a problem.  The hole down to the pitless adapter isn't really very wide, so he may have a problem getting down to the bottom to do everything.  Being the smaller one, I get to do all the fun things, like crawl under the house, work in holes, etc. . .

I am not going to comment on the election.  It is what it is and life goes on. . . maybe just not the way we know it. . .

Thought for the day: Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. John Muir