“I have good news and bad news … “. These are not the words that you really want to wake up to on a Sunday morning, but there stood my husband in the doorway of the bedroom covered head to toe in “winter gear” looking at me. I said “oh man! … I don’t want to know!” and covered my head with the covers. See, it has been a trying week with things breaking down, cars not starting … and still not running, one little thing after another. Eventually the little things seem to meld into one big thing.
So I said “ok … just tell me, I don’t really want to know but I am pretty sure I will have to hear it.” He said “well, the good news is that we still have electricity, but the bad news is that we have no water. ” My first thought was that I hadn’t showered in a day or so and that I had to be at church in about an hour. This hair did not have the option of going yet another day without some soap applied! But then I realized that my hair was really low on the list of reasons why no water is a bad thing. We have animals to water and the two of us to water.
There isn’t a real clear reason as to why we have no water but the well isn’t working. Could be the pump, could be just about anything. Loren changed the fuse and the new one instantly blew. Since it is Sunday, we can only make a call and wait until someone can come out and look tomorrow. Most likely this will occur when Loren is at work so I get to greet the “well” people.
Fortunately we had a few gallons of water stored in the basement that we can drink. And we warmed some up to “wash-up” for Mass. We will need to go to the neighbors this afternoon to “borrow water” for the animals.
Blah … so my day has been interrupted and apparently my great plan of just taking a cozy nap on a Sunday afternoon isn’t going to happen. Oh well, it could be worse. I could be hand writing this post and mailing it to everyone. So I am thankful for my electricity … it’s great to have some good news with the bad!
Poofergirl's Perspective 
Yikes! I hate it when that happens. Electricity and water…are the bare minimum necessities…..if I can’t take my shower, I become very irritable!! Hope someone comes early tomorrow and it’s a simple fix ((hugs)) Rosie
By: rosieswhimsy on February 17, 2008
at 2:46 pm
Awww, sorry Steph. Seems there’s always something going wrong on a farm. At least you seem to have a pretty good attitude about it. It does make you realize what’s important in life. I’m glad you still have electricity! Hang in there.
By: Aunt Jeri on February 17, 2008
at 5:55 pm
Oh, that’s the pits! Our water has frozen several times this winter and you’re right, it always seems to happen when you are required to be someplace. I wish you lived close to me, I’d send the Rancher to hlep you with your well. He used to lay waterlines and put in wells. I do hope you can have someone take care of it first thing in the morning.
By: Rose on February 17, 2008
at 7:13 pm
Heck you can cure the shower problem by taking only four a year–like Christmas, Easter, July 4, and Labor Day, or around those dates. If really necessary, maybe Thanksgiving as well. But for the critters they will let you know if they get too thiristy. That well’s pump gave out in January,1978 and then the pipes froze up as well. It was two weeks before water was running again. That time we hauled water from Feed Em Company. We had pigs and sheep who also asked for a drink. The same winter the sewer froze up around March 1st and we improvised with a five-gallon pail. Worked real well and we still flushed the pot just not as often.
Then the next time was around 1987 when we had 30 cows and about that many young cattle. They also said they needed a drink. That time we were back in business in about one and a half days. Hauled waterfrom Don Lubke’s farm. Both of these events required a new pump. Again about 1997 there was an electrical problem which also happened on a Sunday and it took about two days to get to drinking from the well again. The electrical problem was not expensive but pulling a pump and putting in a new one will cut into the beer and cigarette money for quite some time.
That is the romance of living on a farm. Always anticipatory! What next? More surprises. Life on the farm. Never dull. It toughens you up.
By: veteran haymaker on February 17, 2008
at 10:22 pm