Living in 2022?

 

…and feeling like a Pioneer!

Okay, I am exaggerating. When our well pump “crapped out” on us a couple of days ago, well, it has truly been an experience!

Last week I had a problem with our electric account, and I wanted our meter checked. Unknown beforehand (to me), that meant that a tech had to come out and replace the existing one. While he was here, I talked with him, and he was helpful enough to make some suggestions about what energy we use; he mentioned items that use more than the standard household appliances.

One of the things he mentioned was to have our well pump and septic checked periodically. I looked at him like he had just landed from out-of-space! Until three and a half years ago, we had always lived in places with municipal water supplies and municipal sewage. His response to me was “Well, you’re a country girl now.”

We are connected to a power supply company, obviously we are NOT living “off the grid.” I was told a while ago, by one of my neighbors, to have the septic serviced/emptied periodically, so that was not particularly surprising. I also knew that because we have our own well and the water is conveniently pumped into our home, that if the power went out, so would our water supply. But…

Anyway, my husband quickly called our favorite plumber (this scope of plumbing is one of the few household maintenance projects he would not think of tackling). The plumber came by and told us that the pump was “on its way out” and needed replacing. The repair was scheduled for five days later. Since I already knew about losing water during a power failure, I had prepped a few gallons of water to keep under each sink (we purchase spring water for drinking, our stomachs do not do well with the high mineral count; neither does the cats).

We were not doing anything to tax the system over the weekend… and then WE HAD A POWER FAILURE that affected our area! We have a gas-powered generator, but we figured we would give it a while before revving it up, eventually we had to and used only the absolute necessary appliances (like our freezer and refrigerator). Several hours later the power came back on, and hubs flipped the electrical panel switches to ON; then the power went out again a few hours later. This time though I barely had time to do more than turn on our battery-operated lantern when again the power came on.

But we had a SURPRISE! The well pump NO LONGER WORKED! So, we have NO WATER coming into our home. The stored water is being used sparingly, and, as I said before, we have a supply of spring water for drinking and cooking. As luck worked out, we already had the plumber here and he ordered the part so hopefully, by the time you are reading this, we will be catching up on laundry and dishes (our dishwasher is filling rapidly). I am looking so forward to a hot shower instead of managing with sponge baths from our precious stored water.

A lot of serious preppers would be laughing at us now at how inept we feel without the convenience of tap water. This “Now-Country-Girl” is coping the best she can.

So, folks, even in 2022…

PREPARE FOR ANYTHING!!!!

 

 

* a quick update... We have a NEW Well Pump!!!!!  Total heaven!

The Ninth Day

It was approximately nine days ago when our county issued a “Declaration of Disaster” and issued a strong recommendation that we all STAY HOME; “We encourage --- residents to stay home except for essential needs, to get food, care for a relative or friend, get necessary healthcare or go to an essential job. It is okay to go outside for walks if you are not in a group. Stay at least six feet apart when leaving your home for essential activities.”

To be perfectly honest, my sweet husband is recuperating after surgery and it isn’t all that easy for him to get around right now anyway — all we did have planned (due to his surgery) was to only go out for doctor follow-up visits and to buy necessary perishable staples for the next few weeks. Our pantry and freezer are fairly well stocked, my hubs is a terrific shopper and always stocks up when he sees a good sale. The only grocery concern I really have is preparing for Passover and staying local which does not really give us much choice in the prescribed foods for our traditions.

Staying home these days didn’t really change much of what we had planned to do, but the concept that we SHOULD NOT be mingling with the outside world is a bit mind-boggling and restrictive. And the one big thing that is suffocating is not being able to have our family come visiting, especially our kids. Our daughter has helped to ease some of that particular loneliness with multiple videos she sends us and even a lengthy video chat while she walked our darling grand-pup (my cats don’t understand why we love the dog so much, lol). Our daughter-in-love calls by phone whenever she has a chance and sends texts often. Both our son and son-in-love tend to leave most of the communication to their gals, but we do receive messages from each time to time.

Basically if you have friends or family you miss seeing, think of how lucky we are with phones, emails, video chats, Facebook and so many other ways to connect remotely. Be sure to make use of them and share everyday things with those you care about. Don’t let anyone feel alone.

Being semi-forced to stay-at-home can actually be a blessing in disguise. We all lead such harried lives we never really have time to just sit back and relax. Play a board game with your family. Curl up for a Netflix movie with your spouse. Read a book and even if you don’t have one handy, order an e-book on your computer or smart phone, there’s even a whole bunch available for free. Organize all of your pictures and scan those important documents onto your computer for reference and record-keeping. If you have children at home, find some terrific YA books you can read together.

Talking of children, how many times have we joked about things we learned in school that we don’t think we have much use for these days? Well spend some of your at-home time teaching your children a few of those other skills like cooking, sewing, balancing checkbooks, gardening, working on the car, cleaning and (if you have younger children as well) childcare. Many teachers are helping by sending lesson plans via email or social media, but whether they do or not read some history books (or even watch the History channel on TV), play math games, host your own spelling bee. There are so many ways to make your “playing” very productive.

Maybe now is the time for YOU to pick up a few new skills, learn something that has always interested you, and simply bathe yourself in new knowledge. Many online workshops are being offered, find Writing workshops, Kabballah, foreign languages, Yoga, business practices, and even emergency preparation classes… and you can do it all from home at your own schedule and often for free or very little cost. If you’ve ever wanted to reinvent yourself this could very well be the time.

Maybe, just maybe, all of this forced free time could just be the thing we need to revitalize. Stay Heathy!

Just one step closer ~ #MondayBlogs

My mom was raised down south in Charleston, S.C. in a three family house; the doors between residences were never locked as all the occupants were related. Cousins were raised like siblings and the adults all shared in caring for the children. Mommy carried those attitudes throughout her adult life when she herself eventually became a parent. My dad was the product of a broken home, the separation was far from amicable, and it was a loving step-mother who gave him his first real taste of family; it wasn’t surprising that Daddy followed Mommy’s lead in raising their two daughters. Although proud and loving of two daughters, my father was the kind of man that wanted sons. Daddy told my sister and me that eventually we would marry and bring him his sons, and indeed he referred to both my brother (in-law) and my husband as his sons.

My sister and I have shared many conversations about family relationships, for years we both dropped the term “in-law” when introducing the other’s husband as our brothers — amusingly this once caused quite a bit of confusion when I referred to my “brother” in a group setting just before my sister entered the room! We each have two birth children and each is married so we always talk of ALL the kids. I consider my son-in-law and daughter-in-law’s families as MY relatives, my cousins’ cousins are my cousins, and there are a few close friends who seem to have simply been absorbed into the family. My parents taught me that love and caring transcends legal definitions of family relationships.

I imagine that sometimes others feel that we (my sister and I) too readily absorb others into our family life, but we got that from our parents. Growing up I used to tell people that if the paperboy was collecting at dinner time, there would be a plate set for him – and there were many times, as a teenager, I would come home from visiting other friends to find that another friend or two had stopped over to see me and wound up having dinner with my folks and would be sitting and watching TV with them when I got home. There was always a feeling of inclusiveness and a belief that the front door to our apartment would be better served by a revolving door. Family pictures adorn my living room walls just as my mom displayed a “Rogues Gallery” in the long entry foyer of our Bronx apartment. I like to be surrounded by family no matter the distance between us, or even if these dear members are no longer with me.

I once heard someone say they felt they had too many relatives – WHAT?! How is it that some people actually crave less family and others need more?

What kind of family did you grow up with? Was it large and filled with holiday dinners and parties? And how did your upbringing affect your present family life? According to Statista.com “The average American family in 2014 consisted of 3.13 persons.”, how does yours compare?

I’d love to hear your views…