…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…
