We have water! It was a simple thing, really. Turns out it wasn’t the controller for the pump, it was the pump. A new pump was purchased. It didn’t even cost more than $1,000! And, they’ve made great strides in pump technology over the past 20 years: instead of three wires it has only two, and doesn’t require a controller. Anybody need a brand-new controller that works well with old pumps? I thought not.
Anyhow, the simplicity of the new pump is such that it only took four days to install it. The electrical panel in the pumphouse needed some rewiring, the loose connection on the cable to the pump needed a fix, and the zebra mussel filter was in less than fine fettle.
It’s a bit of an anticlimax, really, since I had become quite adept at living without running water. This is where a sagging eavestrough comes in very handy. All you need to do is put a Rubbermaid bin on the front steps and wait for rain. The weather happily outdid itself by supplying a monsoons-worth of free water for five days straight (and an excellent habitat for mosquito larvae). The next step is to use a pot to scoop the water into large plastic buckets, carry them into the cottage (spilling half the bucket in the process), place some in the kitchen and some in the bathroom, and voila. A facsimile of modern convenience. And impressive arm muscles.
I am pleased to report that the power only went out twice during this week of cloudless, calm weather. In Hydro None’s defense, the first instance was close enough to bed time to be a minor inconvenience and it did come on in time to obviate the need to make toast on the barbecue. The second time arrived precisely as I was putting a tuna casserole in the oven. Could have been worse – there could have been a half-baked rhubarb pie in there as well.
However, as you have likely noted from my skill at dealing with a lack of running water, I am nothing if not resourceful. I pivoted to preparing a meal on the barbecue. I rounded up vegetables to grill and opened the freezer drawer for a nanosecond to deftly extract some chicken thighs that were frozen as solid as a brass monkey’s nether regions. But I knew exactly what to do. I put the chicken on a plate, opened the microwave door, closed the microwave door, and pressed the auto-defrost button. In case you were wondering, salt and vinegar chips and grilled vegetables are a perfectly adequate dinner.
The power came back on around two in the morning. I know this not only because Hydro None’s text woke me up, but also because the air exchange system (there to prevent us from suffocating in the supposedly air-tight structure) does a full-cycle reboot whenever there’s been an outage.
But now, all’s right in this part of the world. The dragon flies are on the hunt. The hummingbirds are buzzing. The irises are almost in bloom. The toilet flushes.
Sounds very much like when we get hit with a hurricane. You find very resourceful ways to get by. It’s sort of fun, for a short time.
Salt and vinegar chips are a staple in such conditions.
Indeed. Who on earth could survive without salt and vinegar chips???