Water Water NO WHERE but still a bill to pay

For 5 weeks now, we have had no city water during the day. From before 7 am till after 2 pm, nothing (interestingly enough, the meter still runs...but that is for another day when I discuss conspiracy theories...). My kids are commonly heard to say, 'we don't have any water, not a drop!'

The first few days of our latest adventure were a surprise and understandably led to some frustrating moments. After all, what do you do when you have no water? Well, I can say more what you don't do: you don't do laundry, you don't wash the chickens' cage, you don't clean the kiddie pool, you don't mop and wipe the mold away, and you don't do dishes.

You DO call the water company. And after the first week, they recognize your voice. After the second week, they give up making up new excuses (my personal favorite was that the power was out and that made the pressure low. Hmmm...sorry, miss, the power is not out. Yes it is. Nope, I'm looking at my light and she's a'blarin' away. Oh, well, not all the power is back on and so the pressure is low. I see). After the 3rd week, they start giving you other numbers to call cuz they are tired of hearing your sweet voice growling into the phone (ma'am, the water pressure is weak, but if you don't have any water by 5 pm, then call this number... 5 PM!!! Are you kidding me!) After the 5th week, 'ma'am, why don't you get a water tank?' Wait a minute, that doesn't fix the problem...well, maybe it fixes their problem. And for the record, what is the problem? Apparently, during dry season, the pressure falls and we are uphill from the main line. This does not explain, however, why the pressure miraculously increases every night...

So, where has this left us? Every night, we fill up our bath tub and throughout the day, bucket by bucket, we use it up--for dishes, for watering the animals, for laundry, for mopping. I thank the Lord for the idea of siphoning water from the tub to our washing machine with a hose. And at night, we use the rest for baths or bucket showers if the water pressure is still not 'strong enough'.

But, lest you think that all my hair is pulled out from this ordeal, let me tell you the happiness that has come thru our "trial":
JOY in flushing my toilet
HAPPINESS in smelling clean...anything
SMUG SATISFACTION in knowing my 4 year old son knows the proper usage of the work 'incompetent" (as that is the best description I have for our current service)
TICKLED when I can give my dogs a bath (they aren't so happy about it, tho)

And thru this unique situation, I have not despaired. I have been irritated. And, honestly, an irritated, uncomfortably large pregnant woman is not a good sight to behold: