Monday, January 26, 2009

Like in a poor country

This morning we woke up and didn't have water supply. So we took what we still had in bottles and the water can, and my husband was able to wash and clean teeth. He was pi... off.
I made it worse with my good mood, and when Jan Delay was on the radio, I turned it loud and danced. "Wir machen das klar" -- "We'll fix it!"







The husband went to work. I'm still waiting. The caretaker said, a pipe was broken, now they are working on it. I'll have to wait until 10 a.m., he said.

Thinking that I could go to the pond to get some water. Thinking about the places where people don't have access to clean water... I'd have to go to the creek and make tea with what I scoop out of it. What a feeling.

An hour later

I tried to get water and almost fell into the creek. The muddy banks are very slippery. The water looks quite clean if not stirred; in emergency, I would not hesitate to cook it. The creek is so shallow that I could have scooped 1/10 of the bucket. I gave up and went to the supermarket and got 3 big bottles of water, 0.25 $ each. When I came home at 10:30, the water was there. Good.

Wir machen das klar!

11 comments:

Diane Cransac said...

Ah goodness what an adventure! Glad to hear all is well now. I wandered outside today for the first time since our storm and saw just a small amount of the devestation that happened here. Now I shiver thinking about the huge tree in our backyard :o

get zapped said...

I have to admit, I laughed through some of this and truly enjoyed hearing of your adventure and your ability to go with the flow (or lack of). Hope the rest of your day is swell! :)

Judy said...

I am always amazed to realize how much I take for granted our water and electricity...but that is when I am without one or the other. I'm glad that your water is back on now. Be careful on those slippery creek banks!!

xo

t said...

Probably wise not to drink the creek water Eva. It could contain all sorts of things.

Eva said...

I did not really think of doing so. I just wanted to try out how people in poor countries have to live each and every day, now that I had an opportunity to think about it. If you are a little shocked, this was more or less intended.

Barbara Strobel Lardon said...

We live each day not realizing all the things we take for granted. Your little story once again reminded me of what we should be thankful for even right now in these difficult times.

Anonymous said...

So glad your water got fixed. I loved the song, and the video, and was picturing me singing and dancing through a situation like that and pissing my husband off even more! Thanks for the smile today.

And thanks for commenting on my blog. I am just blown away by your beautiful art.

Unknown said...

Ms. Eva Marie,

I LOVE this post..and your blog! My friend Martha Marshal clued me to you. I watched Wir machen das kar! and danced all over the house.

I have so wanted to FIX things just like that!

Laughed about your water fetching episode! Having lived without running water and electric for 6 years at a ranch in the wilds of the Uinta mountains of Utah, I can so sympathize. I also think about the millions that have no clean water to drink or brush teeth with.

This is just a quick drive-by posting.

Blessings,
Dina Kerik
(also part Russian)
Deepwater Journal

jude said...

why do we forget how convenient conveniences are? i remeber the last blackout in new york city and we were satying in my husband's apt. it lasted just long enough for the beginnings of panic to take hold... no elevators, no toilet flushing, diminishing food supplies.
funny, living in more rural areas offers more options for survival. not to mention less risk of angry crowds...

Eva said...

No toilet flushing is worst of all. It touches the dignity.

Stephanie Clayton said...

I live on a Caribbean island where we rely on rainwater for our supply. Once we had no water for 2 weeks. It was not a good time! But I grew to appreciate how precious water really is.
Your story really resonated with me. Thank you for sharing it.
Lovely blog, by the way.