Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Water, The Aftermath


I would post pictures, but for a couple of problems. Blogger refuses my attempts ..... and I didn't take any.

You will recall that when last we met I was longing for a hot shower. It was my one and only Christmas wish. I did get one on Christmas Eve. But, getting to that shower is the real story.

I gave you an account of the pipe bursting and water shooting into the kitchen, didn't I? Well that happened several more times. The configuration of the pipes that supply water to our living quarters, as well as the entire park are all inside, not 20 feet from my kitchen. There is no door separating this area. We need the heat from the building to keep the pipes warm.

The pipe delivering the water from the holding tank to the mouse trap assembly that disperses the water to the park, to the building, and everywhere is at waist height and it was right above this that the weak point was, so that when the pipe ruptured it shot straight into the kitchen. I wasn't too happy about all the water on the floor the first time, but took it in stride. A good rinse for the floor and not the end of the world ....... until it happened again and then again.

Finally the "plumber" gave up and we went to bed. The next day he was off to purchase more "parts" and I sat in my own sweat and waited. A neighbor learned of my dilemma and brought a 6 gallon jug of water. I used it to flush the toilet and heated it up to wash the dishes and prepare supper. I was resigned that a shower would not be forthcoming and washed my face (in cold water) and brushed my teeth. I was all settled in front of the TV in my pj's when I was told to go get my shower!!!

I was so happy. The pipes shuddered and spit water at me until things leveled out and I luxuriated in soap and water. I went straight to bed my skin still warm and snuggled down with my dogs. Before the plumber got his shower the pipe connection failed yet again.

The saga continued on Christmas Day and was finally resolved the day after. Since then we have been plagued with all the problems that come after the pump has been shut down. The sediment has collected in the pipes and I have had to take the diffuser off the kitchen sink. The shower is still spitting and sputtering and now the toilet refuses to  fill the tank. My "plumber " is putting new parts in the toilet as we "speak".

I awoke with one goal in mind today and that was to clean up the laundry/pump room. The aftermath of the floods is still there. Everything still wet. Plastic bins holding various plumbing and electrical parts were still holding water. Everything got wet. 

So, I spent the entire morning sifting through all the stuff that fell to the floor in the flood and all the containers with water in them. Not to mention the packaging of every part involved in the repair that was either on the floor (wet) or on any available surface. All clean, almost organized again. Makes me feel so much better .....

Mentally, that is. I worked up a good sweat and as the sweat rolled down and trickled across my initial outbreak, it burned like acid. The nasty looking scabs are drying. One would think that was good, that the healing process had begun. One would think that the pain would be abating with this drying. One would be wrong.

I am happy to have running water again, I am happy to have scabs instead of blisters, I am happy to have one area clean again ...... and I am happy that this year is coming to an end. Next year will be better!

5 comments:

Joanne Noragon said...

Yes, next year will be better. Have a quiet little welcoming ceremony; no piped in surprises.

Val said...

Congratulations on your "drying out." Both kinds.

joanne said...

next year MUST be better right? Thinking of you in your wet, sticky, burning skin and hoping it starts to heal. I didn't know shingles were to horrible, gah, I better get a shot. Happy New Year.

Linda O'Connell said...

I hope things are better by now.

ellen abbott said...

the only thing for certain is that things will change. hopefully for the better and already.