Sunday, Sunday, I love that day....

Sunday morning, the snow has stopped, the sun is shining and the temperatures are not bad at only -13C. This month has been incredibly cold, long periods of a deep freeze, freezing rain and I have been hibernating just trying to stay warm. I am grateful that the extreme sub zero -20C to -30C are over, at least for now. It almost felt like spring as we had a brief January thaw. Enough, I say this every year - just tired of being cold! (I did have a local knitter make me a pair of fingerless gloves so I can still type and feeling rather clever at thinking about this solution to my hands and possible hypothermia.)

I love my house. I like my life. That said, there are some things that seem so simple and taken for granted that have caused us pain to no end since we moved in here.Water. As I watch the debate around the world for big corporations to take over water that is not their property and try to sell it back to people, it makes me appreciate what I have even more. I can't imagine what people do in impoverished countries without water, people who have suffered from drought and in areas where the water has been environmentally destroyed. I like water, I miss it when I don't have any.

We had a new well dug in August $8,000+, then found out the water wasn't OK and we needed to put in an additional water and UV filtration and protection system $4,000 more; then the drain wouldn't work so we couldn't use the filtration system; then our pipes froze, then, the drain was hooked up for the system but still without a proper kitchen drain, now, last night, the last straw... It's a good thing we went to bed late, after a nice night of watching old movies with our daughter - when we heard a noise, like water rushing... 

Picture this: 12:15AM and my scrawny little husband wandering around upstairs in his saggy briefs, looking for the sound or leak. Then, realizing it was in the walls heading down to the cellar, the sound starting at our new bathroom and ending in the ancient rock and dirt basement. We turned the lights on, thumping down the stairs, more lights, through the kitchen and over to the lift the heavy old hatch. This hatch is on the floor and one has to lean over it, pull and hope they don't fall face forward down the steep steps and tumble down to the musty old space that may now be filled with water. Yes, my hero went, as I stood upstairs and helpfully called out "Be careful Honey!"

Our worst fear - pipes burst, water filling the space. Len shut off all the water - now we have none in the house and I am berating myself for watching movies and spending family time last night instead of doing dishes and taking a bath. Alas, fresh snow outside is now in a pot melting on the stove so I can wash some dishes. (I am relieved that not many people pop in to visit at this time of year, since I have dirty dishes and feeling a little skunky myself!)

Later we will head to the community centre and fill a few 5 gallon water jugs. Coffee is not looking like it will happen in the near future and a mama without her fresh ground perked coffee in the morning has been known to get a little cranky! Then I put it all in perspective, I am not impoverished walking all day to find enough water to make rice for my children for supper. I am once again feeling blessed - albeit a tad annoyed, I know life is still good!

Here's hoping you have a day filled with sunshine, water (in the appropriate places) and surrounded by people you love! I am off to pour that boiled snow over the supper dishes and muck away!