If it had been a hand pumped well I would have had water.
Have you ever had one of those days when just about everything you touch becomes a problem? Do you remember the old saying that bad luck comes in threes? Well, if the questions seem familiar, yesterday was my most recent experience in dealing with a bucket full of issues, though in my case it turned out to be four. It all started with a very poor night's sleep the night before. I've had a lot on my mind and after four good hours of sleep, I awoke at one in the morning. I tossed and turned for awhile and then, not wanting to disturb my wife, I arose, made a fresh pot of coffee and worked on my soon to be published book. Trying to get anything done with a serious sleep shortage was problem one.
Later, after I saw my wife off to work, I went out to take care of my animal chores. I noticed a flat tire on the tractor we use to cut the pasture, so with the help of a friend after feeding time we removed the tire. No problem. It was a tubeless tire and we were successful in finding the right sized tube to place inside and the local tire guy fixed it. Returning to the farm, we spent over an hour getting it back on. Big problem. We are both older, and balancing the tire in the right alignment for insertion of the lug nuts was a bear for two guys with some back issues, but we got it done. Problem two solved, yet we were both sweaty and filthy on a very hot and humid morning. .
Almost immediately thereafter, I went to start my lawn tractor to try and cut the now long grass in front of the house before we received another deluge like we've seen all week. The lawn tractor wouldn't start. I knew it was most likely the battery, but also checked the starter which also seemed problematic. The battery test indicated a dead cell so I've got to make a run into town to pick a new one up. Here's hoping that the starter and the starter switch are okay but if I didn't get to town immediately, with the rain that soon followed I knew grass cutting is off the schedule for at least three or four more days. Problem three was placed on temporary hold.it won't matter for some time as we are locked in a heavy rain pattern for at least the next four or five days. Problem three goes on a temporary weather hold.
I was still pretty filthy from the tire change and even sweatier after examining the lawn tractor in the hot shed, so I decided to go inside and shower and get some fresh clothes. I turned on the shower faucet to await hot water and zip, zero, nada, there was no running water. I then walked outside to check the pump and found that the automatic switching box which governs the starting and stopping of the well pump was fried. The plastic top cover looked like a ten day old banana and the wiring was fried. The only thing I know that would have caused that is a lightning strike, but the pump worked well in the morning after a big storm passed the night before with water running, so I guess I'll always be stumped. Thankfully, we only had to spend one night without water as the pump man, a really good and kind fellow, was there this morning and now we have water again. My wife will be ecstatic when she comes home tonight after having to work today on a good sponge bath. Problem four is closed and I again will have a happy wife.
Now in my younger days I would have been mad, but I've finally learned that the proverbial "stuff" happens and we know not when or why. But now, and thankfully fresh and clean, I know that we must just take it in stride, stay calm and do what we must to get things worked out. God really must laugh at us sometimes, looking down and seeing how spoiled we are and how we expect all modern conveniences to work forever with nary a failure. And in reality it is good that we have the occasional "hardship" to realize just how fortunate we are. Maybe I need to add a well working pump as a routine thank you in my daily prayers.
Now where am I going to find the right battery for the riding mower? See you later, folks. I've still got one problem to correct.
Later, after I saw my wife off to work, I went out to take care of my animal chores. I noticed a flat tire on the tractor we use to cut the pasture, so with the help of a friend after feeding time we removed the tire. No problem. It was a tubeless tire and we were successful in finding the right sized tube to place inside and the local tire guy fixed it. Returning to the farm, we spent over an hour getting it back on. Big problem. We are both older, and balancing the tire in the right alignment for insertion of the lug nuts was a bear for two guys with some back issues, but we got it done. Problem two solved, yet we were both sweaty and filthy on a very hot and humid morning. .
Almost immediately thereafter, I went to start my lawn tractor to try and cut the now long grass in front of the house before we received another deluge like we've seen all week. The lawn tractor wouldn't start. I knew it was most likely the battery, but also checked the starter which also seemed problematic. The battery test indicated a dead cell so I've got to make a run into town to pick a new one up. Here's hoping that the starter and the starter switch are okay but if I didn't get to town immediately, with the rain that soon followed I knew grass cutting is off the schedule for at least three or four more days. Problem three was placed on temporary hold.it won't matter for some time as we are locked in a heavy rain pattern for at least the next four or five days. Problem three goes on a temporary weather hold.
I was still pretty filthy from the tire change and even sweatier after examining the lawn tractor in the hot shed, so I decided to go inside and shower and get some fresh clothes. I turned on the shower faucet to await hot water and zip, zero, nada, there was no running water. I then walked outside to check the pump and found that the automatic switching box which governs the starting and stopping of the well pump was fried. The plastic top cover looked like a ten day old banana and the wiring was fried. The only thing I know that would have caused that is a lightning strike, but the pump worked well in the morning after a big storm passed the night before with water running, so I guess I'll always be stumped. Thankfully, we only had to spend one night without water as the pump man, a really good and kind fellow, was there this morning and now we have water again. My wife will be ecstatic when she comes home tonight after having to work today on a good sponge bath. Problem four is closed and I again will have a happy wife.
Now in my younger days I would have been mad, but I've finally learned that the proverbial "stuff" happens and we know not when or why. But now, and thankfully fresh and clean, I know that we must just take it in stride, stay calm and do what we must to get things worked out. God really must laugh at us sometimes, looking down and seeing how spoiled we are and how we expect all modern conveniences to work forever with nary a failure. And in reality it is good that we have the occasional "hardship" to realize just how fortunate we are. Maybe I need to add a well working pump as a routine thank you in my daily prayers.
Now where am I going to find the right battery for the riding mower? See you later, folks. I've still got one problem to correct.
Doesn't look all that heavy until you have to hold it up for ten minutes straight.
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