Water, water....water

Remember my past problems with water?

Last year,

• I had a boiler that was attached to the whole apartment complex which gave me a huge electric bill.
• Some one burst a pipe while trying to fix the boiler which flooded my apartment for 10 days before my landlord came with someone to fix it. (I had a water floor between the cement and my plastic tiles)
• My waste water backed up into my bathroom and they had to clean it out.
• Sometimes I didn't have running water for a couple days at a time (which is good water from the village central system).

This year,

• I went 8 days with no running water and I was getting upset. I finally stalked down someone to come over and fix the electric water pump so I could at least get flowing well water. During this time I went to the closest well to help my needs. Drinking water, I had filled bottles at an earlier point and I was buying soda and juice for hydration. Presently, I've been forced to use the nitrate (500ppm) filled water since the other water system has been down for the last 2 weeks. (US regulation: 5ppm, and EU regulation: 50ppm) But nitrate is great for the plants!

(Here's a video of me getting water at the presently closest well. Apparently I waddle and I was listening to Blue October that evening to pass the time. My plants were dying, so I made 14 rounds that evening).

• Then my toilet septic was full and I had to pay quick a large sum to get it emptied (1/4 of my month's pay) and you know what I learned?! They just toss the waste in the nearby forest! I am presently working on a project to promote a waste water treatment center...and I don't think people are connecting the two. So forest: dead dogs, lots of pampers and other trash, and now septic waste...great.
• Now, my landlord and the neighbors are making a bigger septic tank so I can't pour water down the drain anymore. At least I have running nitrate water! So I can't clean myself over a drain, I can do it over a bucket if I want to do it inside my home...or maybe I'll just clean myself out in the open. Lol.

That water stuff, back in my old life it was very much taken for granted. I am surprised how many water related problems I've experienced this last year and 1 month.

On the 9th day of no water my truelove gave to me: .....

http://www.mrsb.org/chicks2008.php

I have other things to post...but chick responsibilities make me wake early, and all this garden work...carrying buckets for water makes me more tired and I have less time to sit here and write now. =(

I'll make an extra effort. Once the chicks are bigger. ::sigh:: they are cuties though. I made them a ...habitat today and yesterday. They're playing area looks like a zoo habitat. There are things to climb too!

Hot running Water!!!

Curge Apa Calda
Ce Buna este viata
cu curge apa calda
Nu am stiut
te-am pierdut de tine
Deci, trebuie sa iti zic acum:
Mi-ador de tine multe tare!

In honor of having working running hot water now in my home, and of the dirty water flowing out of my home in the appropriate manner, and in honor of Mihai Eminescu's Day (the poet), I have been inspired to attempt to write some poems =)

Sa Curge Gine!
Curge, curge, te-am cerut pana Vara
si ma-am ascultat si i-ai facut umed tavana
mai ai facut: bucartarie, hol, si baie
ai curs dupa din sus asa multe
Mai ai curs din jos inapoi-e
Imi pare rau
Nu ne-am inteles bine
Ce felicita pot sa fiu
Daca poti sa curge gine!

So, in terms of not having running hot water, sure I was saving a load of money by not having to pay for the electricity of heating the water, but I've come to learn this about myself: I would take an extra job to be able to afford running hot water. It is really that important to me.
Lots of people in my commune don't have this luxury still, and I am sad for them more than ever now.

Here's the translation of my attempts at poetry, and I'll try to translate the rhymes over too:

Running Hot Water
Life is a wonder
when you have running hot water
I didn't have a clue
how much I'd miss you
So now you have to hear me say
I'll treasure you for the rest of my days

To Flow Well!
Flow, flow, I begged you over Summer
and you heard my plea and so began the disaster
you dripped from the ceiling,
then from the kitchen, the hall, and then the bathroom
Yet pouring down from above that much wasn't enough
to satisfy me, so that you started to flow up
I'm sorry
Because this was not how I wanted it to be
I'd be forever-more so happy
If you would just flow normally!

(I admit, my English translations are way better, so I'll inflict this torture only on special occasions).

Pictures pictures, Ending of Summer school 2008

I don't want to write for all of these right now (will later), but here are updates:
Top pictures of kids and I on a field trip (they chose to do it, but due to safety issues, we didn't end up where we'd wanted to go, but I think it worked out find regardless).
We went maybe a 30 minutes walk from the town hall into a forested area in the center of the village where there's a canal flowing. Adults said it was dirty, but it was hot and it smelled okay and it was running water. I told kids to take a bath after.