The big rig arrived on schedule Wednesday morning to fix the problem at the bottom of the well.
Well-pump fixing is clearly not a DIY sort of project.
I was not on site when my well was drilled back in 2005, so I was more than a little fascinated by today's activity. How does one fix something that's 330 feet below the surface? Now I know. These guys from
Rodgers & Company were courteous, professional, and efficient, and they did not automatically assume, as do most repairmen and installers who have been to the 7MSN, that I was a clueless bimbo who has to consult with her husband before making a decision.
Yes, that's one of my pet peeves in life. Could you tell?
Anyway, they replaced the pump and motor in a little less than three hours, then went on their merry way. Whereupon I filled the stock tanks, washed my hands
a few many times just for kicks, took the best shower of my life, ran the dishwasher, flushed the toilets and made a solemn vow:
Woo hoo ... glad the work is done and life is back to normal for you!!! Two thumbs up for the crew who listened to YOU, and didn't 'assume'!
ReplyDeleteHere in the Great Northeast, we usually have a few days every winter when we make that vow.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, I felt your joy after three or four days without electricity, and therefore, no water.
When the power came back on, the sound of toilets flushing was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard.
we have a well thats as fickle as an old woman... we never take for granted our water... it is amazing how much you realise you use it when you dont have any!
ReplyDeleteYou really don't know what you've got til it's gone is so true!
ReplyDeleteHere's to tap water and flushing toilets!
Hi Carson! Glad you got your water back on. Nothing worse than having livestock and water troubles... worst here is when it's hurricane season and we lose power for a week and it's sweltering.....I feel your pain, glad it's fixed now!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, don't you hate when those guys show up and treat you like you're an idiot? Drives me nuts.
ReplyDeleteThis is one reason why I joined Angie's List .. I have had such great results finding vendors that don't treat me like I'm an idiot because I'm a woman.
I bet you're starting to look like a prune now that you have had about 22 showers since the pump is fixed. But doesn't it feel great to be clean agian??
Take care, enjoy your Easter weekend.
Running water is one of the great joys of life. Getting the right people in to do a job ranks up there too.
ReplyDeleteWe have been lucky to have no significant power outages with all the spring storms around here.
WooHoo!! Glad life is back to "normal". Enjoy your day.
ReplyDeleteWill these trade workers ever wake up to the fact that women are smarter than them.
ReplyDeleteMy apt manager says it's condensation and I say it's the beginning of a big flood. Is idiot a good word at the moment? I think so!
Glad you're back with water, Carson.
Best always, Sandra
Happy Dance, Happy Dance! With your running water and all, I hope you have a great Easter holiday! Are you dyeing eggs for the herd?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not a DIY job. Our well is at 902 feet. Yours at 330 feet. Did you catch yourself wondering what folks did for water before the invention of that drilling truck? Our soil is so rocky, a person couldn't have dug a hole 10 feet deep by hand, let alone 900 feet deep.
ReplyDeleteAh, water, the elixir of life! I'm fortunate to be married to a man who can do such things as pull and replace well pumps. Do you ever have to shock (sanitize) your well?
ReplyDeleteI'm on a shared well and when there is no water, it is no water to five homes. You just get a sinking feeling. . . . and you are so right, when it's back on, the feeling is one of overwhelming gratitude.
ReplyDelete902 feet deep, CeeCee? Holy moly. And yes, I did keep wondering how wells were drilled and fixed before those big rigs came along.
ReplyDeleteShirley, here I thought I always wanted to be married to a veterinarian. Maybe I should set my sights on a well-fixer instead. I've never had to "shock" my well - didn't know such things were required. Guess I'd better research that one.
As a child living on the ranch we did not have running water except to an outlet in the kitchen. We washed dishes in a pan with heated water on the wood stove. We walked over the hill to use the out house. We took baths in a #3 tub once a week if we were lucky. People today do not understand that water is.......And, we did not have pumps....ours came from a spring and if it did not rain and the spring was not full, we would not get water. Later someone put a well in the wash with a pump on top and you had to go and start that pump and run it til the cement tanks were full and then you could turn it off. And, you had to have gas to run that pump. I never take water for granted and always keep a gallon or two on hand.....just in case!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSO much liked following your adventure with the well! Beautifully depicted, as all your (and the animals') experiences are. :-) The collage of B&W running water photos is PERFECT. As for "I will never take running water for granted again" -- oh absolutely. In my early 30's I lived for 12 weeks in a tent (with 6 dogs and 3 cats) followed by 3 months in a trailer on property without any utilities, so I can TOTALLY relate to that mantra! LOL Happy, HAPPY for you to have running water again so that you and the critters are cleansed and nourished! :-)
ReplyDeleteWow, your pump didn't last long. I wonder if that's typical for New Mexico. With the California drought and the growth of vineyards in our area, lots of people lost their wells a couple years ago. Sadly, many didn't have the $20-25K for a new one. Lots of rain last year and this year, now I don't feel bad about watering my new young trees. Or letting my chickens drink out of the hose once in a while (it tastes better that way). Have a great day and wash your hands as often as you like!
ReplyDeleteAmen on taking water for granted!!! About 10 years ago the city where i live upgraded all of the sewer and water lines in my neighbourhood. To keep water running to the houses we had garden hoses attached to fire hoses which attached to our outdoor faucets which supplies clean but warm water that tasted like, well a garden hose (ick ick ick) and it was during a very hot summer so the water was warm (double ick) I will never take cold running water for granted every again also.....
ReplyDeleteBeen there, done that! And we DID do it as a DIY project--built a little tripod out of poles, and hauled it up hand over hand! Not. Fun.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd rather go without electricity (tho there'd still need to be a way to run the well).
Glad that you got yours back running again.
Lol, been there!! I've always said my favorite thing in life I can't live without is a hot shower every day. I am always grateful to have that.
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time I did a 30 day wilderness survival trip. No shower for 30 days. Lot of hiking in heavy clothes. When I went to take a shower and peel the clothes off, Mom was there. She had to leave the room, I smelled so bad :) Best shower ever though!
Glad you have water again. Go run the sprinklers and dance in them :)
One of my pet peeves too, and yes, never take any resource for granted.
ReplyDeleteLinda, so glad that your water is pumping back to normal and when I saw the last picture with the blackboard, oh, it brought me back to my old, old days in school when I was very young, not in my teens, yet! :-D
ReplyDeleteWonderful News!
ReplyDeleteNope, never ever take it for granted. It's liquid gold!
Di
Oh yes, we've done that too. Well went dry and it took 3 weeks to get a new well dug. Water from the neighbors, showers in the living quarters horse trailer, stock water from the irrigation lines (installed spigots on the end of each one), every 5 gallon bucket filled with irrigation water for toilet flushing...we figured out a system, but it sucked...big time!
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, we know how you feel!
ReplyDeleteOh, Happy Day!
ReplyDeleteI have been known to LOSE IT! when guys treat me like 'the little woman' who should be walking three paces behind the man. Happened at the fishing tackle shop the other day. The twit of a salesman, all but told me to be keep my mouth shut. Fortunately (for him), The Frenchman stopped me before I cold cocked him.
Yahoo!!! So glad your well is fixed and you have running water for you and all your kids. Isn't water wonderful! :) You really appreciate it when you don't have it.
ReplyDeleteI also had to have my pump replaced last year and I know how bad it is when you don't have well water when you live ONLY on well water! It's scary to try and figure out how to water all the animals FIRST, then worry about your self. So glad you've got your water back!
ReplyDeleteKim at http://tryingtoliveasimplerlife.blogspot.com
Yeaaaaaa!!!!
ReplyDeleteDid they repair or replace?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! As far as folks in the past, I've read that folks in dry country had cisterns and rain barrels to collect rain water. Those gully washers you have probably dump a lot of water at one time. I'm glad you found such a good crew to work on it.
ReplyDeleteI only drink water and right now raise a toast to you and delicious water at the 7MSN!
Ditto to what everyone else said, PLUS, what beautiful handwriting!
ReplyDeleteI'm so with you on this one :D
ReplyDeletePetra Christensen
Parelli 2Star Junior Instructor
Parelli Central
SO glad that all is well and that you did in fact get to take the best shower of your life yesterday. :)
ReplyDeleteWe are now sitting at Dulles Airport drinking very large Old Dominion Brewery beers waiting for our next flight and toasting to working wells and running water. :)
xoxo
So glad your well is working again!
ReplyDeleteI have the same pet peeve. One time I went to buy a new car, got a clueless male salesman. I asked to see some cars and he actually said (and I can't believe it to this day), "Well, why don't you go home and get your husband and then I will be glad to show you both some cars." OH MY GOSH. Needless to say, he didn't get my business!
I FEEL your pain! We too have well water and when there is no electricity, no water. We had to have the pump pulled one time and fear it will be coming again. So glad you are wet again - and did not have to deal with male nincompoops. :)
ReplyDeleteSo happy that you have water again. Also glad that these gentlemen were gentlemen. My partner and I are looking at a home south of town on six acres and a well. I started to have second thoughts after reading about your well problems but I love the place too much to let fear rule the decision so we made an offer.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate and understand your 1st paragraph......being an independent woman....
ReplyDeleteI've had to do without electricity more than without water, but understand the feeling when you have it back again!
When they ask me to get my husband, I ask them to go get their momma. That shuts them down.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're liquid again!
Oh my goodness...did they have any idea why the pump/motor only lasted 5 years? The one we replaced here about 5 years ago had a 20 year guarantee.
ReplyDelete