No ... we don't usually have a stream in our front yard unless it's the middle of a terrific 'wet' season and there's been a few days or weeks of torrential rain. While we've certainly had rain nearly every day for around a month and a half now ... the torrential downpours ended around the end of February.
Therefore the aforementioned stream of water didn't come from the heavens this time .. no, it came from a busted water pipe!
As we live in an outlying rural suburb and our property is basically bedrock, our council-supplied bore water comes onto our property through large black, high density polyethylene pipes which sit just above the ground. If you look very closely at the following photo, you will see the large black pipe sitting at the back of the driveway garden bed ... right up against the fence.
Of course, as this pipe ages, it cracks and we often find the leak a day later ... our property is not huge but fairly large which means we don't always know what's going on in every corner.
This morning however, when we awoke we could hear the noise of the enormous gushing fountain of water and the evidence of water flowing down they yard confirmed our suspicions. It wasn't just a leak ... it was a gargantuan walloping great cavernous hole! ... and of course, it was located in a hard to get to spot .... behind an enormous poinciana trunk and a clump of bougainvillea up against our property fence!
So ... first job was to ring work! Hi ... not turning up this morning unless you want some grumpy old woman who hasn't showered, brushed her teeth or had her vital early morning cuppa ... (because someone - won't mention names! - forgot to fill up both water containers in the fridge) ... scaring all the kids!
Next job ... trim back the bougainvillea. Yeaaaaahhhh! So much fun!!!! IS there a more fun job than trimming back loads of thorn-infested branches that seem to have a mind of their own ... no, no I think not!
While this was all happening, hubbie raced into the city to find a hardware shop that has large black irrigation pipe. Guess what! Two shops didn't have any!!! So it was onto the next one. Now a round trip into the city usually takes about an hour at the best of times ... this trip took over two! Wife back home was not happy ... still hadn't had her morning cuppa! ... and she hadn't been enjoying her rumble in the jungle with the bougainvillea!
Well ... four hours later and the job is done! Two very, very grumpy people are sitting out on the verandah having a life-saving cuppa or two ... or four! ... pondering on the amount of the excess water usage bill that will be part of our next rates notice! Aaahhh ... the rural lifestyle ... there's a lot to be said for living in the city!
On a lighter note ... the sun came out this morning and it's been a glorious morning for those who had the time and the mood to appreciate it!
I would have been desperate enough to fill-up at the leak to make my morning coffee! It gets boiled first, right? Ah! Life-saving caffeine!
ReplyDeleteLol ... Sylvana, that actually did cross my mind at one point, but it would have meant crawling out from under the clump of bougainvillea... climbing under the barbed wire fence... past the neighbour's pit bull terrier... through the slushy gully just to go and grab the kettle. I chose to power on and do battle instead.
ReplyDeleteOh, we feel your pain. We're on a water well here, and the pipe from the storage tank to the house burst twice soon after we moved in. Got up, turned on the tap, and nothing! Then had to scrabble over acres of hills trying to find the source of the problem. No bougainvillea here to contend with though...thankfully! Though after a whole day, we were pretty grumpy too! Hope the cuppa helped restore you!
ReplyDeleteFeeling a whole lot better now, Curbstone ... it only took two teapots! I'm talking 6-pot teapot too.
ReplyDeleteSounds like we have similar situations ... our pipe comes in along the driveway which is around 50 or 60 metres long and then winds around a bit through garden beds and under the carport down to the house.
We've had quite a few leaks over the years, but this one was located in THE most awkward spot so far!
That is one horrible thorn! I have just planted some bougies in my garden, does that mean that they all will have those, eventually????
ReplyDeleteThis is a prime candidate for snafu day, Bernie! I figure the next one will be on the summer solstice, so keep it in mind. Potentially one of the best offerings yet!
ReplyDeleteKathryn ... having had many, many bougies in my gardens over the years I think I can safely say that they all have thorns. Even the miniature ones ... sold as 'Bambino' ... have little thorns.
ReplyDeleteHopefully you've planted yours somewhere where there is no foot traffic and no patios, fences or poles as they are such rampant growers they take over structures like these very, very quickly.
Susan ... I checked out your 'snafu day' post and I think this just might fit the bill!
ReplyDeleteOh boy. Bummer! I've had many a burst pipe in my day, not to mention that I work in construction for a living!!! :( Not always fun. I too have a bougie. It's a classic case of beauty and the beast...the one plant being both entities. It's so pretty and worth having, but the thorns are beastly as is the crazy growth.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading about your day, I shan't complain about my eight inches of new snow...and counting.
ReplyDeleteChristine in Alaska
Nothing worse than a busted water pipe. One of my friends was backing out of her driveway, and ran over the little pumphouse at the end of the driveway. Talk about a geyser! Her boyfriend (who's also my good friend) wasn't too happy about that, he had to call out from work and go take care of it lol.
ReplyDeleteOh wow! Quite a production getting it fixed and back to normal! I'm sure you were both exhausted & frustrated but glad to hear the day was lovely, and the sun was out, none-the-less;-)
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful blog. I just love the photos of the birds! Oh my gosh, everything is so beautiful.
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