Taking things for Granted (Yep, lights and water)

During the 3 ½ months that we were without running water this winter/spring, I learned how much I take that for granted. We learned to get along alright. It wasn’t such a hardship once we got some alternative accommodations in place. The best part about getting the water back on, after drilling a new well and getting a new pump was that I can take a hot shower anytime I want to, just turn on the faucet. What a luxury!

I reflected often on the fact that it isn’t all that far in the past when my ancestors didn’t have automatic running hot water, or any kind of tap water. And not having easy access to water is a fact of life in many parts of the world. We’ve all seen the photos of people, usually women, carrying large jars of water on their heads. In some communities, the people are fortunate if they have to only walk a few miles to obtain clean water.

Yesterday we had a big wind storm. The electricity was out for about 12 hours. Apparently the outage was here and there over a fairly large area.

This again made me think about what I usually take for granted. I made a list of the things I couldn’t do:

Email

Read blogs

Listen to a radio that plugs in. [Do we even have batteries for the old portable radio?]

Watch TV

Vacuum

Iron

Sew by machine

Cook and Bake

Wash dishes in warm water

Clean out a closet in the basement (too dark)

Wash and dry clothes by machine

Things I now have no excuse not to do:

Pray

Read Bible

Visit people

Read long neglected magazines

Exercise

Hem pants (hand sewing)

Write letters

Dust

Wash inside windows

Clean bedroom closet

What I did do was read, a bit of exercise, and walk outside when the weather improved.

We went to bed when it was still a bit light out, at about 9:50 pm. It wasn’t hot, so we were glad not to need the fan on.

This is all good preparation for my upcoming trip to Uganda where they don’t have reliable electricity in the city because of the low depth of Lake Victoria. Electricity isn’t even an option in many villages. Water is drawn from wells. The school we will visit has had a well for only a little over a year. I don’t know how they managed before the well was drilled.

This picture was taken in 2003. Can you pick out my daughter from the rest of the students?