Monday, September 23, 2013

Here we go again ...

Not water this time ... it's another camping trip, the last of the season - Deer Camp.  I will be out there at least 7 days, maybe 10 - it depends on the weather and more how I feel ... it is fall and getting cold so the arthritis acts up.  The camper is packed with food and definitely warm winter clothes - we also have a warming tent that will get you out of the wind - there is always wind out there - and a heater to help you thaw out if necessary.  OK, I need to pack the boots too!!!  Don't let me forget ... , oh and the ice chests ... I'd better go move the rest into the camper ... LOL

I have the Quad trailer here so all I have to do in the morning is hook up, stop for gas and hit the road.  I'd like it to be early, but I know myself - I have to have a couple of cups of coffee and something to eat before I do anything, but I do want to try to get up by 7. Hahahahahahahaha ... boy do I know myself ... maybe 7:30 ... that just sounds better.

I will see you all when I get back ... a day or two after ...

Have a happy week
(((Hugs)))


Friday, September 13, 2013

More on water ...

I now have all the supplies and Dale will pickup the tank today.  I was also told that to save a bit of money I could buy the red-black-green pump cable separately and using 10 gauge for the red & black, but 12 gauge for the green ... It did save me money!  The pre twisted cable was $1.83/ft but purchasing the wiring separately with the red & black running 49 cents per foot and the green 12 gauge running 29 cents a foot.  That totals $1.27 per foot.  Since the wires will be in conduit it doesn't matter if it's twisted or not.

I also picked up 4 - 90 deg angle pipe for the conduit.  $1.17/ea. 

I'm sure all this technical electrical (LOL) stuff is making your head spin, it's making my head spin too, but it's a big deal to me ... LOL.  Saturday, tomorrow, should be "restoring water day"  Wahoo!!!

I'm also thinking of Deer Camp ... trying to gather my mind on that so I won't be scattered when putting the camper together ... I am sooo looking forward to having water so I can do some laundry!  I still have the dirty stuff from the Labor Day camping trip sitting there staring at me, and having added regular daily dirty stuff since the 2nd (No Water Day) I have quite a pile - and Susan too!

I am sooo looking forward to camp for 10 days to clear my mind of all problems.  Oh yeah!!!

I also ordered the vent lid so my hallway isn't the shower anymore - it should be here any day.

I'm tired just rereading my post, so I will let you go for now.  Have a wonderful day and future.
(((Hugs)))

 

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Good Grief ... (OMG #2)

Well, no pun intended, it is NOT the pump.  I had a pump company come out and do an analysis on the whole mess ... and we are not getting 220v to the pump ...

There is a dead wire somewhere in the 'run' from the tank to the breaker box.  Right now we will run the new conduit and wire along the fence so we can have water.  Later we will dig down and put the new stuff in the trench. 

Mike, from the pump co., tested the pump by hooking up to his generator and we had water!!!  We flushed the toilet and filled every container we had.  I'm also still hooked up to my neighbors spigot, love my neighbors!! ... and we are still using the camper as our 2nd bathroom.  I can turn it around and dump the black tank whenever I need to sooo ...

I need to run 180-190 FEET of pump cable - the 3 wire stuff - from the pump to the breaker box.  Cable costs $1.83 per foot at Home Depot = $350 appx.  Okayyyy

I need 1" conduit to run the wire - PVC grey stuff - that's about $2.75 per 10 foot length = appx $55

AND I need a new pressure tank.  The old one is over 200 gals, which I don't need - Mike told me I can do with an 81 gal tank. = appx $350.

It really should be buried 18" deep for 180-190 feet.  I need an estimate for this one ... won't be cheep up here on my rocky acres.  I almost don't want to know, but I have to for my grant application.

The work, except the trench, can be done by Dale and I - I'm sure there will be other neighbors getting into the action too.  We'd like to get it done before Deer Camp so I can go ... and so that Susan won't be here alone without real running water!!

I also ordered the 14" x 14" vent lid to replace the one in my hallway.  The one I have is so old and cracked that we can take a shower under it when it rains ... no thanks, I prefer my real shower - with real water from the well ... LOL

I'm having a "good" day, how about you?
(((Hugs))) to all

Sunday, September 8, 2013

O M G ...

I'm not having a good September ...Well, the 1st and 2nd were wonderful after a week of camping!  Wednesday morning we had no water!  I was stupefied ... this happens to other people ... well I've just become other people ... hmmm, nice.

My friend Dale stopped after work and took a look at all the gadgets and gizmo's in the pump house.  There was power to the pump, but the pump wouldn't start.  I checked fuses, Dale checked fuses ... no pump.  Dale brought me a 15-20 gal container of water to use ... my neighbor has let me attach a hose to one of their spigots ... always love your neighbors!

Thursday morning I started to phone around to see if I could get some help from the community or the state ... I live on less than $1000 a month ... I must have made 25 phone calls and no one knew of any help anywhere for a burned out well pump ... funny, but 1/3 to 1/2 of Klamath County is on wells ... what do people do?  I can't be the only "poor" person whose pump has gone belly up ... ?

In my journey of phone calls, I found 211.org ... you can also just dial 211, and whatever your problem is they can lead you to someone who can help ... wonderful.  I just surprised me who it was - the USDA Rural Development Dept.  It was also the only place in the state of Oregon who could help.  They have very low interest loans, or in my super low income state, they have grants.  The lady I spoke with sent out the loan/grant package Thursday night so I am hoping it will be here tomorrow.  I think I have to get 2 estimates to return with other information, but that's ok, I'm already working on that.

In the mean time we are doing what we can to survive ... bathing is the hardest ... sponge baths only do so much, but we have other neighbors who have offered their showers to us ... we WILL take advantage of their generosity - LOL.  Laundry is OK for now, but eventually we will need to wash some things ... if we can get water by the end of the week we're OK, but after that ...

What is sucky about this is that I'm suppose to be getting ready to leave for Deer Camp on the 24th for 10 days.  Not sure I'll make it this year, but we'll see.  I hope the grant doesn't take forever to be processed - that will be the deciding factor as to whether I go or not ... Maybe I can scan and email it to start and then follow up with the filled out paperwork ... I'll ask, all they can say is 'no' and I'm no worse off ...

I'll keep everyone posted about the well situation ... thank God it isn't the middle of winter!!
Hugs to you all