See, the lack of water around these parts used to be a HUGE issue, but recently and, I believe mistakenly, the drought has gone from full-on top-of-the newshour emergency to back-of-the-mind “I’ll think about this tomorrow” for most of the folks here in the Triangle. A mere few weeks ago the imminent danger of actually running OUT of water was splashed across teevee news shows and the front page of the local papers. The drought was all that people were talking about, or so it seemed.
And then? Summer ended, the weather turned cooler, lawns didn’t need to be watered, it rained a cupla few times, and the drought slipped off the hivemind radar like an oiled cat off a plexiglass table.
This is wrong thinking. The drought shouldn’t have slipped, not one tiny iota, because look y’all, just LOOK at this map of NC’s current drought conditions. It’s freaking frightening.
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So you can understand why I’m happy to see rain in the forecast. Oh, I know it won’t do much long-term good, and if I’m any judge of anything at all I’d bet that the ground is so thirsty that it will soak up the rain and leave not much of anything to dribble into the reservoirs, but by gosh I’ll take whatever the frontal systems are willing to drain out. We need it more now than ever.
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Speaking of water; a month ago I got a bill from the City of Raleigh for my water and sewer use. You can imagine my surprise when I saw that it was for approximately 4 times the amount I normally pay. Of course I called the City offices and asked why this was so, and if the drought was having some impact on the fees assessed, and they said no, and so I asked how this could be.
The woman told me that in the preceding month I’d used 17 ‘units’ of water in a month, and allowed as to how this amount was just about 4 TIMES as much as I’d used per month in the several months I’d been in the house. Naturally I expressed some shock at this, because around this time was when I seriously started paying attention to water use and conservation. If anything, I’d expected my water bill to go DOWN that month.
I asked for the meter to be read to ensure that what they were saying was in fact, the facts. I mean, really, how could I have used that much MORE? I was hoping for a meter mis-read, to be honest, and hoping that my hopes would be vindicated once a live body got out to my meter and read it.
Alas, it was not to be. A week later I received a note in the mail from the City of Raleigh stating that (and I paraphrase) “there was no misread and that the meter was working properly. Oh, and by the way, you might want to check for leaks.”
As the god of irony would have it, the same that day I got the note from the city I got my next water bill. Can you see where this is going? That’s right – I was back to using 3 units of water a month. Amazing! The leak must have fixed itself!
Now how do you suppose THAT happened?
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Quick update to yesterday’s question about where the heck one can procure some tinsel and garland this time of year, being as how most stores look like they’re getting ready for Valentine’s day already (I exaggerate for effect. Y’all understand).
Well, once again it’s Target to the rescue. Aisles and aisles of yuletide fripperies are still extant therein. Baubles and bangles and beads of all kinds, nutcrackers and Santas and yard art and such are still in full and ready supply. So.Very.Tempting.
It is for that reason that two red velvet stockings and one red velvet tree skirt found their way into my cart alongside the garland and tinsel that were the original objects of my search. Dudes, the stockings were already MONOGRAMMED. Who can pass THAT up?
Nobody, that’s who.
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Here’s hoping y’all have a fabulous day. Send wet thoughts my way if you would, for I’m praying for a LOT of rain to come from the next weather system…
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