Water Feature

[katiefoolery]

So, I was sitting in my reading chair by the bedroom window just before, you'll be fascinated to know.  It was rather pleasant: just lolling about in my chair, reading my book while the sun warmed my back.  And as I read, the sound of water trickling pleasantly by could be heard outside the window.

This would be fine if we happened to live by a stream or a river.  It would make sense if there was an aqueduct nearby or even if it had been raining heavily.

However, none of these instances happen to apply here.  The reason for the sound of water tinkling by outside is a burst mains somewhere under our footpath that still isn't fixed, despite copious men digging about our yard and rather attractive plumbers turning the water off on me without warning.

Water is a precious commodity.  Here in Melbourne, we have permanent water restrictions in order to conserve as much of the precious substance as possible.  It's a dry country after all and water is rather handy for keeping people alive.  The basic rules of water conservation (according to Yarra Valley Water) involve not watering gardens during the day and not filling spas or pools without a permit.  Another of the rules also mentions paved areas as follows:

• Paved areas must not be cleaned with water except in exceptional circumstances.

I guess Yarra Valley Water believes that a broken mains constitues an exceptional circumstance, because it's the only way I can explain why the following image has greeted us every day for the last two weeks.*

It's not that shallow, either.  In some parts, it's up to an inch deep.  When going to the supermarket or getting into the car, we have to hold up our pants so the cuffs don't get soaked and muddy.  Oh yes, I didn't mention the mud, did I?  That's a legacy of the attractive plumbers.  They had an absolute ball, digging up their holes and shovelling mud onto the driveway with wild abandon.  The motion of the water has ensured that the mud has now spread as far as it possibly can.

The following image is the cause of the lovely trickling sound outside the bedroom window.

The picture is a little deceptive - there's more water than you'd imagine there.  Luckily, the next photo gives you an idea of the way the water is simply flowing down our driveway...

You only need to glance at the ripples in the water to see how quickly things are moving.  This is the gutter in front of our garage at the end of the driveway... and it's almost full up.  I just can't wait to find out what will happen when the water has nowhere else to go.  It's already seeping into the garage where all our excess boxes of stuff are stored and where my Timothy escapes to practise his darts.  I can tell you from recent experience that rotting carpet does not produce a lovely smell.

This is our front yard, with a bonus shadow of my elbow.  Ironically, the real estate agent sent us a letter the other day, asking us to tidy up the front yard a bit.  Maybe I should ask them for a boat in which to do it.

It's all very frustrating and I just can't believe that a company that's supposed to be conserving water is letting so much of it flow down our driveway (not to mention next door's as well).  I'm thinking of sending these images to the council and the local newspaper, to see if we can't speed things up a little bit.

Luckily, Pickle still looks incredibly cute, so that makes things a little better.

* Obviously, it doesn't greet us from this angle (unless I'm trying to imply our bedroom is on the footpath) but you get the idea...

Comments

[the-kaytinator.livejournal.com]

OMIGOD!!! Just think of how much water is going to waste there!!! 2 weeks!

Send them to someone, raise the alarm, I say!

And Pickle is gorgeous!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

She is gorgeous, especially when she does stupidly cute things like trying to hide under a pillow on the chair. :)

I shudder to think how much water has been wasted in the past fortnight. Somebody should fine Yarra Valley Water.

[cat-eyes-el.livejournal.com]

If this carries on much longer you'll end up being one of those people fined for breaking the rules :P

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Well, this is the concern, especially consdidering the nosy psycho woman next door. Everything that happens is our fault... somehow.

[frohike.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, she was a nutter as I recall, with a pechant for deceased felines.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Yep - that's the one, alright. Whenever I catch the scent of something decomposing, I think of her...

[decryption.livejournal.com]

At least its not sewerage my fellow water-troubled friend :(

[sarsalot.livejournal.com]

I second that. We had a burst sewage pipe under our lawn at one point.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

That must have been more fun than I can possibly imagine.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Yes, good point. Although we do have one of those fascinating multi-coloured puddles forming towards the bottom of the driveway. But yes - lack of leaking sewerage is always something to be grateful for.

[peachynat3.livejournal.com]

Argh, that's awful... I'm just happy for you that isn't sewerage, because I wouldn't wish that on anyone! Though, I do also hope it doesn't get into the house or damage anything... because that just doesn't sound fun :/ However, Pickle looks like a lovely cat :)

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

At this point, it's only leaking into the garage but that still means we have boxes of books and things that are now completely damaged and will have to be thrown out. Ah well - could have been worse.

[tim-of-oz.livejournal.com]

If your pants get wet, why don't you wear shorter things, seeing as it's summer? :P

I love Pickle!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Well, it's Summer one day, and long-pants-wearing day the next. Stupid weather.

Indeed, I fail to see how anybody could not love Pickle. If she could read my journal, she'd be even more vain than she already is. :)

[cat-eyes-el.livejournal.com]

I think Dante and actually quite a lot of cats would have this problem.

[frohike.livejournal.com]

Unless of course the kitty in question (http://frohike.livejournal.com/133994.html) happens to be somewhat psychotic, in which case I imagine she will become slightly more psychotic, but not walk in front of me up the stairs when I am carrying something. I did not deserve the glare I got after that.

[rigel-7.livejournal.com]

We also have puddles and flooding here - but because of the RAIN! buckets of it in the middle of summer. The news is full of 'Perth's insane weather.'

The funniest thing is that we still have severe water restrictions on and water consumption is at 70 000 gigalitres below target :P

This is a good thing though!

Hopefully your floods will go away soon *hugs pickle*

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

The weather is the wrong way around, it's true. They do say that you experience all the seasons in Melbourne in one day, but I think it's spread out to a week now. It's just silly to be melting in the forty-three degree heat one day and drying your clothes in the dryer the next, because it's cold and rainy. I don't get it.

I have high, well, reasonably high hopes that the floods will be dealt with for two not quite as attractive men turned up today with a great big digging machine. Maybe it will be fixed when I get home. Maybe.

Just so you know, Pickle licked your nose and bit your hand in a friendly manner as a thank-you for the hug. :D

[sarsalot.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. Complain to someone who's not the water people, dear Bun. You shouldn't have to put up with that.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

It is silly. And no-one tells us what's going on because we're just tenants and don't actually own the property. With any luck, it might be fixed today.

*crosses fingers*

[silverwerecat.livejournal.com]

Pickle!!! Aw....

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

She can't help being cute. :)

[naelany.livejournal.com]

goodness! If it's so precious to have, why on earth are they taking this long to stop the excess of it? Good luck, I'm thinking the paper might not be such a bad idea

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

That's what I can't understand. Surely, that much water leaking out should have been a priority? But apparently not.

[naelany.livejournal.com]

You'd think so, wouldn't you

[flippyfrog.livejournal.com]

We had a burst watermain down the street from us right in the worst of the restrictions. Only this was like a fountain on the side of the road. Everyone on the street grabbed buckets to water their gardens and wash their cars.
it's such a bugger it's only a trickle.
And it's the government, what more do you want from them? But it might be an idea if you stick a sign up on your lawn "Water provided by burst watermain, don't blame me, blame them". Otherwise the water police might come... :P

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Mind you, the trees and bushes in the front yard are looking extremely well, what with all the water they're swimming in. :)

I should have done that sign. Hopefully, it won't be needed by the time I get home, if those two guys and their digging machine do their job.

[cat-eyes-el.livejournal.com]

Next thing you'll know they'll be dying from being drowned while the rst of the plants die from lack of water. That would be Murphy's Law.

[frohike.livejournal.com]

Ironically, the real estate agent sent us a letter the other day, asking us to tidy up the front yard a bit. Maybe I should ask them for a boat in which to do it.

Do it. So totally do it, as that will force the real estate agency to go 'hmmm' and possibly complain on your behalf. Perhaps. Hopefully.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, I don't think I'll have a chance to do so (although I'd quite like to), as two guys and a digging machine turned up today, looking as though they were going to get to grips with the problem once and for all. I certainly hope so.

[frohike.livejournal.com]

I have a rather low opinion of people with digging machines. They ruined my driveway when I was six, as well as running over an extremely cool plant (it recovered). Additionally, once a week a notice arrives in Leigh's mailbox saying "due to -whiney complaint- the roadworks out the front of your house have been delayed a further million years. As a result you won't be able to access your property by road, and the path we put in is shitty too. There will be resident parking just down the road, but it will be hogged by council vehicles, and also we will be doing all kinds of noisy things while you are trying to sleep. Sorry for any inconvinience."

[rilla06.livejournal.com]

*considers kidnapping Pickle* I want her!

Hurrah for two guys and a digging machine :D

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

*distracts Rilla with an icon of Pickle whilst hiding said cat in a Rilla-proof cabinet*

It's hard to tell if the men and their digging machine have been successful, what with all of this drizzling rain. They certainly did a lot of digging, that's for sure.

[crazedturkey.livejournal.com]

Hope it gets sorted soon.

*shakes fist at real estate agents and council-type peoples*
GRRRR