When April Showers Roar

When it was time to brush their teeth, Liam yelled out from the bathroom, his tone somewhat victorious, "There's no water!"

"What do you mean?" I asked, not really expecting him to have an answer because he was caught in some gleeful revere of 'Ha! That's what you get for nagging me about my teeth!'

It had only been a couple of hours since I'd finished the dishes and the water had been fine then.

After a quick investigation through the house, I found that water still ran in the basement  - though weakly - so the kids were marched down to brush their teeth and Liam spit his short-lived victory into the sink along with his toothpaste.

I called my father once the kids were in bed. That poor man. I wonder if he ever sees my number on his call display and considers not answering because it's sure to mean that I need something from him.  But of course he answered and said 'that makes no sense at all - check the breakers in the barn to see if something is off with the well pump.'

So into my boots and out to the barn I went. 

The breakers were fine.

But it sounded like Niagara Falls beneath me.

I tried the door at the stairs and it was jammed so I had to walk around outside, climb up over the huge pile of snow that had fallen off the roof and into the lower barn.

Water covered the floor.

I splashed my way to a little room in the corner, built to act as a root cellar with bins and shelves for storing things like potatoes and squash through the winter. It's a wonderful place. 

If you remember to put out rodent traps. 

I did not remember.

My squash have been nibbled to pulp!

Upon opening the door to this tiny room I was greeted with a freezing spray of water straight to my face.  Pipes run along the left wall and feed into an old laundry tub where vegetables can be cleaned before storage and the spigot leading to the sink had seen enough of this ridiculous freeze and thaw dance we've had and bit the bullet - went to splitzville - got crackin'.

Water was shooting violently from a very obvious fracture.

{The broken tap and the wet barn floor 24 hours later}

I was getting soaked. The barn was flooded.

And all I could think about was a film we watched in grade school - an educational piece about water - and how they represented the entirety of the world's water with a full drinking glass and the amount of fresh water with a teaspoon - and how that totally freaked me out and turned me into a turn-off-the-tap-while-you-brush kind of person.

All this waste, spewing in my face.

Luckily there was a shutoff valve right there and all I had to do was close it off. 

Surely this is our last crisis of winter!

I waded through our new pool and back to the house to find that I had averted the tragedy and water was running in all the places it should be!

I am somewhat of a superhero! 

And as much as I love saving the day I would much rather throw my hands up and say, 'Enough Already!'

On a brighter note, the pussy willows are out, our snow is half gone and I found a darling clay owl at the Dollarama that makes me brilliantly happy.

And speaking of happy...

May is Joy Month here at SelfBinding Retrospect. I am partnering with DaySpring Cards Inc for a lovely little giveaway and hosting a Joy Link party opening on May 1. If you've got a post to share about something that brings you joy, whether it's old or new, be sure to come back on the first and link it up. I'll feature some of my favorites throughout. It's all about spreading a little happiness after this very long, soul-sucking winter.

P.S. You can jump start your chances on the necklace by liking my facebook page - it will award you 2 free entries into the draw the first time you enter - just click the button below. {You'll have to earn any other entries by sharing little Joy Snippets so start collecting them and you'll be able to enter every day in May!}