I just stepped out of a scalding hot shower – I’m surprised I have any skin left! Seriously… apparently our water pipes have heating coils that run alongside them so that they won’t freeze in the winter. Ira, maintenance-man extraordinaire, informed me of this little detail the other day when I let him know that we didn’t have any cold water. Since the weather has cooled off – highs in the 20s- the heating coils have been turned on. We seriously do not have cold water in the house. We brush our teeth with warm water. The shower is the worst part, though.
You see, we have one of those shower faucets that’s all one piece. You turn it to the left to turn it on and the further left it goes, the hotter it gets. The only problem with that is that when there is no cold water that mixes in with the hot water, the output is nothing short of scalding. So, I compensate for this by turning the water handle just far enough to the right to ease the water pressure to a dribble without it shutting off the shower nozzle completely. That way, the blisteringly hot water is just barely tinkling on me instead of showering me to death. However, this does make rinsing soap and shampoo off quite a chore.
These heating coils keeping our pipes warm apparently don’t have a temperature gauge, only an on and off switch. So, it appears that they will now be “on” until sometime next spring… probably about the time school lets out for summer.
The good news is that my skin is now a shade of pink that it never was before. I suppose that is an improvement over the snow white, because I am constantly covered up from head to toe in an effort to keep Mr. Frostbite at bay. Maybe if I unscrew one more light bulb in my bathroom, my skin will almost have a tan hue to it when looking in the tiny bathroom mirror (the only mirror in the house). You see, there is always a silver lining…
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I've just finished reading your blogs dating back to August.It's easy to infer a certain loniness. As I read, there is a tone which makes me sad. Yes, people do try new things and many times these adventures are not what they first appeared to be. New adventures can be found around every corner however, the time spent living in an unhappy situation can never be replaced. I give you credit for putting up with scalding showers which turn your skin pink, creating every meal you eat, and dealing with narrow students. On the flip side, everything I read suggests that you miss the basic parts of life. Is your daughter truly happy? Are you truly happy? People do not stay in unhappy situations. It's not that they give up, it simply means that they owe it to themselves to live the best life they can. It seems as if you thought you were going into this thinking that you were going to save someone or something. Perhaps the someone who needs to be saved is you. Decide what you are searching for and find it. Then be happy with what you have found and live the life that you and your daughter both deserve. I personally don't believe that you have found it in this remote village. Life is short - too short at times! Is this realy how you want to spend the 43rd year of your life? Sad, depressed, missing friends and simple things in a house where you can't even get cold water? I give you a lot of credit for uprooting your life. I don't give you credit for remaining in a situation which apparently you have found is not what you expected. Realzing a mistake has been made and changing the situation is not failure. Failure is staying in a situation and pretending everything is alright!
ReplyDeleteMuch of what you say is true. However, as a teacher, I have signed a contract to stay here for the school year. I have no choice but to spend my 43rd year here. It is a learning experience that I'm glad I can't run from. I am learning things about myself and my daughter that I am certain never would have surfaced had we not had this experience.
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