A challenging day …

… filled with difficulties and deep breaths.  Mom and Dad are proud and stubborn people, who for the most part keep to themselves and “can do anything” if they put their minds to it.  Not a bad way to exist by any means, but they’re also in their mid-70’s so things take longer.  Dad is barely a month into recovery from a shoulder replacement surgery, and mom has a bit of arthritis in her hands, so I was happy when they accepted my help to get their pressure system fixed.  They had the knowledge, I had the strength … teamwork at it’s best.  I had no idea what I was in for however, so I prepared myself on the way out to the farm and asked for patience, understanding and strength, and I also asked Dennis to come close and help us out because he’s the water expert.

The well area with the pressure system and an array of hoses and connections and ball valves and all that good plumbing vocabulary, was cramped.  Good thing I’m not claustrophobic!  Dad stayed above ground and instructed mom and me.  Mom does Not take instruction well Lol  Her aggressive energy bounced off the cement walls, and the more difficult the task, the more aggressive she became.  It was interesting how for 90% of the day, I was able to stay detached … almost like I was zoned out …. or maybe I was more focused on the task than on her anger and frustration.  There were times though, when I had to climb the ladder and breathe in fresh air in order to continue.

Each task in the process had it’s own difficulty … the garden hose leaked, so had to be changed to another hose that leaked … Mom forgot which wires went where on the pressure switch, so we had to just roll with it and cross our fingers hahahaha that sort of thing.  Nothing major, but just enough to keep it interesting.  A four hour job turned into a six hour job, turned into a seven hour job and then ….. sigh … I cross-threaded the last fitting and ruined it!  I mean really??? Really??  It was Sunday at 5:12, so I raced into town to see if I could find a fitting at Canadian Tire, and wouldn’t you know it, I saw the most incredible post-sunset show I’ve seen in years.  The clouds were pink and purple, and there was dark gray fog that rolled across the horizon, and then a circle of blue sky appeared and it was lit up from underneath.  I was stunned and couldn’t help but explete my awe with four-letter words hahahahaha and I was suddenly grateful for cross-threading the very last fitting because if I hadn’t, I would have missed the show.  See?  There is good in everything, if you look for it.  I so would have pulled over and taken pictures, but it was one of those special moments that had more meaning to just observe and be present, rather than trying to find the right angle … and besides, as much as my phone has an amazing camera, I don’t think the picture would have captured the beauty.

CanadianTire didn’t have the right size fitting and we were going to call it a day, and pick up with it today, and then mom found something that would work, so off I went back out to the farm.  I wanted it done as much as they did Lol  So back down the well, and got the fitting on and everything clamped and checked twice, and then …… the big test … will there be power to the pressure system and will there be any leaks????  Nope!! No power to the pressure system …….. I almost cried, and then I swear Dennis swooped in and nudged Mom to look at the powerbox and saw that it wasn’t lined up properly … one small adjustment and BAM, we had power!!! and BAM no leaks!!

What a sense of accomplishment!!!!  Ten hours of persistence and patience, with the help of a water expert Angel 💚, and my parents had water to the house and to the water bowls for the buffalo.  How does it get any better than that? and What else is possible?

I decompressed on the couch for half an hour before bed, and chose to take two Advil which isn’t something I normally do … pretty sure I’d be feeling a lot more sore this morning.  My fingers are about the only bits that are stiff, but definitely tolerable.  I wouldn’t be surprised if mom and dad are feeling a lot more than I am … I know dad was suffering by the end with his shoulder, and mom’s back was causing her grief too.  I shake my head at their stubbornness, but I’m also impressed at what they do out there on their own, and I’m still so happy they accepted my help.

The next string of days will be a blur, but soon enough Christmas 2019 will be in the past.  I haven’t really given Christmas much thought because sadness still plays a big part in it all.  I’m just going through the motions and being mindfully present with each one which is helping a lot.  Each year, I figure out something new to add to the whole Christmas procedure, and slowly the sadness is changing.