Dry February

Wait…what? What? WHAT???

Finally, a little winter this Winter.

Happy Groundhog Day. Does anybody really know if Phil saw his shadow? Does anybody really care?

In some ways I hope he never sees his shadow again, what with climate change and global warming and all. Winter during the winter months is ok with me.

If it’s the first weekend in February (it is!), then I must be in or near Meredith, NH for the New England Pond Hockey Classic to fulfill my role as the #1 fan of the Red-Hot Chili Puckers (I am!).

I’m not bragging. I’m stating a fact. I am the #1 fan.

As such, I’m reporting this morning from the Airbnb in Laconia…home of Dry February.

You read that right. But you probably have it all wrong. We’re drinking. But there’s no running water.

(For some history on this auspicious weekend, if you’re so inclined, you can go here, here, and here; links listed from oldest to newest updates. Long story short, it’s typically the weekend where responsible debauchery reigns supreme.)

Anyhow, in this cabin with two bathrooms, 10 adults, and one baby, in a cluster of other cabins with who knows how many bathrooms or occupants, the well servicing all of us is broken…and has been since we arrived yesterday.

And even though we aren’t teetotaling, having no water is a bit of buzzkill. Because, uh, no bathrooms. Gotta regulate the intake to minimize the outflows.

Eventually we got a delivery from the property manager, of about 10 gallon jugs of water or so…which helps, but barely. He also brought us about 10 pieces of wood. Ironically, the wood wet so starting a fire was a lesson in futility.

So far during this great water crisis of 2024, I’ve learned three things:

1. They aren’t kidding when they tell you how much water it takes for one toilet flush. A gallon jug of water is nothing in a toilet tank.

2. They aren’t kidding when they tell you “if that (piddly amount of) rain had been snow it would have been 7 feet.” Filling a lobster pot to overflowing with snow and melting it down results in roughly enough water to maybe brush your teeth…but not enough to allow you to do a good job doing so.

3. They aren’t kidding when they say “a watched pot never boils.” I wonder if whoever first said that ever watched a big pot full of snow melt. Spoiler alert: takes forever.

In a nutshell: prairie life…not for me.

Being without a basic necessity forces you to think. Would you rather no running water or no electricity?

Hands down, no running water.

I think.

Maybe.

Because without electricity the coffee maker wouldn’t work. And I really need some coffee.

But then again, when the coffee kicks in times 10, some running water would be nice.

Fingers crossed that Derek the caretaker wasn’t full of fake optimism when he said he was confident we’d have water by 11.

It could end up being a very long long weekend.

On the plus aside, after 12 days that were 90-100% cloudy (which may explain why my self-diagnosed Seasonal Affective Disorder has been so acute of late), we are expected to see the sun this weekend…so I anxiously await that.

Anyhow, I need to get to my coffee. (Thank you bottled water.)

But first consider this. It’s February, and it’s a Leap Year. How will you use your 1440 bonus minutes? Start planning now.

Thanks as always for being here. Think of me when you flush your toilet today, and pray to the plumbing gods that we get quick resolution.

Love you too.