Oh No! No Water! and Yes, Water Brings Itches

I called Roger to let him know that I was down to 40 gallons of diesel, so he sent Kevin out to bring me diesel.  While here he checked the water and said he would bring some in a couple of days.  Friday morning when I got up there was no water, so I called Roger, who was off, but David was taking his calls.  He said that he would be out ASAP, as soon as he fixed his flat tire.  Fortunately I have water in my fresh water tank, so no PANIC, just go with the flow (pun intended).  A couple of hours later he checked the water pump, but it was okay, then he checked the tank.  What do know, it’s empty!.  He didn’t have that trailer, so he had to go to Dilley to pick it up.  By this time it was getting closer to dark. so I told him to just fill it and not wake me if I wasn’t up.  “Okay, you should have water when you get up in the morning.”  NOT, Evidently when he got to Dilley, and tried to start the truck, no battery.  He came out later in the morning to fill the water tank and top off the diesel.  He also checked the engine oil in the generator.  Oh No!  My water hose split, so still No Water!  It’s going on 24 hour.  ( for them it was the 24 hours from hell)  I just take it in stride.  In a few more hours Roger came out and fixed my hose.  Yea!!!!  WATER!!!  Now I can do the dishes and the laundry and maybe a shower.

                           

       generator on left, black tank is the water and the one on right is for diesel.

     

                     after the fix                                  I now have a short hose if I need one.

Shower, you’ve got to be kidding!  Saturday night was the busiest night so far.  From the time  that I closed the gate, usually around 9:00 pm until 6:00 am,  there were 24 vehicles that came through the gate. That’s down and up the stairs, open and close the gate, no time to sleep.  I think that I got, maybe an hour and a half  of sleep in  maybe 15 minute increments throughout the night.  One of the company men said that you learn how to sleep standing up like they do in the military.  Yea, I don’t think so!  Evidently there was a problem with the “hole”. The outside pipe wasn’t setting right, so they had to bring in a concrete and the crews to support the operation.  The CM that I spoke to was from another site and thought he would be here for a coupe of hours, but was here the whole night. 

Sunday was slower,  but it’s hard for me to sleep in the day and the traffic was spaced just so that when I started to doze off, someone would come in or out. 

                  

                  I’m in my zero gravity lounger outside trying to nap, not working

                                         Angel is watching for me.

Later, when the CM came through the gate, he said that the problem was fixed and tonight would be slower.  Jokingly, I told  him not to let anyone out, and he laughed and said okay,  Last night I was able to get about 4 !/2 hours of uninterrupted sleep.  Only a few vehicles came in or out around 2:00 am, but then it was quiet again and I got a couple of more hours.  I feel better, but I still need more.     

Since my last post I have talked to the Company Man regarding my concerns about the upcoming traffic at this site. and he agrees with me.  He says that I am doing a good job, but I should be on a slower gate.  He said that he would talk with Roger about getting the slower gate and asked that I call him Monday or Tuesday to let him know what they are doing about switching me.  I have since then, talked with Roger and explained that he originally told me that he would get a slower or 12 hour gate for me.  I don’t mind this gate for now, but I won’t be able to handle it once the traffic is non stop and that he knew that from the beginning.  He told me that they will put a couple here and get another  gate for me even if it is in another supervisor’s area by the first part of the week.  That’s the first itch,   Hitch Itch!   I am ready to move.  Fortunately I don’t have much to put away to make the move. I haven’t moved the truck, so I only have back it up and hitch it.  I certainly want to get in a slower gate and a new routine that allows me to sleep, maybe even take a nice hot shower, not just in and out quickly.

The second itch!!  Itching all over.    

The rains have gone for the time being, but what they leave is the mud ( sorry, Colleen , http://travelinglongdogs.blogspot.com/ ,this is worse than mud ) and now standing water, which breeds mosquitos.  I can sympathize with Judy http://travels-with-emma.blogspot.com/ I feel like my hands, legs and feet are swollen and looking at them, I guess they are.  They really do itch and the hard part is trying not to scratch and to get them  buggers before they get me.  It’s and all out war.  One of the guys on one of the crews said that this the worst that he has seen them since he’s been here in TX.

A Question: When it finally does dries out, will they still be here?  What is the life span of a mosquito?

It’s that standing water and the truck drivers are doing their very best to disperse it by speeding through the the mini lakes, making more area of standing water and getting mud all over their trucks and license plates.  That’s okay, though, because it makes them slow down coming through the gate so that I can read their back plate or they just tell me what it is.  The company even put up speed limit signs, 20 MPH for all rig traffic.

                        

That’s another reason that I have trouble sleeping.  Those pesky kamikaze pilots sneak inside every time I open the door (and that’s a lot) so at night I sleep in my Lazy Boy recliner,covered head to toe with a comforter to hide, but I still hear that whine as the dive bomb my head.  Otherwise I feel like King Kong on the Empire State Building, swatting at the planes with  the same results.  Well, maybe I got more than he did.

I don’t normally post many family photos, but may #3 daughter, Mellissa, sent me these of my granddaughters,    Katelin  (Katie)             and        Elyzabeth (Lyza)

                    

They are really growing up fast,  Katie, 10 years old, end of May and Lyza, 15 years old, last January. 

Well that’s the latest in my Gate Guarding Saga out among the mesquite trees, wild flowers, snakes and coyotes, neither of which I have seen.  ( a couple of nights ago, though, one of the CM saw one walking down the road right before he pulled into my gate.)

Thanks for visiting

  Hi there Everybody

Susan and Angel