Getting the Water and the Plotting Moving Again

I’m about to tell you a little story that’s going to make you think I’m a bit woo-woo, but I promise I’m as sane as the next author. (Which really isn’t say much, but whatever.)

I bought my little townhouse back in 2010. It’s my first house and I love it. It was kiddo and I and the two cats, but I got a hankering for a dog. Kiddo’s friend’s family had one puppy left to give away, I went to visit her, and that was that. Macie came home with me in January 2012, and that’s where this story gets woo-woo.

Very shortly after Macie joined the household, I woke one morning to find water gushing from the drain pipe on my water heater. I’ve no idea how long it had been running, but my laundry and living room were completely flooded. I tried to suck the water out, but it was never going to work, so out went the carpet.

I could live on concrete for a while. We had area rugs. It was fine.

Then in July of 2012, about six months later, the pipe under the house got clogged and sent (clean-thank goodness) water into the half bath and front hall. I cleaned it up and charged ahead. Less than two weeks later, the drain for the A/C unit got clogged somewhere under the house and sent water spewing into my kitchen and that same front hall.

Another floor torn out. Now we had concrete throughout the downstairs, and it stayed that way for nearly a year and a half. This was a lot of water in a short period of time so I consulted a friend of a friend who, let’s say, is more in tune with the natural elements of how our world works.

She suggested Water Sprites. Little creatures who lived in my house and for some reason were not happy. Did I have a water feature? No. Did I have plants? Not a one. Not good, since these Sprites love water and need greenery to live in. And then we traced back to when all this started, which was when Macie arrived. The logical conclusion was that the Water Sprites rode in with Macie. Lovely.

I eventually bought a fountain and a friend sent me a lovely plant (which I’ve managed NOT to kill so far.) The floors were all replaced (that timing is just a coincidence) and life progressed with everyone happy, including the Water Sprites.

But last week I realized the filter motor on my fountain was completely clogged with some nasty slimy substance. I couldn’t get it clean enough to work again so made a note to buy a new motor. This meant the fountain would be off for a while.

Cue woo-woo.

Within days, my pipes froze and as I type this, I’m still without water. In three years, with several big snows and recent plunging temperatures, I’ve not had one problem with freezing pipes. Until that fountain stopped working.

Now, you can tell me this all sounds crazy and it’s just coincidence, but I’ll be buying a new fountain as soon as I can. The temps are forecast to go slightly above freezing today and stay up there for the entire afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed that thaws my pipes (and do not mention the word burst in the comments or I will delete you!) and I’ll have running water once again.

I’m going to need some to fill the new fountain.

Oh, and all of this is terribly distracting to my writer brain, which is where the plotting part comes in. I’m hoping sharing this story will open some creative space and get the ideas AND the water flowing again. I’m a bit desperate for both.

EDITED TO ADD: WE HAVE DRIPPING!