What started out to be a quiet retreat from the daily detail turned out to be a working vacation.  The equipment we used constantly called for our attention.  It all started with turning on the water.

When I flipped the switch to start the pump, and put water into the system, almost immediately we had a spray and puddle on the kitchen floor.  One of the plastic pipes under the sink had separated, and had to be re-connected.  The water was turned off, and the repair task begun.  As soon as that was complete, water was turned on again, and we discovered it was not only filled with silt - caused by inadequate flow from the well, but also there was no hot water. 

     Somewhere along the line, the hot water tank had been turned on without water running through the tank.  This caused the elements to heat, and burn up.  So, off the water went again, and we waited for about two hours until Steve, our son, stopped in Colorado Springs on his way to the cabin and picked up new elements.  (We ordered special elements, only to learn later the element is basically universal, and could have been purchased in Westcliffe.) 

     When Steve arrived, we tore into the tank and took out both of the old elements to replace.  We discovered in the process that one of those elements had never been replaced, and the tank is now almost 20 years old.  We were surprised when it worked after our replacement job. 
On the other hand, it was almost impossible to get the bottom element out!  A new pipe wrench was purchased, both sets of expandable pliers were applied,  and finally, a hammer and chisel was used to unseat the sealed element. 

Success at last on that one!

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     Hardly had that been accomplished when it was discovered that the flush valve on the stool was not working.  That was not a new experience, so we replaced it immediately, only to discover the valve for the stool water supply would also have to be replaced.  It took a bit of doing to search through all the old plumbing supplies to find a new one, tear it apart to make sure it was in working order, and replace it.  By this time, enough water had run through the system, it was beginning to look like water and not chocolate milk. 
  
     It was now time for the washing machine to do its act of stubbornness!  It was not filling correctly, the regulator wanted not to run, sometimes the water would come through and never stop, sometimes it would not flow at all.  Taking the line apart, the filter was removed, the line replaced, and the washing process started over.  This went on through all the tub loads of clothing needing to be washed for the four days the family was there, and finally, a new regulator was ordered to be picked up when we came home.  The cost for the regulator was so large, that when we came home, we took it back, and ordered a new washing machine instead.

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     Our old refrigerator, a 1930's model, had really done a good job through the years, and we hated to part with it.  But a later model was offered to the family free, with an ice chest across the top.  It is now in place after going to town to get it, bringing it to the cabin and taking the old depression depressor back to the garage sale at the church.

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     All in all, it was a good week anyway.  The new furnace worked fine -( it was our first opportunity to use it following installation in November of last year.)  We are now users of propane, and our hope is that this new addition of gas will not posit the kind of problems we have known with the water system.