I wish!
Funny start to the day - woke feeling like total shit, but the sky was a beautiful bright shade of blue and not a clouds interrupted the beams of warmth flowing through the windows.
Nothing lifts the mood like sunshine in a place notoriously chilly.
Coffee in hand I parked myself on the backdoor step and soaked up the treat while watching the dog tentatively attempting to steal an apple core from the aggressive European wasps. I worry she will be stung but she seems to instinctively sense they are not to be tackled, (in fact if one gets inside she comes and tells me so I can get rid of it, bossy bitch).
New people across the road are hanging washing on their line, shouldn't take long for them to learn. No-one much here uses the lines. Either it is too wet for the washing to get dry or the wasps will get use it to ride inside and find a victim who dresses too quickly.
My house doesn't even have a real line any more. There is an emergency line strung across the undercover area, only used for items too large for the dryer or in the event of dryer breakdown.
If I was used as often as the dryer I'd have a break down or two myself!
So rarely is my emergency line used that when I do need it I must first rid it of all the cobwebs.
When I first came here I planned on installing a line in the back yard. It was later I noticed how many places just didn't have them and began asking questions. It seems many years ago there was no hanging without cover due to the sulphur in the air from the old time mining practices.
The area is still suffering although the practice ceased a long time ago. Apparently the sulphur released in the rain damaged paintwork with many a flaky roof and weather board in evidence today.
Water quality here is also an issue possibly related to past mining practices. The stuff from the taps is unsafe for drinking. I have heard of a water related death in fairly recent years but as I wasn't here I can't confirm.
There are times when to bathe in the stuff is like dipping in chocolate sauce! Dark brown murky water with things floating is not my idea of a pleasant relaxing bath!
Because the water has this brown tint washing is affected. White clothing very quickly becomes grey and the stupid school has white polo shirts as part of their uniform!
The majority of households here take containers to the mountain run offs and fill them for drinking water. There are two main run offs, one complete with hose and platform for easy filling, the other just a pipe.
Both constantly flow and are quite the curiosity for the thousands of tourists coming from areas where water is very restricted.
Skin conditions abound due to showering and bathing in the tap water. I have had several extremely bad rashes that took ages to get rid of and currently have a scalp condition almost certainly caused by the water. In forty plus years prior to moving here I have never before suffered these conditions.
One of the run-off pipes in on the creek next to my spare block of land next to my house block. I can sit and watch just how many people come and fill up their containers every day, and there are many.
I personally don't like this run-off as much as the one on the road into town, this one has a longer flat run after the hill and is more likely to have a chance to be contaminated by animals. There is a slight taste to it and I prefer no taste in my water. The other one is a steep descent and a lot of passing through rocks naturally cleansing it.
We still like to boil this water before drinking.
This is a lot of trouble to go to in a civilized area. When I first arrived there were no water charges on the annual rates and no separate water bill. But this has changed. Last year rates were introduced and now we must pay for the 'privilege' of undrinkable tainted water!
while that annoys me, I do understand that without funds the water quality will never be any better. I do worry for the tourists however.
When I first arrived there were no signs stating the water was unsafe. The local radio does make mention of it occasionally but I feel it should be a legal requirement of hotels and motels to advise the visitors and suggest using bottles water. Should a tourist die first?
Is is a recovering area, a mining town surrounded by a beautiful wilderness. The damaged done by previous mining is slowly repairing with new practises in place. The once totally bare lunar landscape is sprouting green and flourishing.
It is a shame the council can't be more on the ball to protect the tourists and the locals and do something quickly about the water situation.
That's my say for today!
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