I had a date with lady Forturne. She was not married. You know, MISS FORTUNE!

It started yesterday, just as I was sitting down to the computer. A neighbor and old friend called and asked for a water delivery. No problem. Hitched up the water trailer with even less fuss and feathers than usual.

Part way to town, I have to go through a gate that I have to open and close. I use that time to check the trailer over. The “roads” out here are a joke, but not a really funny one. Two of the half inch bolts holding the tank to the trailer were working loose. Took the time to tighten everything up.

Got down to the water meters and waited. And waited. After a bit, an unfamiliar truck pulled up and asked for me. Seems that my friend, who was needed to unlock his meter, got pulled over by the police for speeding on the freeway. For their own reasons, they took his license and he had to go back home being driven by his daughter.

$50.00 dollars flew away, just like that.

Got home for a bit and was just settling down when I got another call. Friends that owe me money wanted to meet me in a nearby town called Horizon. No problem. Just unhitch the trailer.

Riiiight. Pulled the pin on the hitch and the trailer started o roll, ever so slowly! I grabbed it and was able to stop it. I looked about and spotted a good rock to block the wheels. I made a dash for it and somehow twisted my knee! As if to spite me, the trailer rolled about six inches and stopped. I got it blocked securely and left for Horizon.

By the time that I got there, my knee was much better. My friends met me, paid me, and even bought me a couple of fish sandwiches from Mc D’s.

Got home without further issues.

First friend called first thing this morning. He was in town and wanted me to come and get that load of water. I hitched up the “trusty water wagon” and headed into town.

Got to the meters and he was nowhere to be found. While waiting, I texted him and strolled across the street to our local Mc D’s for some takeout for breakfast. Friend finally showed up. He went to church to pass the time, instead of going to Mc D’s as arranged.

We loaded up the water and headed out. We came to that gate that I mentioned earlier. That was when we noticed that water was cascading out the back of the trailer tank. A fast check showed that the valve had managed to break off of the tank! That was a thousand gallons of water wasted!

Turned about and dashed back down the road. Found the valve several miles back. It looked like it could be salvaged. Headed back to town and my favorite hardware store. They did indeed have parts. Had to get broken pieces out of the valve and the tank. I got the part out of the tank OK.

We started to work on the valve. Cut a slit in a sleeve that had to come off. My friend started getting bossy and tried to take a chisel to the piece. I go, “Not crossways! Put the chisel at the end of the slit and pry it open.”

Did he? Not on your tintype! Set it across and whammed it with a hammer. Pow! The part that I was trying to save suddnly became TWO parts! Gee, who could have guessed?

Wit the valve now past salvage, I had to buy a new one, along with fittings. We only saved one piece from the old set up. Got it all fixed only Twenty two dollars and change later.

Got the replacement water and went to his place without further ado. He wanted to fill several 250 gallon tanks around his place.

Set up the pump and hoses for the first one. I reminded him to hold the hose in the tank because it WILL come out and flail about, spraying a two inch stream of water all over! Part way through the first tank, he says, “I have to pee.”

He let go and turned his back on it! It did exactly as predicted, drenching the side of his place, him and me! Finally got it under control and back in the tank!

He was more careful of the hoses after that!

One of his tanks had a valve that was stuck open. He thought that he closed it by beating on it with a 2x4! We started to put in water and guess what? The valve had not closed! The handle had stripped and moved to closed position with the valve about half open!

We shut off the pump and went to the next tank. It filled without problems except that we ran out of water before it quite filled.

He paid, adding part of the cost of the new valve, and I dragged my soggy ass home.

I hope that your New Year has a better start than mine!

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