Compliance

 Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a compliant person.  That is just my personality.  I know the value of being the one in authority, and I know the value of obeying those in authority.  My conflict comes from my authority figures asking me to do something that is just plain dumb.

 

My MUD district has asked me to forego my sprinkler system entirely, but I may water by hand for 14 hours on two days per week.  My sprinkler system waters my whole yard in about an hour.  True, I have a corner lot, and the lawn is a bit bigger than most of the homes on my street.   I may perform the hand watering between the hours of midnight and 6:00 a.m., or between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.    I have been notified that should I choose to use the sprinkler system, or water on the wrong day at the wrong time, my water will be cut off, and it will cost me $100.00 to have the water resume its flow into my dwelling.

 

As I said, I am a compliant person.  I wrestled with these directives, chuntered to my husband about the idiocy of these dictates, but at the end of the day, I set my alarm to get up while it is still dark, preferring the night critters I may encounter to the harshness of the afternoon sun.  Besides stepping in ant beds that I cannot see before sunrise, I stand in my yard, in my jammies, performing my civic duty of hand watering in the designated hours.   I am like the little boy, who when him mom says ‘sit down’, he complies, while telling her that he is standing up on the inside.

 

After a futile fifteen minutes of watering the back yard, I go into the front.  Yes, still in jammies, still in the dark.   I take the neon yellow hose my husband has purchased for this project, and connect it to the tap on the side of the house.  We have just had to replace a palm tree that did not make it through the winter, and it is imperative that it gets the watering it needs, regardless of the MUD district regulations. 

 

Again, I am battling the night creatures and darkness as I perform my municipal duty.  I can almost hear my plants soaking up the gentle spray, as I tenderly try to give them enough water to get them through until Sunday, which is my next allowed day of irrigation.

 

Knowing my time is short, I see the official county van drive through my street, and I smugly congratulate myself  that while I might not like it, I have done a good thing by not using the sprinkler system.   I know that 6:00 is approaching, and I must finish my clandestine irrigation.

 

Turning off the hose, re-winding it on the holder, I go into the house.  As I look at the MUD district’s letter, explaining why I need to do manual labor as they repair their well, my eyes again fall on my designated days of watering.   I cringe….   I am allowed to water on THURSDAY and Sunday.  Today is Wednesday…..    so much for compliance…..

 

Until next time,

 

Polly

 

  • P. L. says:

    Too funny!! I got up thinking it was Thursday as well. So glad it’s not just me. Does that mean you will water your lawn again tomorrow? :o)

  • Ruth says:

    Well this had me laughing after a long day of teaching. I thought yesterday was Wednesday and headed to church only to wonder why the parking lot was almost empty. I am claiming its the heat…