Friday, September 13, 2013: Quick Update

Our well has been sited -- or "witched" as it's sometimes referred. The process is the same as its been for the last 200 years or so in this corner of the world, with a little upgrade from willow branch to metal rods ... to my utter amazement and surprise.

I am as close to a tech geek as this family gets (the one here in the cuds, not my kids, family, and former co-workers, etc). I naturally thought that locating underground water sources had become part of the digital/tech age as well. I was POSITIVE that the well guy would have something like a metal detector with sonar that would shoot a wave into the ground and a 'ping' would return indicating depth and/or presence of water. Seriously, this seems logical to me and I'm almost positive there's a machine just like this somewhere out in the world. I mean, isn't this the same type of technology archeaologists and oil companies utilize to locate what they're looking for underground?? Surely someone has invented a more portable model for locating potable water. (If not, feel free to use this suggestion as your inspiration.)

To my dear husband, this idea must have seemed ludicrious and prohibitively expensive for a local well company. He actually laughed at me. AT me. Then proceeded to patiently explain to his 'big city' wife that that just isn't how its done out here in the country. I was sceptical but decided to concede my point if just to save face and get my husband to stop chuckling at my fanciful notions.

Needless to say, locating a well is actually done with metal rods.

Enter one vindicated hubby -- exit my dignity, because even the well man laughed at me. AT me. Seriously though, no harm done minus a little egg on my face. And Mr. Rice explained in detail exactly what he was looking for: it isn't water (Surprise!), its cracks in the rock underground that increases gravitational pull which indicates this is a suitable place to locate a well and possibly -- yes, he said possibly -- water as well. Sometimes, he said, the rods will indicate strongly and they'll dig only to come up with an empty hole and no water. My favorite part of the entire episode was when Mr. Rice looked at me sincerely and said "This isn't an exact science, ya know." I could have hugged his neck! So, a quick video so you can see for yourself Mr. Rice "witching" for our water.  (I did get permission to film and post him doing this)

Now, I'm pretty sure we're going to hit water due to all the underground springs we already have in the area and the fortune of my in-laws and several neighbors on the street. Their wells are putting out plenty of water and the cost was reasonable in all cases. Its going to be slightly higher up the hill at the eastern end of our proposed home site. We'll have some gravity to help the flow and be far enough away from the western side of the house to site the septic. I am encouraged by our measurment expedition and the well siting to think that we're going to be fortunate with our soil tests and septic site.

The only thing lacking at this point is a house plan. We're working on that. Gotta get the soil people out here first.

On that note (and in closing) I have spoken with a few soil scientists, engineers, and geologists. The general consensus is that it is better to get a geologist or a soil scientist instead of an engineer because of the specificity of degree and study. Now, my uncle is an engineer -- so this isn't meant to disparage civil engineers by any mean. Its just that SOME engineers just attend a 10-hour class and get a certification while the geologist and soil scientist ... well ... that ALL they do. That's all they studied. Sort of like me (Masters in Secondary Social Science Education) trying to teach Statistics. Sure, I've got a teaching degree and all, but just because I took one course in Stats in college does not make me qualified to teach (something my engineer uncle would adamantly agree with me! LOL!) So, if you're planning your own home -- something to consider.

Please keep your comments coming and let me know where you're located. Had some visitors from the Philippines visit my site recently! I lived in Luzon when I was 9 years old and it still holds a special place in my heart.

Wishing everyone a great weekend from Moon's Landing, Tranquility Bay!