What's More Important Plumbing or Water?

Well, as usual there is drama in the household today. It actually started on Friday when we got the City Water bill. My husband said, "That sure is expensive." I asked, "How much is it?" He said, "$210.00" to which I exclaimed, "WHAT?!?!?!" So I immediately called the city to register a complaint and request someone to come out and check the line for a leak. The lady I was talking to said, "Oh your right, that is a lot. Hold on and let me check some more." Then she said, "Oh, it says on your account, 'Couldn't read meter, blocked by branches." Again, I exclaimed, "WHAT? You've got to be kidding me." Now mind you we had received no notice of any kind that they couldn't read our meter. We are the lucky ones with the dumpster behind our house so all our lovely neighbors dump all their refuge beside the dumpster. Well, guess where our city water meter is? That's right, beside the dumpster. I was furious by this time. So I got a shovel and started shoveling leaves and branches out into the middle of the alley, while raising a little #$%@. Kevin kept saying, "Calm down." I finally got the meter uncovered so we opened it and I noticed it was spinning at a pretty fast pace. So I ranted and raved for a few more hours about how the city and our neighbors could do that to us and declared WAR! I had already decided that first thing Monday morning I was going to make a trip down to Amarillo City Hall and get this mess straightened out! So we went through our bills for the past year collecting all the water bills so I would have my ammunition ready. It seems the quadrupling of our account started in September. That matches the Fall season and the beginning of the piling of the leaves and branches beside the dumpster. I was ready for battle! Then late Friday night I noticed the sound you hear when water is running in another part of the house or yard. You know that sound? I kept asking Kevin, "Is the washer running? How about the dish washer? What about the toilet in the guest bathroom? How about the toilet in the garage? Did you leave the water running in the yard?" He answered "NO! There is no water running? I just kept searching the house like a possessed woman looking for that running water! Never did find it, but kept hearing it. First thing Monday morning when my eyes opened, I listened. . . .Do I still hear water running???? Wait ... yep there it is. I told Kevin again, "I still hear water running. I'm calling a plumber to check under the house." By this time Kevin thinks I have completely flipped my wig as he has never heard a thing. He told me, "Okay, call the plumber, but if he doesn't find anything I'm taking you to the doctor because you have finally lost it." The plumber finally came and of course the crawl space is in my closet. So I had to pull everything out so he could get under the house. He was down there for about 15 minutes. When he came out I said, "Well?" To which he replied, "Nope, no water. Everything looks fine under the house." I said, 'But please tell me you hear water running too? My husband thinks I'm crazy." He said, "Yes, I do hear water, but I have no idea where it is coming from." Again the search was on. He checked everything, inside the house, outside the house, all the faucets, the garage, laundry room etc. He then said, "Where's your meter?" To which I replied, "Right out here. I just cleaned it off." He opened up the lid and said, "Are you sure there's no water on in the house? The meter is spinning at a fast pace. Yep, you've got a leak." GREAT, just what I wanted to hear. So he says, "Where is your sprinkler box?" I started towards the garage and he says, no not the timer box, the other one." I said, " Oh, the one in the yard? It's right over there on the patio." So we walked over there and he opened it up and it was full of water! Well, at least we found the leak. Poor guy. The temperature yesterday was 25 with wind gusts up to 35 miles per hour. I felt really bad for him and to be wet in that wind! He worked for a couple of hours and had replaced the part. Next, he came and asked Kevin to help him check to see if that was the problem. He needed Kevin to turn on the water while he was on the other side of the fence. Kevin turned back on the water, and guess what???? The hole filled right back up with water!!! So now we are back to square one. The plumber who was a Popsicle by now asked if he could just leave it running and come back tomorrow when it was supposed to be a little warmer. Why not? What's one more day of running water? So he left and I heard the running water all night. He came back first thing today to get started. I went to walk at the mall with my friend. Kevin called me when I was on my way home and said they think it is the sewer! So now we have no water or plumbing for the next day or so! They said the cost would be at least $2000! So what did I get for Christmas????? Indoor plumbing! And what do you want for Christmas?