Problem Flushed Away!

Life here is hard. Have I mentioned that lately? It’s been a rough day for me today. This morning it was raining off and on again. In between showers, Hayden and I headed out to our local grocery store and ATM, with umbrella in hand and tromping through mud. Walked in and the ATM machine is in the processing of being replaced by a new machine. But the new one is not operational yet! So I shopped for the urgent items that I had enough cash to pay for.

With groceries in hand, I headed off to find another ATM. Remembered Bob mentioning one across from the Casino a few blocks down. But missed crossing the main thoroughfare at the light, so had to go a few more blocks beyond it, take the underground, cross over and back track to the ATM.

On my first attempt it asks if I want a receipt. Yes, I answer. Then it spits my card out saying it is temporarily unable to print a receipt. OK, I try again, this time asking for No receipt. Spits my card out again, saying my bank “declined processing the transaction”!!

So, I immediately have visions running through my head—the bank has frozen our accounts because it sees withdrawals from Bob in the USA, and me here in Kazakhstan so they MUST think fraudulent activity is going on! I check my watch better call home ASAP. It’s 11pm Bob’s time, but I have to alert him so he can call the bank and straighten this all out, so I can get some money!

Call Bob he says, NO it’s just that particular ATM that doesn’t accept our card! Apparently, when he was telling me about this ATM’s location, the second part he told me (that apparently I did not hear) was DON’T go to that ATM because it doesn’t accept our card! I need to go further up the street, down the road, and find another ATM to use!! Ok guess I failed that particular training session!

As I’m talking to Bob, there’s a knock on the door, which I know is my next door neighbor. I had ignored her ringing my bell earlier this morning, because I was not fully dressed. So I know she heard me come in from my errands. So I ask Bob to hold on. Neighbor comes in. Hayden sees her and starts crying, I’m on the phone with Bob and the neighbor’s talking to me in Russian!! Ugh….too many things at once!

Told Bob I would call him back, neighbor picks up Hayden for me. Eventually he stops crying. And through miming and speaking with our hands to each other, come to find out there will be NO COLD water for TWO DAYS!! OK well, I think, that can’t be that bad, I’ve already lived through half my stay here with no hot right?! So I go to the bathroom before I call Bob back, and learn, well, no cold also means no flushing of the toilet!!

For crying out loud! I almost wanted to scream!! But I put Hayden down in his crib for a nap instead, and sat on the sofa considering this new twist of fate. Then my McGyver instinct kicked in, and I think, well it just means the tank has to be refilled, then it should flush. So with this old pitcher that’s used to fill the wash basin I run back and forth 3 times to fill the tank. It flushes only partly, because in between running back and forth and lifting the lid 3 times, half the water drains out.

Call Bob back, and let him know how much fun I’m having over here. He’s half asleep, telling me about the nice dinner/time he had over at Acsa/Phil’s house earlier that evening. Not particularly what I wanted to hear at this moment in time. So we cut the conversation short. I go back to my couch pondering my situation, cursing that I should have chosen to stay at the hotel after all!

Then it occurs to me. OK, need to fill the tank up -- all the way up –and in one trip all the while without lifting the lid too high (because that pulls the lever up that drains the water out). So I grab one of my old empty water jugs (the big 5 liter size); fill it up with hot water; turn the lid slightly sideways so there’s a crack to pour through and without lifting up the lever, fill the tank up.... all the way up …….And success is in my hands! A full complete Flush!!

One can only be thankful for small favors. Repeat after me……..Nothing in life worth having comes easy!!

Another day done!

Two pics to commerate my day.