Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Why didn’t they see what I saw?

Melbourne Victoria is currently on stage 3 Water Restrictions and every one is being enjoined to save water and to use Grey water on their Gardens instead of fresh tap water.

Being on holidays I am currently pottering about the garden when it is not too hot; and using the Grey water from the Shower and Washing machine for the garden plants. Earlier today I was out in the backyard and did a bit of tidying up about the yard there. Later my wife did a load of washing and my daughter came home from work and took the dogs out into the yard for a short play and run around with her. Later I went out to empty the washing machine water onto the area where I had been working earlier. Before I got that far I glanced over at the side of the garden bed and so called lawn area and wondered why there was a large damp area there. At first I was suspecting a broken pipe on our side but it was damp not flooding. Then I thought it must have been run off from next door, but climbing up on the fence revealed only dryness on that side. Climbing back down I noticed that the damp area actually ran from across the other side of the yard and down to this low spot. So following back across and up the yard to the far corner, I discovered that a heck of a lot of water must have flowed quickly from a back neighbour’s through the compost area cutting a well washed path through there. Climbing up onto that very high fence and risking the wrath of the two yappers that live there, I saw an above ground swimming pool further up their yard and although from my distance it looked okay, I ‘m guessing that the liner gave way somewhere and sent a tidal wave through our yard diminishing as it went and stopping at the lowest spot where I first noticed it.

My problem is that both my wife and daughter and walked around the yard at some point after this must have happened, and although they didn’t go in the far corner, I can’t understand why they hadn’t noticed the damp areas?

My only guess is that they didn’t see it because they were not looking for it and it wasn’t really their area of expertise or concern.

What about you? Are you aware of what is going down around you or are you only cognisant of your own areas of expertise and concern? Has a temporary tidal wave past your way recently completely unnoticed?

In this case the consequences for us are negligible but maybe not so next time, Hey! So be alert to what’s happening around you.

Till next time: Walter

No comments: