Water

So there it is - our 'Gem'. It's not really in service anymore this water tank, we feed on the ones next to our house (on the bottom in the picture). We haven't got mains water so are living of rainwater that we catch via the roofs and which is stored in 3 massive tanks (total of 30 thousand liters). Ideal for Annet to do a study with our recently purchased digital rain gauge. How much are we using and how much do we catch? Considering the drought over here, we need to get an idea.

OK we are using about 250 to 300 liter per day so with full tanks well be fine for 100 days (although the tanks aren't suppose to get empty all the way of course). It has rained just 28 mm in the past 5 weeks (that's nothing really). This gives us, with our roof surface, about 6000 liters in the tank. That's about 45 cm per tank and we should be good for 20 days, for showers and cooking.

And of course after all that maths it has to be checked as well. The high tech method over here (that everbody uses) is to knock on the tank and listen to the difference of sound, indicating the water level. And, yes, it matches perfectly - bunch of freaks we're turning into. And very well aware of our water consumption.

At night we hear the possums having a ball on our roof. Where would they go for a piss? Surely not on our roof...

Neighbours

Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours (not just Kylie).

Our neighbours are great. Peter got to chat with them whilst putting out the rubbish bins. They recon it's been faaaar to long since the last neighbours get-together. So it was instantaneously decided that the next one was going to be next Saturday at their place. They'd be inviting all the others as well. So Saturday around 7 we see a selection of people coming past down the road with a plastic bag clearly containing a bottle of wine or other booze and something else. Good thing, because we decided earlier on to buy some drinks and snacks to take to the get-together. It turns out to be a fantastic evening and one of them even provided us with pictures of our house 30 years ago (their dad used to live in our house!). We still recognize it very well on the piccies.
As we are in the middle of planning a bathroom renovation, we brought up renovations as a topic as well. At the end of the evening we got the details for a plumber and a sparkie, and have checked out the two arty bathrooms (built out of miniature tiles and other unusual stuff) from our hosts. It also turns out that another neighbour has just bought and is selling 30 (thirty!) bathroom bases. And we got a garden expert to help us out as well. One o'clock in the morning we strumble uphill back to our place.

And today during our evening stroll we were invited for a cuppa somewhere else nearby. He was renovating as well and has a few more tips and contacts - great.
Also, he's got two young goats. Annet wants at least one as well now...