H2O (and the absence thereof)

Have you ever heard of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?

It's been a while since I formally studied psychology, but it basically goes like this: there is a pyramid, and our most basic and urgent personal needs go near the top. Among those topmost needs are things like food and shelter. I imagine that water would be pretty high up there as well, since humans need it to live.

Now, I realize that "water" does not specify "running water." But it is nice to have, especially now when that particular technology has been around for over a century and is now a necessity rather than a luxury. When I need water, it's nice when it flows out of a tap instead of me having to scoop it out of the mosquito-infested puddles in the yard and then boil it until it's usable.

So you can probably imagine how I feel when the pump decides to quit right when one of us needs to use it. Because, you know, not having running water brings the modern and the primitive together in the most ridiculous and frustrating way.

It's not like an iPod not working.

It's not like the washing machine not working.

It's not like the air conditioning not working...or the refrigerator...or even the electricity.

It's water.

Basic, necessary water.

All of our modern amenities and luxuries work great. But until we get the pump working, all we have to drink or bathe in is one gallon jug full of old tap water.

Bit of a gap in the old Hierarchy there.