Fixing the water pipes in Pilerne, Goa

 

We just decided to drive down to Goa. I like being in the old house cause its an all embracing house, with the feel of our ancestors all around. Plus when we are in Goa, we are on the spot handling repairs. This time was no different. We had driven down and after a quick hot meal at Sawant Cafe in Pilerne, Marra we went to bed earlier than normal. Next morning I was woken by the Golden Orioles calling in the teak trees outside my window. 

Making a hot cup of coffee with supplies that I carry from Bangalore, I sat on the old bench which I dragged into the verandah, to watch the birds and sip my coffee. Thankfully the screaming Bihari servants in the next house do not wake early and I was able to enjoy a quiet hour watching the huge teak leaves plop in the open plot next to me and see the Oriental Magpie and Flower peckers set up a chorus in the trees.

While opening out the windows to let in the fresh air in the hall I noticed a tall plume of water -- taller than the house flying up into the air. It shocked me to my core and quickly waking Greg asked what to do? Too early for the plumber -- go shut off the inlet tap he said most logically. The sight had stopped my brain from working and I went to the meter and immediately shut off the inlet tap.

Finding my trusty phone I called Praveen the plumber who said he'd come before he went to work. No one pushes anyone urgently in Goa. Each one is susegaad and works at his own pace! As I was getting breakfast organised, Praveen arrived and went out to check what had to be done. Luckily the pressure was still high and he immediately explained what he would do. 

"In my lunch break I'll buy the pipes and solution and after work this is an hours job,"he said. Praveen also does our electrical work and its such a pleasure working with an honest and skilled man unlike the gougers we have in Bangalore. 

Praveen working quietly in the shade of Grandpas Adao tree.

"These are really very old pipes," he said, "probably from your grandfathers time."

"Rubbish," I said, "these were new put in by my Dad when he renovated the house."

"No Madam!" he said, "Look at the thickness of the metal pipe. By your Dads time plastic was being used."

"Ok so how much are you going to open up? I asked"my heart plummeting to my toes thinking of a fat bill.  "Do it properly so there are no later problems I said."

The pipe had burst in one section

"I'll open the soil and lets check how much I have to replace," he said. Again my heart sank  as the pipe ran under the concrete path leading to the house. In the monsoons we cannot enter the house without that path we had laid down.

Digging began and no signs of the hole for quite a distance. Finally he found it and carried on digging. The pipe had corroded as everything in Goa does and he said he had to cut it, before he could add the new plastic pipes. Neatly and efficiently with the minimum of tools he cut the pipe and replaced it with joints and a new length of pipe. 

The joint was from the mains to the pipe below

"Leave  the mains off let it dry well ,"said Praveen and we did. Letting it literally cook dry in the boiling mid-day sun.

I think God is not only an all seeing God he also is wise and had this happen when I was in the house. By the time the caretaker comes its noonish and the pressure would definitely have gone down.

Give me the strength to carry on looking after the house which Dad entrusted me with I ask God as yet another issue has been solved on our visit..