Living off the grid puts you in closer touch with the basics of life, like water. To rinse out something large, or get any force of water pressure, I have to carry the piece down to the stream, squat by the side of the path and lean over. I’m usually wet by the time I’m done.
Our water comes froma beautiful little spring, through a pipe and into a moss-lined natural basin. My dilemma was that I did not have a suitable pail to carry water when we arrived. The only pail was a two gallon plastic bucket with no bail or handle. If you’ve ever tried to carrya pitcher or jug or pot of water any distance in your arms you know the result. You are soaked from the shoulders down. I looked everywhere for some rope or heavy yarn or alarge piece of cloth.
And then it was like a revelation. We had two canvas carrier bags for groceries. I put the pail inside one and found it was the easiest possible way to carry the pail back, better than the original wire bail or handle. After years of carrying water in pails to sheep, why hadn’t I thought of it before? Also, if you have a dog and a water bucker, make sure to cover it or place it high so your friend doesn’t use it for a waterbowl. (I found my dog doing this.)
Now I wish for a rain barrel and matching eavestrough…that’sr ain gutters to Americans! Nothing is better than rain water for washing clothes or yourself, especially hair. Right now, I wash clothes just before a rainstorm and hang them on the line to get rinsed naturally! Sometimes they have to come in before dark and be hung beside the stove to dry as I’m cooking supper, but I’m in no hurry these days.