12 days

Day 1: Saturday

So being woken up in the middle of the night shouldn't be surprising when you have a newborn at home.What did surprise me however was that it wasn't baby cries that woke me up but rather the sound of an alarming knock on the door.  I sent husband to investigate.  

Me: Who was it?

Husband:  The firemen.

Me:  What? What do they want?

Husband: There's smoke in the common area and they're looking for the source.  

Me: Oh.

Dad: [On his way back to bed from the bathroom]  There's no running water.

Me: Why would they turn off the water?

Husband: [Shrug]  That is weird.

It's hard to go back to sleep with your parents and children in the house after news like that and we wouldn't get any updates.  No news is good news right?

Day 2: Sunday

No apparent fire [Good news].  No water [Bad news]  Husband gets a phone call from the HOA.  

Husband: [On the phone] *Every french curse word in the book*  Ok, thanks. [Hangs up]

Me:  So?

Husband:  There was a fire in the garage. Two cars were burned.

Me: No. Which ones?

Husband: Ours and the one next to ours.

Me: You're kidding.

Husband: Nope. And the reason there's no water is there's significant damage to the water pipes. 

Me: [Thinking about all the pee and poo soaked onsies I had to wash] How long is that suppose to last?

Husband: Dunno gonna go check it out.

Husband comes back smelling like smoke and maybe a little like shit?

Husband: It's bad. Might be a while before we have water again. 

Me: What are we suppose to do? 

Husband:  There's an unaffected water source underground. They'll unlock it at noon. 

Me: Um. Do you smell like shit?

Husband: There's shit dropping down into the garage.

Due to the fact that we had the unfortunate luck to be unprepared for such an expected event on a Sunday where everything within a walking radius from us was closed, we gathered up all the water bottles we had in the apartment to get water at noon.

My husband nonetheless came back empty handed. 

Me: What happened?

Husband: Water pressure is too strong for water bottles. The guy is going to buy a funnel. Should be ok for the next organized water collection.  

Me:  When's that?

Husband: At 6:30pm

Me: [Looks at the 6 water bottles we have left for 4 adults and one child] It's going to be a long 5 hours.

That night my husband came back with about 20 bottles of water so he could finally take a bath.  To save water he would have to do it in my daughter's plastic bathtub.  

You have to be very flexible said my six foot three husband.

Day 3: Monday

The water collection times were at 9:30am and 6:30pm so that morning I went with my dad to collect water since my lucky bastard of a husband had to go to work.  

The water faucet was underground and you have to take the stairs so down we went with a shopping trolley filled with empty bottles of water. We made our way through the darkness with flashlights and through water soaked floors to get in line for water.   The people in line behind hated us and all the water bottles that we had to fill one by one.  

I bought jerry cans that later that day to avoid being "those 20 water bottle neighbors".

That evening I rushed back from picking my daughter up from day care so I could help my dad for the 6:30pm water collection least he have to go by himself and fall on the way up and hurt himself.  I ran into the president of the HOA on the elevator on the way up who informed me they had opened a pipe on the street so we could collect water whenever we wanted. 

I would have preferred he told me they were able to fix the pipes and we now had water in the apartment but at least it was something.

Day 4: Tuesday

The insurance company pays for a hotel room for us in the 9th district of Paris until Sunday.  I go to check in and check the place out in case conditions at the apartment deteriorated.  The hotel room was for 2 adults, a toddler, and baby but since my parents were with us we'd have to cram in 4 adults, a toddler, and baby. Doable but not great.  So: Big apartment no working toilet, sink, or shower or 4 adults, a hyper toddler, and crying baby in one room with working toilet, sink and shower.

I take a shower and leave. 

Day 5:  Wednesday

We hear of neighbors who's toilets overflowed.  We're told not to use the toilets.  They install porta potties in the garden area.

Day 6:  Thursday

I pack a suitcase to go on a much deserved vacation.

HA!  No I cram a suitcase full of dirty clothes so I can go do laundry at the laundromat.  

On my way back I run into the president of the HOA and casually inquire as to when we would have water again.  If all goes well Monday he tells me.   Oh and you might want to keep your eyes peeled.  The state of the garage is attracting rats.

Day 7:  Friday

We go to Normandy to celebrate my father in law's birthday which was no small task as we were car-less and had to transport 4 adults, a toddler, and a baby.  It reminded me of a riddle I once solved about getting a fox, chicken, and sack of grain across a river.

Conditions: 

1.  In-laws can come with car at 4pm

2.  Car seats 5.

3.  Train leaving after 5pm are always crowded and you usually have to stand.  

4.  Two of the four adults are old and can not stand for 2 hours.

5.  Mother does not want to be left a lone in apartment with toddler and baby and all bags required for such a trip. 

6.  Mother and baby need to stay together

7.  People who speak the same language need to stay together.

8.  Seats on bus are mandatory but bus goes only to the major city so car needed to pick up people who take bus in order to go to small town where in-laws live.

Solution:  In-laws come pick up mother, baby, and toddler in car.   Other 3 adults take the bus.  Mother in-law drops off everyone and goes to city to pick up the other 3 adults.  Everyone is exhausted.

Day 8:  Saturday 

Enjoy birthday festivities and running water.

Day 9:  Sunday

Get back to apartment.  Sees a rat in the outdoor bicycle area of apartment.  Still no running water.  Sees a note in the elevator saying to test the water Monday morning.

Day 10:  Monday

Wake up and turn on faucet.  Still no water.  Depressed.

Before going to bed turn on faucet.  Still no water. Still depressed.

Day 11:  Tuesday

Hot water restored.

Day 12:  Wednesday

Cold water restored.  First laundry, then rejoicing. 

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