water

Spent some quality time gambling with the water people. Here's how it works: You guess how much water you're going to need and pay for the privilege of possibly using (and then being allowed to pay premium prices for) that water. If you go under, you have overpaid for your allotment. If you go over you will be penalized. Financially. Big time. A very nice woman at the water co. showed me how to calculate how much my allotment would cost. I estimated that I would need 30,000 gallons each year. You divide that by 92, because the water co. calculates costs based on the three-month period of July, August and September, usually the highest use period. (Showers, rentals, house guests, beach time, dog baths, laundry, etc.) Then you times that number by three to calculate your cost.
Well, she convinced me that 40,000 gallons was more reasonable than 30,000 for a three bedroom house. So I bought that for my so-far nonexistant house. My current three-bedroom house, meanwhile, had a 25,000 allotment and as of the end of August I was already up to 24,000, so I bought another allotment of 5,000 to bring my current house up to 30,000. Get it? That's why it's good there's a patient person at the water co. Something over $1400 later, I am now the proud owner of the right to buy water.
I don't think I'll take a shower til October 1, though.