“Yes,” he said, “we really must use the water in that tank for watering the garden. We have a hose-pipe ban coming in soon.”
This has been one of the driest Summers I can recall. Winter saw less water than usual.
The ground is rock hard, so you can imagine what it’s been like for a husband with a heart condition, to have to dig holes, four feet down to find one of the outlet pipes from the house guttering. Once this project is finished, this will connect to the amazing pumping system he has created.
My husband built this house that we have lived in for the past sixteen years. There is no main drainage, as it is semi-countryside. We have a sewage treatment plant about seven feet in depth, and a rainwater tank containing 9000 gallons. We have talked about utilising this tank for so long to water the garden.
The work has been long and arduous, conducted in the heat waves we are currently experiencing. We now have holes all over our lawn, where pipes have been sought.
My dear husband dug the first hole in the wrong place, although he didn’t dig too deeply. Today he came into the kitchen and excitedly said, “I have found one of the pipes! It was just about two inches from where I first dug a week ago.”
“That’s great news,” I replied, relieved that this heavy work would be coming to an end.
Has your spouse or significant other ever gotten into a project such as this one? I’d love to know how you handled it.
Writing With Joy 
Joy, what’s going on with the raw sewage coming from 5 locations dumping in the rivers over there? That’s awful.
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Hi Shirley. Yes, I fear it’s a sorry state and in the region I live.They say this happens whenwe have tremendous rain.The wtaer force floods the sewage plants. Problem there is we have had no rain most of this Summer.
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Just to say It’s unbelievable to think that people are contiuing to swim in the sea.Asking for trouble I think.
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My husband took old wallpaper down in our vestibule and put up new ones. It was arduous work because he had to clean the surface and smooth it before he could add glue for the new wallpaper. It took him all day and he didn’t stop until it was done. His father used to take all the boys out on house repair runs for customers. He worked them all day with no break and that’s why my husband doesn’t do too much to this day.
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Well I suppose you cannot blame him,can you. I know what’s going on now.He is doing everything to put off continuing the project. I don’t say anything about it as I think he is a bit overwhelmed.I did however, suggest getting a professional in,but as ever he will not hear of it.To be continued !
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Hi Joy, I have been reading about the drought in the UK and elsewhere in Europe and the UK. I believe it is going to impact on food supplies. South Africa is a country prone to long droughts so we are generally very good at saving water. Many rural homes have Jojo tanks for water storage which are supplied by government. People also have boreholes and other ways of obtaining water and most households are water wise. Your hubby has done well. Good luck finishing the project.
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Hi Robbie, good to see you here.Not yet finished I fear,he likes to jog along slowly and guess what today he is off to an old car show. I must not grumble as its his desire to always have a project on the go that keeps him going.Have a great Sunday.
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That’s great, Joy, keeping active and interested is good.
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Good to hear from you Yvette, yes our menfolk are similar.Mike, not happy unless he has a project on the go !
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Hi Nonnie, I suppose he is qualified as he built the house we live in with a friend from work when they both retired. He was an electrical engineer. However, his age and lack of modern day qualifications suggests he should not undertake such things.
I hasten to add I think his keeping busy and active has been the key to his life after undergoing three major coronary artery by-pass operations.
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My dad always has to have a project. My mom and I joke that he will break something just to have another project to do. 😂🤦🏽♀️
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Good to hear from you Yvette, yes our menfolk are similar.Mike, not happy unless he has a project on the go !
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I’m sure you keep your husband hydrated, especially working during dry, hot spells.
My husband is always fixing things, and he brings half the tools in the garage to the work site. “I never know exactly what I’ll need, and I don’t want to walk back out to find just one wrench,” he says. In our first home, he re-plumbed the house after a slab leak, and tore out and replaced bathroom tile when we discovered termites. But that was long ago. Nearing 80, he tries to get our handy-dandy son to come over, but he is often busy with his own needed repairs–and a job and family too.
In our neighborhood, we leave hole digging to the cable people or the electric authority, although Cliff did use a shovel to plant a peach tree this spring, and last week, a dozen coleus in a planter outside his studio window.
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Hello Marian,mine is over 80 and one of those who always has to have a project on the go. We too have a son who comes quite often to lend a hand, but has a penchant for complaining as he does.Thanks for dropping by.
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Hi, Joy,
I’m surprised that you are allowed to dig deep. In Germany, that is not allowed. Any deep digging and looking for pipes of any kind is only allowed by workers who are qualified here.
I am glad your husband found the pipe.
Shalom aleichem
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Hi Pat, It’s been a long haul and nothing has been achieved lately as we have been away for a few days.So the holes remain.Take care and see you soon.
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Oh, yes, Joy! My husband is forever fixing, adjusting, and doing general property maintenance. He usually does more than I think he should and ignores me when I tell him he needs to slow down. (He forgets he isn’t 35 anymore.) I finally figured out that the best way to get him to stop is to show up on the deck with ice water and a plate of munchies. It works every time!
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Karen, I suppose I should clarify – when there’s a leaky toilet or faucet, a broken doorknob, or a water heater issue, he will dig into those and get them repaired, but again, ground digging is a no-no. Our homeowner’s association doesn’t even allow that kind of digging in our area, due to the possibility of someone digging into a serious gas line or something. I’m thankful for that. I would hate to be the reason that the entire neighborhood is without gas, water, or electricity! How scandalous would that be?
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Hello Karen,I suppose we have to think of the cash we save as a result of marrying a ‘handy man.’ Thanks for looking in.
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Hi, Joy! What a cute post. My dear hubby doesn’t really get into projects. The only ones you will find him involved in, are the ones where I have ordered something, and I need him to put it together. For anything outside of our home, or any plumbing issues, per so, we outsource. I find that he and I are much too busy for those kinds of tasks anyway. He does like getting into his yard and mowing it every now and again… usually on Sundays when he’s gotten in the mood to grill and hang out and play with the dogs. But anything as serious as what your hubby got into, digging holes, no way. That’s way above his pay grade. And, we leave the serious stuff to the professionals, which he’s not in that department! LOL!
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