Water

It is, of course, typical of the British weather that when you want it to rain it doesn’t. After the digging of the trench to lay the duct for the new fibre broadband, our drive was left covered in mud. If we’d had any of the rainstorms we had last week, it would all have been washed away without any intervention from me, but the continuing spell of dry - but cold - weather meant that I had no option other than to get out the hose and the brush, if only to put an end to mud getting into the house every time we went in and out of the door!
Naturally, I ended up with more water on me than on the drive - especially when the hose burst just after the picture was taken. I’d spotted a bit of a bulge in the pipe, but hoped it might last until I’d finished. It didn’t, and I was drenched from head to foot as it spectacularly exploded. A short hiatus whilst I repaired the hose and then I was able to finish the job.
I actually got a bit carried away as I also cleaned the drainpipe and the meter covers after I’d done the drive and then ended the afternoon with my arm shoulder deep down the drain, scooping out all the stones, gravel and lumps of tar that had been washed down during the hosing process. Not pleasant, but oddly satisfying.
I finished just as it was getting dark and was glad to retreat indoors. One pleasant consequence of working outside all afternoon was that the house felt nice and warm, even though the heating hadn’t been on all day. But I suspect the fire may have to go on for a bit later this evening…