It seemed like a good idea at the time.....

Every so often things have a habit of getting out of hand here at Penole.

For some little while now I have been planning a bit of a blitz on the water system.

Out here we don't take water from granted, our supply is two fold, a spring on top of the mountain and a bore hole outside the house. Not for us the limitless mains. If the one dries up or the other packs up the taps don't work.

The old concrete tank at the top of the mountain is just a bit past new, the pipe leading too it also.

So this week the new tank arrives. Of course that just left the minor problem of removing the old tank. Best see how much work was involved then, a quick recce so we knew what would be needed Wednesday.

Off went the dynamic duo, Taliesin and me.

Sensible fellows (?????) that we are we took a few tools, like a green goddess fire engine and a 3 ton digger.

A quick examination revealed this might be a slightly bigger job than first thought. OK beating the tank with a 10 lb sledge didn't so much as make a mark.

Substituting the digger bucket didn't improve matters. Smashing the bucket on top of the tank was getting us no where.

Time to get more scientific then.

Swinging the bucket at full tilt, massive crashing blows managed to displace the top section of tank sideways. Soon I had dragged bashed and battered it to the floor.

I know this was supposed to be a recce but the old red mist had descended and we were on a roll.

Not too long and the next section had joined it. Resolutely refusing to break as it did.

One more section and only the base remained. Fortunately, I had planned (errr right) and we had drawn a good supply of drinking water into tanks in the house.

It might in hindsight have been an idea to warn the management, a certain amount of sediment agitation had taken place and perhaps the odd drip of oil and hydraulic fluid found it's way into the water. This was no time to be running the washing machine if you ask me, but then who ever does that....

Now the more astute might have noticed that today is Monday, and the new tank arrives on errrrrr Wednesday. Could get a bit on the dry side..

Management has of course taken it all in her stride, arriving back from taking the kids swimming to discover we had no water apart of course from the mud oil mixture that had gone through the washing machine.

Lucky I am in her good books, last week I rained her with romantic gifts, a packet of pegs and a really top of the range food processor. Mind you, if this really is her good books I would hate to be in the dog house......

R