When Hubby installed the water butt, he connected it to the down pipe (sadly there wasn’t one where we had originally intended to put it) and fed the hose through the gate jamb at the necessary height.
Sadly it lost its bottom again in the wind last night and was dangling from its hose across the back gate while the base was rolling around close to next door’s fence.
Hubby was able to put it all back together when he let Maggie out first thing, but it was obvious a better plan was required until it fills with water.
I couldn’t sleep last night, and when I heard the inevitable hollow ‘thwump’ of the butt losing contact with its butt, little ideas began filtering through my mind about how to secure it.
I came up with making a frame out of pieces of wood to house it or staking it to the ground, though I realised with the latter that wouldn’t necessarily be a solution in the winds that are apparent here as it would just yank up the stakes.
I eventually fell asleep around 3am only to wake again at 4.45, when I catnapped until 7, Maggie’s usual time to go out. Hubby said he’d do it, so I went back to bed.
He too had been thinking of a solution and thought to put wire round the bulk and secure it to the wall.
Getting the tools to do the job later, he came across a length of chain we’d purchased for something else and never used, so Ms Butt is now sporting a necklace which is bolted to the wall.
There were about two inches of water in the butt by then, so it shows it’s all working OK.
We’ve been to the garden centre today to price paving slabs and grow bags as we plan our Summer veg and garden. The birds and bees aren’t coming in because we are all green and have no colour, so I’m on the lookout for a bag of mixed bulbs which we’ll just throw into prepared soil and see what comes up.
The good news is that there are loads of buds on our roses and the clematis on our arch, which quite honestly I thought had died.
Photos taken last year when we first put the arch and clematis up. The butt is situated to the left of the smaller window.
pensitivity101 
Creative thinking.
He’s good like that
I think you both are pretty good at it. Improvising.
We try to think outside the box, though buying a boat in 2014 was not exactly what we had in mind for downsizing!
But that was a great adventure for you guys.
It was wonderful and I’m gad we did it. It taught us a lot about whet was important and what really mattered.
A fruitful venture!
That is enough to keep you awake through the night… hopefully Ms Butt will now stay well chained.
Hmm interesting,still not sure what piece you were talking about…..interesting home repairs around d the world different terms maybe.
We are hoping to save money on our water bill by collecting the rainwater in a barrel (water butt). It stands on a small platform so that the tap at the bottom is accessible for s hose or watering can. The problem is as it is empty and made of plastic, the wind has just picked it up and the sectioned base has separated. Hubby has therefore put a chain round the barrel and secured that to the wall so that it can’t be dislodged.
OK Now I get it! I was wondering lol good idea!😎
🙂