The Tap

I was out in one of the paddocks watering some trees - trying to get them through the heat and when I went back the tap wouldn't turn off. Bugger was the first thing that came to mind. The next thing was that if the flow wasn't too much I could just move it around from tree to tree. Not to be, too much water. So I went and turned the water off, always a good idea, and went a found my favourite adjustable wrench. One size fits all. Oh and my hat and sunglasses as I really was fuming by then and so hot. Got the tap off and peered inside and I could see a bit of black plastic, see washer on the right off the picture. Took the tap to the shed and put said tap in vice and applied favourite wrench to said tap. You beauty, it came apart. I had a scrounge around in the plumbing box - what a mess - and could only find arthritic washers. Great for mothers with sore hands and small children in the first ten to fifteen years of turning off taps. So I put it on, had a battle with the plumbers' tape, swore more, screwed the tap back on and went and turned the water on. Fantastic. Saved some money too.