Fixing a Hose

Japanese beetles have infested our roses.  Unlike Chinese virus, we use the nomenclature without any animosity to the honorable people of Japan or those who have migrated elsewhere.  They are just called Japanese beetles.  But we need to get them off our rose plants so my wife purchased a fumigation kit that attaches to a hose.  Unfortunately, I have also been using that hose for my garden.  It took some effort to get it wound around the spool of a wheeled hose reel, which still leaks slightly at the faucet connection despite a new washer and some plumbers tape.  Good enough.  It otherwise worked well and kept my garden adequate if not optimal.

In order to use the fumigator, I had to remove the nozzle which had frozen.  Eating Wheaties to enhance grip and forearm strength did not help.  I found a wrench designed for the purpose.  However on gripping the hose with it, the fitting was designed to rotate the hose unless gripped from the brass male connection itself, which I did, only to deform the connection, creating a new leak that I could not fix.

Fortunately, the world of goods and services anticipated that less than skilled yardmen would need help.  They designed a whole variety of adaptors to replace my bent one, some brass for $10, some plastic for $3.  Being a low end user, I gave the cashier a $10 bill, pocketed my change with the $5 bill to go into the stored change for mad money at year's end, with the other two singles into my wallet.

My wife needing a lesson in practical widowhood, I took her to the backyard after removing the excess packaging from the fitting.  Armed with a pair of scissors and a Philips head screwdriver, we were in business.  Snip off the old fitting.   Remove the plastic collar that will anchor the fitting.  Insert the plastic fitting into the hose, more difficult than expected but we need a tight connection.  Replace the anchoring collar over the hose fitting connection.  Turn on faucet.  It worked with no leak at the hose end.  Attach a new nozzle.  Turn water back on: again no leak.  Rose bushes have been given a second chance.