Okay, let's talk about sorting out the garden hose mess.

For ages, that hose was just lying around, coiled up near the tap, looking messy and always being in the way. I'd trip over it, the kids would trip over it. Enough was enough. The cheap plastic holder I had before? Snapped last summer. Useless. So, I decided it was time for something proper, something heavy-duty that wouldn't give up after one season.

Getting the Gear Together

Went down to the hardware store. Looked at a few options. Most felt flimsy, but then I found this solid metal one. Weighed a bit, felt like it could actually hold a decent length of hose without bending or complaining. Paid for it, brought it home. Simple as that.

Next step, tools. Didn't need much, really:

• The new hose holder, obviously.
• My drill.
• A masonry drill bit (because it was going onto the brick wall).
• A level – gotta make it look right, not crooked.
• A pencil for marking.
• The screws and wall plugs that came with the holder. Actually checked them, they looked beefy enough for once.

Putting the Thing Up

Found a good spot on the wall, not too high, not too low, easy to reach. Held the holder up against the brick where I wanted it. Got out the level, placed it on top, shuffled the holder a bit until the bubble was dead center. Happy with the position, I marked the screw holes with the pencil.

Drilling into brick takes a bit of push, but my drill managed fine. Made the holes deep enough for the plastic wall plugs. Blew the dust out of the holes – learned that trick years ago, helps the plugs sit better.

Pushed the plugs into the holes. They went in snug. Perfect. Lined up the holder with the holes again. Started putting the screws in. Used the drill on a low setting to drive them in most of the way, then finished tightening them by hand with a screwdriver just to make sure they were properly tight, but not too tight to strip anything.

The Final Result

Gave the holder a good solid shake. Rock solid. Didn't budge at all. Felt really sturdy, much better than that old plastic piece of junk.

Then came the real test. Grabbed the hose, started winding it onto the holder. It took the whole length easily, no sagging, no sign of strain. Looks so much tidier now. No more hose snake lying in wait on the path.

So yeah, job done. Took maybe half an hour? Simple fix, but makes a big difference. Happy with that.