A Public Service Announcement

Important Note: Remove all hardware from rain barrel before installing.

Explanation: So, I bought a rain barrel a while back. The point of such a device is to collect rainwater from a downspout for watering your plants and such. Our county had a special at their Earth Fair where I could pick up a 55 gallon barrel for a good price, so I got one. As a side note, if you're ever picking up a 55 gallon barrel, A) do not bring a Honda and B) do not bring your family (including carseat) in said Honda when you do so. It fit, but I don't think a 56 gallon barrel would have. Plus, the ride home was amusing as my wife had to drive with the steering wheel touching her chest. I couldn't drive because I couldn't fit in the driver's seat.

Anyway, we had some gutter work done yesterday, so I pulled the barrel out from the garage so they could set up the downspout for it. Everything looked great, and just in time for a torrential downpour last night.

At about 5:30 this morning, I woke up and was pondering what else I have to do with the barrel when it occurred to me that I had never taken some of the installation hardware out of the barrel before putting it in place. It turns out that the gutters are working wonderfully and had completely filled the barrel, which I had to partially empty and then reach in up to my elbows to extricate the parts bag. It wasn't a pretty scene.

So, to all you people who may be considering the purchase of such a device, I highly recommend that you remove all hardware from the barrel BEFORE putting it in place.

You're welcome.