Friday, July 12, 2013

DO NOT DRINK THE WATER FROM THIS HOSE --IT MAY BE CONTAMINATED!

My Grandson Last Summer with the old,  maybe contaminated garden hose

Do not drink the water from this hose--It may be contaminated!

That's what it said on the tag of the new light-weight, non-kinking garden hose I bought last week.  The tag was hidden and not visible until the hose was removed from its plastic packaging.  I had destroyed most of the packaging while trying to get the hose out, so I decided to keep it instead of taking it back to the store.  I don't know if the water may be contaminated by bacteria or the plastic that the hose is made from, or both.  Maybe all new hoses have warning tags now.  I made a mental note of the warning and have been happily using my new hose. 

Well, TODAY IT HAPPENED!  I DRANK THE WATER from the Contaminator hose!  Here is how it happened; I was mixing Miracle Grow and water in my watering can and had wedged the new, soft, flexible hose up onto the awning support to make it handy to reach as I continued to mix and fill the watering can. I dilly dallied around, plucking spent blooms. Then I turned to pick up the watering can.  What I failed to notice,  was that I had wedged the hose into the awning support so tightly that it had blocked the hose and the pressure was building....and  building......and building.....

The next thing I knew, the serpent (hose) had sprung up off the awning support and was spraying me full force right in the face.  It seemed like it went on for a long time, like a cartoon cobra as it reared up off the awning support spewing a torrent of water in my face and onto my glasses.  My face, bangs, and blouse were drenched.  I must have had my mouth open when the torrent hit, because I swallowed a big mouth full of water.  Then I was laughing out loud.  Not a soul was in sight.  I wish that there would have been a video of this.  I am wondering just how much pressure was built up in that hose and how long, in real time, it actually hosed me in the face. It was like something from the Three Stooges, except I was the only stooge around.  So far, I haven't felt any effects from the possible contamination of my big gulp of hose water.

I do like this new hose (except for the Contamination Factor).  It's light weight, non-kinking, and takes up a lot less space.

This is my grandson and husband last summer with the kinder, gentler, last generation, non cobra-like hose.  He was having so much fun.  They both were.
 
Yes, he was about to drink the water.  He did.  We did.  Everyone was fine.  Bad Grandma and Grandpa.


However, with this new "Contamination Factor" hose--no more quick cold sips of hose water while watering my flowers--not on purpose, anyway.

Then again, the old hose was probably contaminated for the past twenty or so years, too.  Hmm, and I always thought that water tasted really good on a hot summer day.

 

7 comments:

  1. Good Morning Susie, Oh no, getting soaked by a hose squirting water all over you.... did it feel like everything was happening in slow motion. You could see the hose raise it's head, but could do nothing about it.
    I loved the fact that you laughed out loud as that means there was an element of fun involved in the experience.
    Have a lovely "water free" day.
    Best Wishes
    Daphne

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  2. I can just see the cobra effect...(laughing). Yeah, they put those warning on just about everything these days. Life is just FULL of contamination and I know I don't want to know what's been growing in my garden hose @;)

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  3. Life was so much simpler in the days when we only had to worry about those few things that were marked with a skull and crossbones.

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  4. Like you, I have also been squirted full face by our hose, Susan. It usually happens when I drop the squirt head on the ground and the handle clicks on the water...usually I am washing the car or filling the watering can...you would think I would learn not to drop the hose, but nope.

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  5. I have considered getting that hose, thanks for the warning! You poor thing! It just might feel pretty good with the hot afternoons we have been having lately. When I was little, I thought a drink from the hose was a treat. Sure, it tasted funny and rubbery, but that was just part of the fun. Anyway, that hose contamination really couldn't be much worse than some of the chemicals they are putting in our food and water these days. Ha! You're good grandparents, I am sure that will be one little fun memory for your grandson! Sometimes the little things are the things you remember most.

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  6. Hi Susie, I love that you were out there laughing while getting soaking wet with nobody around! Is there anything now that isn't 'contaminated'? I suppose it is just a disclaimer in case of lawsuit? Anyway, loved your story and your blog! New follower.:) xo

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  7. Wow! I've never read that on any hose before! I would think something like that would be bad for sales...and besides..wondering if it would hurt humans..it wouldn't be bad for plants I suppose.. hope not anyway. I WANT one of those. :)
    Enjoy your weekend! :)
    Big hugs for being so good natured about being half drowned. I prob'ly woulda cried. :) Nah..not really.
    Hugs,
    Mona

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