So it just rained cats-and-dogs, and my bride comes in from her early-morning workout routine and announces that I should turn off the sprinklers since the ground was already rather moist. I trapse out to the garage and turn the dial to "Off", assuming that the sprinkler heads would go back to their home in the ground. An hour later, after I am fully showered, shaven, and dressed to go to work, I find out that the sprinklers did not, in fact, return home, and I needed to do something about it. Now I'm all about conserving natural resources, but at that moment I was more in the "let's try to keep our yard from looking like the Atlantic ocean" frame of mind. Anyway, I took my starched slacks off, threw some old clothes back on and started walking toward the sprinkler box. When I get there, the box is completely filled with water and I can't seem to locate the valve that shuts the whole thing down...back to the house. By this time it is past 8 AM, so Kate calls the "sprinkler man" to ask for a stat appointment. She quickly hands the phone over to me and I realize that there are no stat appointments available. BUT- as a courtesy- the receptionist is willing to give me instructions on how to turn my water off. Shocked and slightly embarrassed at the whole situation, I indulge her and listen as she describes the location of the valve that I need to shut off to make the sprinkler heads, the water, and the whole kit-and-kaboodle go away. Turns out I was looking in the wrong box. **Oops**
Anyway, I make my way back out to the GREEN box located by the street. Squatting down to reach through about 8-12 inches of water for the valve, I realize it is not a valve you can just give a little turn with the hand. I need a wrench. By that time, God had unleashed the fury of heaven and the rain which started as a sprinkle was now at a full downpour. I obtain the needed wrench and despite my best efforts, cannot get it shut off. Need to bail water out of the box so I can see what is going on.
So I found a stray milk jug that was not being used, cut the top off, and used it as a pitcher to bail water out of the sprinkler box. After I got enough out to see what I was doing, I figured I'd give it the old college try once again. No luck.
I turn my attention back to the black box which contains the main water valve to the house. "If I shut this off," I thought to myself, "I turn off all clean water that runs to my house." I had to savor the moment- it was a Tim the Toolman kind of moment when I realized that I had the power of the whole household at my fingertips! Kinda wondered if God ever felt this way...
Thoroughly drenched by this point and feeling a little desperate, I turned off the main valve. "That did it!" I thought.
I gathered my belongings and headed to the garage. Not wanting to bring the Gulf of Mexico into the house, I started to take off my wet clothes and realized I was going to need another shower.
Then I put two-and-two together and realized no water = no shower.
Back to the street I go with my wrench. I manage to get the water turned back on, and luckily the sprinkler was now off and unplugged.
So, my friends, a word to the wise (and a lesson learned): Know where the cut off valve is BEFORE you have an urgent (or emergent) situation
