This is One of Those Times I Wish I Had a Time Machine...

Oh dear.

    I thought to surprise my sister with a path light when she got home. She's currently vacationing in Mallorca, Spain. Instead, wouldn't you know it, I badly nick the PVC pipe servicing the front sprinklers while driving in the stake for the light post into the hardened earth!

    I could have exercised greater care in a thousand and one ways, but no, in my eagerness, I thought I was clear of the line until I took that whack too far. This is not going to go down well.

    Damn "Murphy's Law"!

    Luckily, bad as it is, three things so far are in my favor. 

    Firstly, the pipe I struck is leading from its feed valve to the sprinklers. As long as the valves are shut, no water escapes downstream. (the standing water you see in the photos is the residual left over from the now stopped leakage, once I shut the valve, to terminate the flow.)

    Secondly, my next door neighbor Alfred, shares the same Landscaper and Gardener, Juan Delgado.

     Thirdly, Alfred was home when I texted him to see if he had Juan's contact info - he did - and Juan himself was home to answer my subsequent telephone call.

    Juan will stop by the address tomorrow morning at 8:30am to check out the damage. I sent him these two close-up photos as well 

 

Foolishness in evidence

     As I write, I hope, I hope this will cost me not too much out of pocket as I only have a few hundred at my disposal. I also hope the shock of the blow didn't transfer to the control valves.

I thought the line ran perpendicular to the front fence (out of frame at the top of the picture) instead of parallel.

    Oh for a time machine! If I had missed the pipe, my sister would have had solar powered light by which to see the dials on the control valves at night as well as having light on the path. None of that matters now I guess.

UPDATE:

     Hallelujah! Juan Delgado of J&J's Company, came through! He found that the damage was only confined to the puncture and was able to splice a small section of PVC piping to cover the break. 

 

Juan Delgado preparing the PVC couplings (as seen from the outdoor security camera I was also testing).

 

    By the time I returned from a short trip to the bank with the monies, he was done and cleaning up. For what he charged, I gladly and gratefully doubled it. Juan was happy*. 

    What a relief! 

    I did ask him, although, if he could, not to necessarily bring it up with my sister. Yes, I suppose the extra amount was also "hush" money, but Juan Delgado deserved it for saving my neck! Boy, was I in a pickle and ever in need of a rescue!

    2ND UPDATE:

    It was pointed out to me by my good friend, who works in the management business, that it was an unfair thing to ask any silence of Juan, as my sister is his employer. For anyone, to be asked to keep a secret, or divide their loyalties, and work against their boss is a responsibility I haven't any right or authority to level. 

    "Let Juan know that you will tell your sister about the damage you caused, but that you don't when.  That way, he's completely off the hook." 

    My friend is right, and I immediately informed Juan of my decision to tell my sister at the right time. It was emotional panic that prompted my earlier plea. 

     RESOLVE: I swear, on my soul, Never again will I act on my own initiative, with regards to home improvements, ever. The risk was, and is, just too great! And for goodness sake. stop giving ol' "Murphy" the upper hand!

*Juan additionally encouraged me to take greater care the next time, pointing out that the pipes were originally installed at too shallow a depth.