No, that isn't an Inland Taipan, but it is almost as irritating!

That is a low-voltage outdoor lighting cable that is constantly exposed by water overflowing a drain at the base of the driveway. It laughs at me every time I walk past, but there isn't a simple fix, because there is insufficient slack in the cable to bury it deeper.

And the drainage problem is even worse. There are shallow shelves of what is called "red rock" around here. They are very close to the surface, and actually slowed down some gas pipeline maintenance on my street. The utility was replacing the old natural gas lines, and hit that rock. What should have taken a few days took weeks!

They also slow rainwater absorption*...thus the runoff! Most rains cause no problems, but the occasional heavy rain will overlfow the drain and since the red rock is so close to the surface, the rain has nowhere to go but across the planting bed.

This is what keeps me up at night!

• Why is that spelled with a "p?" the root is "absorb!