Yesterday, as you saw from the photo, was actually fine. I was upstairs doing stuff on my computer and I came down to look for to G to show him a droll photo I'd found on Flickr. The back door was open and I found him hacking down the vegetation that had grown up at the side of the house. He also had a large hacksaw. He said he was trying to get at the downspout and drain. I left him to it, and went back upstairs.
A little while later, I heard the *rasp-rasp--rasp--rasp--rasp* of a saw followed by a huge
*SPLOOOOOOOOSSSSSHHH!!!*
and a cry of, "Ugh!"
Concerned, I went downstairs again and looked out of the back door. But G was still working away down the side of the house and seemed fine. I returned to the computer and it was only later that G came in very wet and rather smelly. It transpired that when he sawed a chunk off the bottom of the downpipe in order to remove the leaves and gunge that build up and block it, the blockage came unstuck rather suddenly and the whole downpipeful of water that had backed up right to roof level whooshed out and sloshed over him. No, I didn't laugh. I was very sympathetic, but I had to do an extra load of laundry while G had a shower. :)