If I had to pinpoint exactly when the trouble began, I would state unequivocally it started when I woke up late Saturday evening, looked at the clock, and realized the electricity was out.
Not again, I muttered, and went back to sleep. Sunday about 5 AM, I woke up again. Still no power. The house was getting cool and I decided I would stay in my nice cozy, warm bed until daylight and damn the torpedoes. Daylight, this time of year, is around 9:30.
I got up just before ten and wanted a warm breakfast in my 59-degree house before I tackled the no-electricty chores. No power means no microwave unless I braved the cold and started the generator and I wasn’t ready to tackle that.
First, I boiled some water for tea and then got out the frying pans and lit two burners—one for eggs and one for a pre-cooked patty sausage that was frozen and needed to be thawed/warmed.
After eating, I went to the garage to put on some warm clothes so I could shovel a path to the generator through a new 16-inch snow dump, but a smoke alarm was beeping at me for no apparent reason other than to annoy me. I tried waving a broom under the alarm, but that didn’t do anything.
It was located right over my truck and I could not reach it unless I pulled the truck out of the garage. In order to do that, I had to disconnect the electric door opener and raise the door manually. It sounds easier than it was.
My garage is more full than usual this winter. In addition to my truck and mini-van, a four-wheeler and the John Deere riding lawn tractor are stored inside. It make getting around difficult.
Remember, when one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong in an-ever-increasing continuum.
I could not reach the cord to disconnect the opener drive. I hauled a ladder over and still couldn’t reach the cord. I employed a broom to bring the cord closer and yanked on it when I caught it. Then I lifted that heavy door, employing a push broom to get the door high enough.
Yanking on this red cord detaches the drive that opens the door so the door can be lifted manually when the power is out.
I pulled the truck out into the 16” of new snow and went back in to deal with smoke alarm, which was beginning to really annoy me.
Climbing the ladder, I was able to reach the garage door and pull it down. I moved the ladder over to below the alarm and tried to shut it off. Apparently just opening the door and getting fresh air was enough because it stopped beeping. That was just before I was going to yank it out by its roots.
The smoke alarm is hanging by its roots right next to the orange cord.
Donning some warm clothes, I grabbed the shovel and went out to clear a path to the generator. I started it, went back in the garage and tried to manually set the transfer switch which would bring electricty to the parts of the house that are wired to the generator. The automatic transfer switch quit working some time ago and now I have a little lever that I use to pull down on the switch. Well, when I did that, a piece of the switch broke off and the little lever was now useless.
Okay, now what? Screwdriver—multi-purpose tool. Carefully, and hoping I didn’t get electrocuted, I managed to get the switch levered down.
Now it was time to put the truck back in the garage so I moved the two ladders out of the way and manually opened the garage door. For the life of me, I could NOT get the truck backed in correctly. In and out, all the while letting cold air into the garage which feeds cold air into the house, too.
At length, I managed to catch the right-side mirror on the garage opening and break it. Got the truck in and inspected the damage. I will need a whole new assembly. In the meantime, the whole thing is wrapped in a bungee cord.
Used a ladder to reach that damn garage door and pull it down.
Then I went upstairs and went back to bed. I read by “Kindlelight “until I fell asleep for a long nap.
That was my Christmas Eve day. Hope yours was better.
PS: An avalanche closed the highway from late morning on the 24th until early evening. The power stayed out all Christmas Eve day and night, as well as all Christmas Day until about 8 PM while the temperature plummeted to 6 degrees below zero. Today, it’s a brisk 16 degrees below zero Fahrenheit.
The lights on this tree were not illuminated all weekend.
Oh Gullible, every time people wish for a white Christmas, I think of situations like this. I'm sorry you had such an un-Merry Christmas and grateful you managed to wrangle every wily piece of equipment. Crossing my fingers that this is the last outage for a very long time.
ReplyDeleteThank you. However, the temperature rocketedup from 16 below to 20 above and now it's snowing.
DeleteGullible .. we are astounded once again that no matter how many challenges and obstacles are put in your way, you manage to be the victor! Most people would have just stayed in bed for two days!! Again, we are grateful that we are in warm Arizona where not one single snowflake has yet appeared. The most we get is a slight breeze that rustles the palm trees and makes us wonder of we should put on a light jacket .. usually we forego the jacket. Sending sunshiny, warm thoughts, Patti and Cap
ReplyDeleteJeanne, as usual, after reading about one of your “adventures”, here I sit, staring blankly and realizing just how inept, inadequate, and useless I am. You are the girl I want to be in the foxhole with. I only wish you could say the same. You never cease to amaze me.
ReplyDeletePam, have no fear. We all need a talented photo-journalist with us and an aide who can pass the ammunition.
DeleteI really enjoyed this post. It reminds me of many of my days. Unfortunately, all I could do is laugh. Merry Christmas and hope you have a Happier Ne Year.
ReplyDelete