So … as usual I go to bed late, and I mean late, like 3 am after watching some movies. Seven this morning I wake up for whatever reason … hear a light knocking sound, then hear it again a few seconds later. Thinking it’s someone trying to break into my shed, I look out my bedroom window … in time to hear the final death cries of the old dead tree in my backyard. Needless to say at the first sign of cracking I head the hell out of my bedroom in the back of the house, seeing and hearing my wall shake in the process. I met Single Son in the hallway on his way up to check to see if I was alright. Once we figured out it was the tree, Married Son and I head out to check the damage.
Yes, I have pictures.
For the full album, check out:
The power and phone lines have been pulled from the house. Single Son said he saw arcing and smelled something funny. I’m glad I didn’t smell it! I have a paranoia about house fires. I’d have freaked out had I smelled anything. Luckily no power in the case meant no fire.
The neighbor’s back yard looks like a war zone. Their steel swing set is history, nothing but a tangled mess. What’s odd, their inflatable kiddy swimming pool next to the swing set is unharmed. The fence between the two houses is squashed beneath the tree.
Oh, and there was no wind, no rain, no nothing … it just fell over. It had stood tall for all our recent storms and high wind days. Only to fall on its own accord when we least expected it.
I wish I had charged my cell overnight. I had fully intended to charge it when I woke up this morning. Oops. It’s dead, and it’ll be a while before I can charge it.
It’s now just before 10 AM and the electric company is here. That was fast! And yes, I am writing this offline for later posting. Gotta love battery operated laptop computers!
As I was out talking to the Electric Guy, two men approached from one of the yards backing mine. Turns out they were the tree crew from the electric company. Asking when it happened, I told them “7 am, today”. “Oh, we were here to remove that dead tree today”. Talk about shitty timing, eh? But they won’t touch a tree already down (that’s up to the homeowner or resident), except to move it out of the way of the repair crew.
Now we have to get someone to remove the debris. No biggie, Married Son found a guy just last week that removed another tree stump. You know who will be getting a call today!
And an electrician. That’ll be next. Married Son’s FIL is a licensed electrician. The electric company will only repair the meter and the lines, not the box that covers the meter. So, FIL will have to replace that, as well as pull permits. This isn’t going to be an easy fix, I see. Ah well, it needs to be done.
Next I call the phone company on one of the boys cell phones. Haha, I was going to call them today anyway to repair yet more squirrel damage. Now they have to come out to replace downed wires. I just hope that fixes the squirrel problem and that that’s not further up the line.
Now my sons, also sleep deprived, are needing coffee. Because there’s still no power they’re out of luck. Or are they? As a joke, I suggested they go to the neighbor on the other side, who has electricity. And they did!! There’s an extension cord running from the coffee pot that’s been moved close to the front door to the neighbor’s front porch outlet.
How ghetto can we get?
Stay tuned.
Wow!! 10:40 AM and we have power again! The electric company just left. That’s a record! Now to plug the cell phone in. I'm not gonna ever leave it to charge in the morning again!
I just hope this isn’t indicative of how my week will run. I have so much to plan with our Star Trek picnic being this Saturday.
If so, it’s gonna be one long week.
