As you may recall from a previous post, we passed the electrical inspection with flying colors. Brandon was in and out in 30 minutes, giving us the stamp of approval. The odd thing about the inspection (in my opinion) was that we never actually had to electrify anything. Passing inspection meant we could cover the wires in the walls with insulation and drywall. The electrical inspection had nothing to do with – you know – actual electricity. Seems like a pretty poor inspection, but hey, not our problem!
Whoops, spoke too soon. Turns out no electricity in the house IS our problem! Last month, Tache decided it was finally time to electrify. He had been avoiding this because it meant digging a trench: (1) He hates digging, and (2) As some readers may recall, the digging of a certain septic ditch was a bit shaky last year. Here’s the sitch: the meter previously installed on our lot is located right by our trailer; the house electrical panel box is in the new garage, about 30 feet from the meter. Thus, the need for a trench between the meter and garage. Tache was able to do this using a mini-excavator he had rented to tear apart a boat (different project – ask him). Sounds simple enough, and the digging was! We had our new electrical line trench in less than an hour.
I was in DC for a work conference when Tache started on the trench. He then prepped his right-hand man, Patrick, to do the rest of the work while he came to meet me on the east coast. Once we got home, I asked Patrick for some details so I could write this post:
Me: Did it work on the first try?
Patrick: (laughing) Uh no.
As the story goes… the wire got hung up in the conduit pipe on the first attempt, so Patrick and his assistant (aka his wife) had to pull it all the way back out. They laid the 30+ feet of wire flat across the driveway, tightened up all the wires, and gave the ends a little bit of lube. BRILLIANT! The wires slid all the way through the pipe, around the bend, and right up to the electrical panel. Patrick connected the wires to the panel… and then there was light!
Another detail Patrick gave me was that it was cold. And so being, the snow started the next day. The snow piled in and around the trench. We came home to frozen pipes (generally called hoses for those not living in trailers). We had to thaw them with a blow torch – you know, just normal life stuff. Then the temperature warmed, the rain started, melted the snow and filled the trench with water. We pumped it out with a dewatering pump (a rescue boat necessity), and lastly refilled the trench. It’s now a giant mud puddle… but we have electricity!
Back to the fun stuff! Tache met me in DC. We walked around the wharf, past renowned monuments he was perfectly fine looking at from afar, and had a drink at the oldest bar in our nation’s capital. We met up with a friend who randomly happened to also be in town. Dana was so excited to take Tache to a bar he’d discovered – the Commodore – where I proceeded to make a scene when I won a Kahlua onesie with three correct trivia answers.
We took the train to NYC the next day to meet up with Tache’s family for his youngest sister’s birthday. It was my first time meeting Ayelet, and the first time for both of us to meet her husband, first child, and another one coming soon! After that, we went further north to rural Connecticut with Tache’s dad and has dad’s wife. Rick and Ginna gave us the complete New England tour, including waterfalls, covered bridges, and mystic seasides. We had a lovely visit and hope to return the hospitality at our house someday.
Our flight home was out of NYC, so we went back to the City that Never Sleeps for one big night on the town. Despite the freezing temps, we hit all the tourist hotspots – Times Square, Rockefeller, Central Park, and the Empire State Building (via a rooftop bar with incredible views!). The highlight of the evening was Mike Birbiglia’s The Old Man and the Pool at the Lincoln Center (highly recommend!). We made the most of it for one night, which is a good thing because I know Tache would prefer to never visit the Big Apple again (the people, the traffic, the noise, the garbage). Our flight was canceled in the middle of the night, so we paid top dollar to get home before Christmas – back to life as little country mice.
Oh! And I almost forgot the most life-changing part of this whole story. With electricity, comes the opportunity to hook up our brand new, top of the line, energy efficient, AI (what the…?!), sleek and shiny washer and dryer! In a most enjoyable moment of true harmony, Tache and I worked together like the partners we wholeheartedly are to haul the washer and dryer upstairs. Using an appliance dolly that BARELY fit on the staircase, we effortlessly worked in unison, definitely not yelling or screaming at each other to push or pull or watch out for fingers or toes. Yes, that’s how I want to remember it.
We bought a temporary hot water heater (more on that later… like later when we decide how to deal with it). But, IDGAF if it’s temporary! We now have hot water, a washer and dryer… and soon, so soon… a real bathroom with a real shower.
Happy New Year!
2023 is looking bright!
Merry Christmas to the country mice and a toast to the light
I want that washer and dryer!!
What an exciting time. And to return to welcomein a washer/dryer. You are living high! Best wishes for the new year.
2023 means 23 Magnolia!!
It will be a very good year🎶