Powerless
by Pete WannIt’s not often that you have the sublime experience of both the literal and figurative meaning of a word. I’ve been enjoying both for the last 5 days, living without electricity, and unable to do anything about it.
During the storms last Thursday morning, we were spared the actual loss of power; instead, our electric meter (a classic 1948 model) was almost completely ripped off the wall by the wind. The power line stayed connected from the mast at the house to the line in the alley, so we still had power Friday morning.
Friday morning I called Oncor to come out and fix the meter, thinking that it was their responsibility. They sent out a truck during the day, surveyed the scene, and cut and removed the power line connecting my house to the main line in the alley. When I got home after work, I discovered that now I was actually in a worse position than I was before. Not only was my power meter and mast damaged, but now I had no power at all.
To be honest, except for being cut off from my virtual life online, it’s been kind of nice. I don’t watch a lot of TV anyway, so I don’t really miss that. Our cooktop is gas, so I can still cook dinner, and I’m getting used to reading by candle light. You don’t realize how much ambient noise there is in your house from all your electronic doo-dads until it’s gone.
Today we have an electrician out to fix the meter and mast, and also to bring our core electric delivery systems into the 21st Century. I don’t even want to get into how expensive that is going to be. (We had our foundation repaired last month, as well.)
I knew homeownership would be a challenge, but it’s one I was ready to meet. There are joys and setbacks, I guess that’s why it’s so rewarding. I just wish there were more joys than setbacks.
How did you weather the storms? Any damage? Got a story to share about another storm you made it through? Let us hear it in the comments!
Tags: 76110, City Life, homeownership, personal, petew, storm damage, weather
13 Comments, Comments or Pings
Kevin
Just consider it practice for the Long Emergency, and view it as a learning experience. Kunstler would be proud.
Apr 16th, 2008
Bernie
We lost power during the storm at about 3 a.m. Thursday, and finally got the power restored late Saturday.
The weather nice, so I didn’t mind sleeping with the windows open, except that Charter Communications had hooked up a generator about 20 yards from our bedroom window so that their customers could have phone/911 service. Eventually, I was able to tune out the internal combustion racket and sleep… but my neighbors whose window is only about 8 feet from said generator were up all night.
Apr 16th, 2008
Chris
I’m glad that you’re turning the negatives into positives — I know a lot of people who would not be so optimistic about the situation.
Though my house was not hit by the storm, the time of year and the experiences I’ve heard from others have made me think about the hail storm of 1995. Our house on the east side of FW was pummelled hard by softball size hail. We stood in the middle of our dining room watching ice and glass shrapnel destroy our carpets, walls, and possessions. We had few windows left by the time it stopped, and there was standing water up to my ankles. My sister’s car shot glass from the air conditioner for years after the storm. But insurance covered most of the damage, and we were able to make a lot of the repairs ourselves. So, despite how severe and scary it was to live through that we ended up seeing it as an opportunity for renovation and change. Thanks for carrying that positivity into this century.
Apr 16th, 2008
Jonathan
You have to supply the meter itself, or just everything around it? I wish these were an option: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_meter
Apr 16th, 2008
Pete Wann
No, I guess the power company supplies the meter. I wonder how much that’s going to cost…
Apr 16th, 2008
Ann
We just had a light and thunder show and listened to lots of branches hitting our windows during the storm and then my boys had no school on Thur. because their school lost power. So they were happy.
We had both our cars with massive hail damage from the 95 May Fest storm. Both of us parked downtown at the YMCA and lost both front and back windows and major body damage! It was crazy. Our house was fine and we just lined up first thing in the AM with all the other people to get the windows replaced. I had my car body damage repaired… my husband left his and wowed clients from out of town who could not believe that was done by hail!
Apr 16th, 2008
AndyN
I have 2500 pounds of red oak tree sticking out of my roof, new skylights in the attic and direct access between the dining room and said attic. Still waiting for the adjustor to come see all, but finally starting cutting and removing the tree remnants. I’m curious what the final damage estimate is going to be. Oh, I’ve already forgotten to mention that my carport resembles a large collection of wood splinters and yes, my truck was parked in it. Two claims in one.
Apr 16th, 2008
Pete Wann
@AndyN - OMG! All that from Thursday?!?
That sucks. Hard.
At least now you can replace that truck with a nice, fuel-efficient car.
(Before anyone jumps on my ass, that was intended as a joke. I believe in free markets and free choice, and Andy is entitled to drive whatever he’s willing to pay for that can legally be purchased in the United States.)
Apr 16th, 2008
Connie
We had a 50 foot tree fall against our back yard lines and didn’t lose power until it crashed all the way to the ground and ripped the mast and the meter to shreds. Live wires in the backyard at this point. That was mid-day on Thursday. An Oncor guy came by about 11ish on Friday said they couldn’t do anything until we repaired the meter and the mast. He said he would send someone out to turn off the lines. We called our son-in-law master electrician, he had us hooked up to the pole by 6pm. We called Oncor and cancelled the work order. We had no less than 3 teams try to come by over the weekend. One came at 11pm Saturday night and left a note saying “those were cable wires, not electric wires”. Um– ya think? Anyway– the neighbors (the tree was on their property) had tree guys out on Saturday. ATT/SWB came out that day. We are okay and with only 30 hours of now power, not near as bad off as some. I did discover that Bull and Bush is dog friendly and my pup was queen of the pub on Thursday night.
Apr 16th, 2008
Suzette
Many businesses on the south side of East Lancaster between Beach & Riverside were w/out power for 2 days after the storm — then some of us were w/out internet services for 2 days after power was restored. I really wish there was a choice in phone and DSL service in East Ft. Worth. When you have to talk to employees of AT&T in Indonesia for 2-3 hours before service comes knocking, it’s gets a bit aggrevating to say the least. Oh Yhea, I had part of a fence blow down due to the storm, but the dogs can’t get out, nor would they really want to, so all is good as of this moment except I don’t like AT&T having a monopoly on the phone and computer services on E. Lancaster.
Apr 16th, 2008
AndyN
No, Pete, your right. With gas at $3.40+, I’m wishing they would total it, my gap coverage would pay it off and I could go buy a Smart car or a motorcycle. Unfortunately I can’t pull my 18′ dual axle trailer with a Smart car.
I’m fixing to blog all over State Farm if they don’t get an adjuster out here to look at this damage.
Apr 17th, 2008
Jonathan
Suzette: Can’t you get internet service from Charter?
Apr 17th, 2008
Suzette
No, Charter doesn’t service the area of E. Lancaster & Riverside.
Apr 17th, 2008
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