2008 has gone out with a bang around here. 

For the past week we have noticed that the lights around here have been flashing a lot and that things plugged into certain lines in the house have been just shutting off arbitrarily.  Also that the breaker box outside the kitchen door has been making a lot of noise when we have been using the microwave.  Then suddenly these same lines have just been going off all at once without warning. 

My husband and oldest son thought that it was a blown fuse in the old box in the basement or a tired breaker in the newer box upstairs.  While we had company on New Years Day the power kept going on and off as they checked the fuses and the breakers to see what was wrong.  They finally came to the conclusion that it was one of the lines coming into the house from the pole.  Being New Years Day their was not a lot that they could do since nothing was open around here so they shut off all that was hooked to the 220 lines and ran an extension cord for the refrigerator since it was on the line that was failing. 

After assurances that the house was safe to my daughter, we all went to bed.  On Friday Doug and Ian both came home from work early to see if they could fix the problem.  After a trip to Lowe's to buy new wire nuts and electrical tape they spent some time on the garage roof working on the lines that come from the pole to the house.  We were all thrilled when they declared that it was fixed.  I personally was looking forward to a hot shower!!!! (hot water heater is on the 220 line)

Friday evening we have more company and what happens while we are eating pizza and watching a movie?  the power goes out and then the lights start flashing all over the house.  So, we just turn off the lights and plug the TV and DVD player into a line that is working and go on watching our movie as if nothing is wrong.  When the company leaves we do as we did the night before and shut off all that is drawing on the 220 lines and reassure MK that all is safe.

Today someone is supposed to come with their bucket truck and help Ian fix the lines that are on the pole once and for all so that we can have power all over the house.  It is interesting though, to have to pay attention to what is plugged into where and what is running when.  Hopefully tomorrow we will have all our normal compliment of electricity and hot water and all will be returned to normal.