Rack and Rain

Northern Michigan has its moods.  A week ago it was so oppressively hot and humid that I finally broke down and turned on Sharon and Attila's air conditioning.  Today Presque Isle is in the low 50s, with hard, cold rain driven by a blustery wind.  Fall is sticking its nose under the tent flap!  I'm glad I brought a coat back from Grand Haven.

The annual Labor Day Weekend Picnic is scheduled for today at the New Lighthouse, from 11:00-3:00.  I'll go — if the event hasn't been rained out.  Here in Alpena, blue sky is showing through the clouds.  The rain seems to be moving out, so the picnic will probably go on as planned.

The stake (left) marks where the pole will be installed.

Rich, the electrician from Posen, installed the rack yesterday.  This is the temporary structure for the electric meter which will supply power to the site during construction.  It will also produce my first utility bills.  I was there about 3:00 in the afternoon.  The electrical inspector came in later and left his Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval on the meter box.

On Tuesday I will call Presque Isle Electric and ask for a pole crew to come out.  They will set a pole next to the rack, run an overhead wire through the trees, install the meter, and hook me up to The Grid.  Later, when the house wiring is in and inspected, they will run power to the house.  Next year we will replace this overhead wire with a buried line.  That way a branch blown down in the wind won't plunge me into darkness.

I have decided to make some changes to the electrical.  One is a "night light" which would provide illumination for one or two security cameras inside the house.  Hard wire for the cameras can be installed along with the normal electrical wiring.  I also want to run a line from the garage to a point near the driveway entrance for a motion-activated light.  Clearly I'm still processing the theft.

Yesterday afternoon we also had more cement block delivered to the site.  The basement floor now has stacks of block 8-9 feet high, ready for construction of the basement walls starting on Tuesday. •••