update, electric and otherwise
Jan. 15th, 2007 09:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jaeclecticI am writing this while waiting for the electrician to come back with parts, although I won't be able to post it until later. It is funny how it chafes to not have internet access, although I just spent two days in Albion and didn't miss it a bit -- clearly I am a creature of habit, in my habitual space, and habit would have had me check my email a dozen times today by now.
Anyway, the story is that one of the kitchen outlets had a broken neutral. This should have tripped the breaker, but didn't. After discussion with the electrician (a nice young man named Sal, who seems reasonably competent), he'll be replacing all the circuit breakers, not just the one that failed, because most are the same type, and all are the same age or older, and since one failed I don't much trust the others.
It is quite creepy having a circuit breaker not do its job. I mean, in this specific case, it wasn't too likely that I wouldn't immediately notice smoke coming out of the wall when I turned the microwave on. But what if the smoke was in a different room than myself, who knows? *shudder*
Hopefully after spending a few hundred dollars on this, I'll be able to relax. I guess it is not a surprise that circuit breakers fail, because you hear about electrical fires all the time. But somehow I have always trusted them anyway. Now I guess I have to trust that Sal is more on the ball than whomever did the last batch of work here. *sigh*
Also on my to-do list for later in the day: buy a small fire extinguisher suitable for electrical fires.
Other than that, things are OK. I mean, this is not exactly what I had in mind for today (day off for MLK Day), but I guess it's better than having to deal with it on a normal Monday when I'd be stressing about not being at the office.
Lena-kitty is, I think, still gradually improving. She is still a bit unsteady when jumping up or down, but otherwise seems fairly normal. Her appetite is starting to come back, I think -- I did see her eat some kibble yesterday, which was encouraging -- although in the meantime I stocked up on the wet food that she likes, just so I could be sure of getting her to eat. I have stopped giving her the anti-nausea medication, pending any further upchucks.
I took down the xmas decor this AM. And while I am stuck here there are some other chores I could do, so I might as well get moving.
Anyway, the story is that one of the kitchen outlets had a broken neutral. This should have tripped the breaker, but didn't. After discussion with the electrician (a nice young man named Sal, who seems reasonably competent), he'll be replacing all the circuit breakers, not just the one that failed, because most are the same type, and all are the same age or older, and since one failed I don't much trust the others.
It is quite creepy having a circuit breaker not do its job. I mean, in this specific case, it wasn't too likely that I wouldn't immediately notice smoke coming out of the wall when I turned the microwave on. But what if the smoke was in a different room than myself, who knows? *shudder*
Hopefully after spending a few hundred dollars on this, I'll be able to relax. I guess it is not a surprise that circuit breakers fail, because you hear about electrical fires all the time. But somehow I have always trusted them anyway. Now I guess I have to trust that Sal is more on the ball than whomever did the last batch of work here. *sigh*
Also on my to-do list for later in the day: buy a small fire extinguisher suitable for electrical fires.
Other than that, things are OK. I mean, this is not exactly what I had in mind for today (day off for MLK Day), but I guess it's better than having to deal with it on a normal Monday when I'd be stressing about not being at the office.
Lena-kitty is, I think, still gradually improving. She is still a bit unsteady when jumping up or down, but otherwise seems fairly normal. Her appetite is starting to come back, I think -- I did see her eat some kibble yesterday, which was encouraging -- although in the meantime I stocked up on the wet food that she likes, just so I could be sure of getting her to eat. I have stopped giving her the anti-nausea medication, pending any further upchucks.
I took down the xmas decor this AM. And while I am stuck here there are some other chores I could do, so I might as well get moving.