Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Feeding an extension cord through the culvert under the road
WHAT? 

November 4, 2020 - Wednesday
40 degrees/clear skies/calm winds
Pentoga Road

I'm suffering from post election sleep deprivation this morning and it's stupid. I knew darn well the outcome of the election wasn't going to be decided last evening or over night, but it didn't keep me from waking periodically, wondering how it all was going.

As I've thought for some time, it'll probably be a long time before we know the election results. I'm fearful no matter who wins, it's going to be ugly.

Meanwhile, Sargie and I will do what the farmers in Maine do when it snows.

We'll let it snow.

Hey, in the good news department! 

I want to extend my congratulations to our newest County Commissioner, Yooper Brother Mark! Part time mayor/selectman of Caspian, Michigan, the Commissioner has moved onto bigger things. 


Mark had more than double the votes of his closest opponent. The Commissioner's next stop? How about the governor's office? He'd certainly be better than that wing nut that's currently serving.

Again, congratulations, Mark! We're proud of you!

Sargie and I voted Tuesday morning after I finished my walk.

The voting machine was broken in our precinct so after filling out our ballots, we simply put the paper in a box and walked away, trusting the clerk to register it for us.

If we lived in a progressive city, I'd be somewhat suspect. Since we know almost everyone in our very rural speck of America, we had no trouble with the trust issue.

I painted on the bowl for a while. I'm not certain I like it at all, but Sargie says she does. I'll finish it soon, put a coat of finish on the thing, and move on. I'm about all painted out.

Worry not, Aunt Joanne, I'll post a picture as soon as it's finished.

There are several lighted Christmas displays that we like to put on the other side of the drive during the holiday season. Problem is, there's no electricity on that side.

Every year has seen us running an extension cord from the house across the pavement. It works well until it snows and is covered. In my infinite wisdom, I often forget the cord is there and end up wrapping the thing around the auger in the snow blower or ripping it away from the house while using the snow plow.

We came up with the solution that maybe, just maybe, we ought to run 200 feet of heavy extension cord towards the road alongside the drive, thread it through the very long culvert at the foot of the drive, then back up to the flag pole in the side yard.

It sounded like a simple solution. A bit concerned at the distance and electrical bleed off, all our lights are LED and require very little power. Simple, eh?

First things first. We couldn't find the south end of the culvert. Water hasn't flowed through it for years, since long before I bought the place, and it had become buried. After an hour of digging and prodding with an old car axle, we finally located the end of the culvert two feet underground.

Thankfully, the old pipe was in fairly good shape and when a mouse ran out, I took that as a good sign that it might be clear all the way through.

Next came finding something long enough that we could attach the cord to to push it through under the drive.

Two ten foot pieces of PVC pipe began the process. How to connect them? Why, duct tape of course. 

Sargie and I looked at each other, keeping our fingers crossed, as I taped one end of the extension cord to the pipe and began threading it through the culvert.


When the pipe ran out, I attached the handle of the snow rake, again with duct tape.

I gently pushed and watched as the wire slowly disappeared under the drive.

I knew it was going to be close. Almost to the rake, I stopped, went to the other side, and reached into the culvert. 

Nothing.

Where was that pipe? Exasperated, dirty, and tired, I lay on my belly and reached far into the belly of the beast. 

Nothing.

In desperation, I stuck my camera inside the culvert and snapped a picture.

There it was, just out of reach.

Muttering, I rose, went to the other side of the drive, and SHOVED the pole into the culvert right up to the rake head.

Thankfully, it was just enough that I could reach in, cut the tape one-handed, and pull the cord through. 

Success!

I think we're all set for Christmas lighting this year. 


If it works, we'll make a more permanent installation next summer. Until then, this Alaska/Yooper fix should suffice, duct tape and all.

I was just thinking... a Yooper woman and an Alaskan man, one unit that works together like a well oiled machine. Maybe WE ought to run for public office. 

Shares and stock in the company that makes duct tape would soar.

Last evening was spent watching the election coverage. When it became obvious that those battle ground states were going to drag out the process, we went to bed, but I'm not sure either of us slept very well.

Sargie's off to Escanaba with Nancy for a day of girl time. I'm going to have a guy day here all by myself, working on this, that, or the other. The temperature is forecast to be back in the low 60's, the sun bright. 

Until then, I'll ride with Sargie a few miles down the road and hike back home.

After all, every day's a holiday, every meal's a feast.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Walking through our land yesterday, Sargie and I came across this huge white birch tree, (in the middle) one of the largest I've ever seen.

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