Categories: uncategorized
Date: 09 March 2006 23:56:18
I was having a cuppa and noticed the power company man scratching around the power pole that is half way down our driveway.
Thinking this is a good chance to practice hospitality I went out to have a yarn.
He was an interesting bloke, they inspect the wooden poles annually looking for rot and he said the old pole we had would last another 15 years, which pleased me greatly. (If poles are condemned, there is a law requiring the power must go underground...and this is a considerable expense.)
We chatted for a while... his job is quite challenging, some farmers are not very friendly, padlocking their gates or even “standing at their gates with shot-guns.” he told me.
I was feeling quite pleased that we'd passed the inspection, and thinking myself much better than the unfriendly farmers... when he looked towards the house and said “that cables a bit low”. The power cable going from the pole to the corner of the house dipped down over the driveway. It has been that way for 40 years so I wasn't worried when he went and measured it.
But, alas it was too low %”#?!.
So now, after spending $4,200, and getting a real mess where the trench was dug, we have the power connection underground.
Nothing was different, I thought I could use the pole for firewood, (very expensive heating) but then decided to put a light up it so at least got something for the expense.
I've no option but to think of it is a good thing, (particularly from a bushfire point of view) but I'm contemplating whether it is always a good idea to be hospitable. Where's that old padlock?