Our power went off late Sunday night when a wild wind storm blew through West Virginia. Monday morning, I was packing Morgan off to a friend’s house in town where she could take a hot shower before heading to school, and I was trying to get the generator started. Despite purchasing a lovely brand new float charger, I had failed to keep the battery charged on my generator and the push-button start wasn’t working for me. It was going to have to be pull started. This wasn’t working for me, either, of course, so I started calling the usual suspects–my neighbors.
Jim wasn’t home.
Andy was on his way to Charleston, but he did answer his cell phone.
“My brother’s at my house,” he said. “Just go knock on the door.”
I drove the half mile up the road to Andy’s house, wondering if I was the only woman in the world who was this incompetent. There was a woman coming down the driveway from his door. I pulled in, rolled my window down, and said, “Is Andy’s brother in there?”
The woman said, “Yes, I just woke him up. I need him to come start my generator.”
Andy’s brother came to the door, pulling on his sweatshirt over his tee, and waved to me. “I’ll get you right after I take care of her.”
And that’s life if you’re a man down my holler.
Don’t try sleeping in.
You can order Chickens in the Road: An Adventure in Ordinary Splendor now!
GA_in_GA says:
We’ve discussed a buying generator . . . Do they sell them with a man to start them? 😆
On November 20, 2013 at 6:57 am
CATRAY44 says:
That is how it should be- neighbors helping each other out. You are all very blessed.
On November 20, 2013 at 7:46 am
Mary Kingsley says:
Getting ours put in today! It’s supposed to start without a man.
On November 20, 2013 at 7:58 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
Mary, does it say that on the box? LOL.
On November 20, 2013 at 8:01 am
mamajoseph says:
I’m always hoping our power doesn’t go out when DH is up the mountain, spending the night in the village. I have a full sheet of color-coded, CAPITALIZED, highlighted, written instructions on steps to switch the house from electric to generator. I hope I never have to do it, but we practice periodically; I can start it by pulling the cord, BTW. Must be an especially easy one, ’cause I never could start a lawnmower!
On November 20, 2013 at 8:13 am
Lois says:
“Does it say that on the box?” You’re absolutely right – it has GOT to say it on the box! LOL!
On November 20, 2013 at 9:09 am
STracer says:
Yeah, my generator has its own circuit box and wiring. All I would need to do is hook its trailer up (it is mobile for farm work), pull it by the house, plug it in, and turn the key. EXCEPT – the wires are not connected to anything at the moment. It has been that way for too long. I keep waiting for the “I told you so” moment, but that won’t help much because it will still be dark. LOL
On November 20, 2013 at 9:26 am
CarrieJ says:
HAHAHAHAHA funny! So the answer to your internal question was “No”. I would have been right in line too.
On November 20, 2013 at 9:47 am
Della says:
:wave: Hey Suzanne
I have all manner of things that have an electric start(splitter, generator and so on) I have a solar panel on all of them.It keeps the battery charged all the time. You can get them at Habor Frieght for cheap. They are worth there weight in gold if you can’t pull hard enough.
On November 20, 2013 at 11:44 am
Luv2Quilt says:
I am looking for my own “slice of heaven” I guess I will have to make sure there are men to be found close by. Never thought that would be on my list of “must haves”. 😀 Glad you have someone to help.
Rhonda
On November 20, 2013 at 2:21 pm
Joell says:
:happyflower:
Sound like a great place for a guy to start a business—
RENT-A-FELLA
On November 20, 2013 at 2:53 pm
holstein woman says:
NOT ME, my generator has an electric start and even though I have him, I don’t NEED him. But then the power company rerouted the power a few years ago and we haven’t had a power outage for a few years. The generator gets used for the hay elevator and outside lighting.
On November 21, 2013 at 11:13 pm