This Old House

Yesterday morning after I turned on the computer to check mail, I noticed that the screen was dimmer - which means it was running on battery. "Oh, the power went out." But no, the clock alarm had just gone off and the coffee was still making. As it turned out, it was only the power to the wall where the computer was plugged in. I checked the breakers and one was tripped - so I reset it, all was normal. BUT, then I noticed that the garage/backyard lights were out. There were no other breakers off.

So, after coffee and in a more wakeful state, I investigated to find that one wall in the front bedroom, all five closets, the garage and the outside lights are on one circuit. What a strange combination! But it was only the garage and outside lights not working. So, there was nothing to do but to call my electrician to check it out. (He's GOOD and HONEST, but for that reason, he's always very BUSY.) Amazingly, he had time to come out today and determined that there was a break in the wire underground from the back door to the garage. So, he temporarily strung a Romex wire out to the garage (looks like a clothesline!) until he can get back and run an new underground wire - which he says is no big deal. It seems insurmountable to me to go under all that cement! But while he's out next week, I'll have him do a couple of other small electrical chores I've wanted done. He's done a lot for me at work, but this was the first time he was at the house. There is always something like that to be done and hard to get someone out without waiting all day. You know how that goes...