… so I did just that!
I added six more miles onto my 2018 tally, leaving me only 41 more miles to go before I reach my goal.
You’re saying to yourself “well why was Linda worried about meeting her goal – 41 miles is a piece of cake, a walk in the Park, no problem” … maybe so, but a few sleety and snowy mornings this week left me taking just a short hop in the ‘hood. The weatherman WAS predicting a dry upcoming week, but then he said maybe snow Tuesday morning. The weather folks in the Midwest and East Coast grossly underestimated the snow event the other day. Just as I started to wonder whether our promised El Nino/mild Winter this year might have been an “oops” … yesterday, my favorite weatherman, Paul Gross, made this bold statement on Twitter – gulp!
Today was a little topsy-turvy for me and I didn’t make it down to Council Point Park until almost mid-day. About a dozen of my peanut pals did scurry over for peanuts which surprised me, given my late arrival. One must be the lookout squirrel in a nest high in the trees and alerted the others.
I was tardy because of an electrical problem. Here’s the backstory: I’ve been dealing with flickering lights at my house for several months. Because of working from home, and sitting right by a light fixture, I couldn’t help but notice the light show going on in the colonial-style swag light that hangs right over my head. I was worried at first there was a problem with my electricity, but after polling a few neighbors, I discovered that they, too, had the same issue, so that put my mind at ease. While it wasn’t as bad as strobe lights, the constant flickering in your peripheral vision is a bit annoying.
After dealing with it long enough, on Wednesday I contacted DTE, my energy provider, and told them five houses in a row had this flickering light dilemma and I was going to be the one to take action. The customer service rep was very nice and said I shouldn’t have waited so long and they’d send someone out the next day.
They arrived in the middle of my typing a letter for work … I knew they were there as they killed my power for about ten minutes, and I heard someone rumbling around at the back of the house where the meter is. The tech left me a card that read “voltage is good; trees need to be trimmed as they are touching the wires” and they followed up by sending a guy from Davey Tree Service to talk to me about the trees. He checked out the trees and said don’t worry – DTE will trim them next time they are trimming in the neighborhood. Then he left.
But the flickering continued.
This morning I left on my walk a little later than usual. I decided just to walk to Council Point Park as snow and rain were predicted by mid-day. I rounded the cross-street then disappeared half a block down the street when I heard the noise of a big truck rumbling along the cross street. I turned around and saw a DTE truck on the cross street, pulling to the curb. I was curious and double-backed to see what they were doing. By the time I got there, a whole convoy of DTE trucks was parked along the cross street and simultaneously linemen were scrambling out of each truck. So, I beat a path back to check it out and because I’m bold, as well as nosy, I went over to investigate. A neighbor on the corner had also called about flickering lights and as the lineman filed into his yard, he joined our conversation. I hung around while they killed the power, climbed up the pole and replaced a few old and worn out pieces connected to the transformer. I was visiting with this neighbor, whom I’ve never really met before, though I wave to him every morning when I pass the house enroute to the Park.
So, the power was turned on again – we waited. More flickering. The linemen headed back up the pole. After more than an hour, and me still hanging around for the outcome, and catching up on the news in the ‘hood, the problem was fixed. No more flickering in the house either – yeah, no more light show! The lineman collected their gizmos and gadgets and got into their trucks and I decided I should get going as well.
I kept glancing up at the sky which had some brooding clouds and looked like something was about to fall from there any minute. Besides a very bleak-looking sky, the Park now looks very desolate, with most of the brightly colored foliage gone and the bare trees and reeds waving in the wind. I took these pictures earlier this week.
Here is the ice covering the Creek that I told you about.
I thought this weed gone to seed was rather unusual.
Other scenes along the Ecorse Creek:
Today I saw only one other walker who arrived just as I was leaving. The snow started a’flyin’ while I was at the Park but never stayed on the ground – my kind of snow!
When I neared home I saw two DTE trucks parked down the street, but I saw no linemen to ask what was up. I heard them calling back and forth to one another. I was almost afraid to go into my house, but opened the door, turned on the cellarway light – all was good. I had been out in the cold four hours and was looking forward to a hot cup of coffee and something to eat. I went downstairs to hang up my coat, and on the way up the stairs – the power went off. Of course, I had no flashlight on me and it was black as night. The power came back about 35 minutes later, the furnace fired up, and I soon was toasty warm and now there are no light flashes to match each peck on the keyboard.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Miss Linda……………………………………….I’m happy that your area of “The Hood”……………………….got their power back on and no more flickering of lights………………………hooray !!! … Oh and the pictures at the park were a bit drab…………………………….I just want to think of all the pretty colorful ones you took not long ago………………………….
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Hi Ann Marie – yes, it was a drab day down there and even those pictures which I took on Wednesday when it was sunny, the Park still looked very drab. I am glad the flickering has stopped – it has been going on since Summer and I kept thinking it was going to stop.
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wow, I can’t walk more then 10 minutes because Of my back surgery, I am proud to have a new friend like you.
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Thank you very much for saying that Patrizia … that is very kind of you.
I am sorry for your difficulties and pain in walking. I will share with you this story – my mother was in a car accident when she was 11 years old and that one little misstep of her running in between two parked cars was something that changed her life forever. She had 42 orthopedic operations during her lifetime and was in the hospital from age 11 to age 15, so, as a result of seeing her pain, and knowing the pain of others like yourself, I never take my good health for granted.
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I am so very sorry that your mom had SO MANY Surgeries. I will stop complaining. Thank you for sharing her story.
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Oh no Patrizia – I didn’t share that story to minimize your pain or problems; I think you misinterpreted my meaning for sharing it …, I meant MY own health. I am able to empathize with other people’s pain because I saw what my mom went through her entire life. I saw that every step was painful for her, not only for her orthopedic injuries, but then later in life she developed cellulitis in her legs … this is a painful skin condition, an infection where she said her skin felt like it was on fire. Just a hangnail brushing her skin or a mosquito bite could cause a minute scratch and cause an inflammation.
I would never minimize anyone’s pain … I saw it firsthand so I do understand your pain.
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I didn’t think that my sweetie, I just realized that my pain is Nothing and gives God, Glory!
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OK, that is good Patrizia – I would never have wanted you to interpret it that way … I have empathy for all people who must endure pain and suffering, for I have seen what it does to people and I am blessed to be without any pain and suffering of my own. ❤
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I feel for her.
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Thank you Patrizia – I have good memories of my mom but her last year was very difficult for her and I try not to think of that time period, so after she passed away I went and got all my favorite photos framed to remember her that way.
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A beautiful thing to do. Good Memories are a must in everyone heart and life. Good you did that.
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I thought it was important Patrizia … to remember the good times, not the sad times at the end. You are right – good memories will keep us going.
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God bless you
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It’s good they were able to solve your problem, and that it was a city responsibility. I had flickering lights a few years ago but it became “my Problem” to solve as the Hydro Utility determined the problem was under my deck (the guys installing the deck the year before had put a post too close to the underground hydro line and the cold weather had caused the ground to heave and break the connection). They did a temporary generator fix outside my hydro meter as it was January and the ground was frozen. In April when I called to check if they had come up with a permanent solution, they told me it was my problem as the property owner, they just hadn’t bothered to inform me earlier! That left me scrambling to find an electrical contractor who would dig a trench under the deck, (I swear I had nine estimates from electricians, most of whom either didn’t show up or if they did, I never heard from them again). Finally I called the Hydro guy back and explained I was getting nowhere, and his electrician friend finally took pity on me and subcontracted a guy to dig the trench – all for the bargain price of $2000. By that time I didn’t care about the money, was just glad I could find someone to fix it!. When I tried to contact the deck company, (as I had used the Call Before You Dig Program, so the cables were all clearly marked out), they had gone out of business! I could write a book about my renovation nightmares……I’m happy there was a simple solution for you.
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My parents had trouble with a roofer one time and this was many years ago. I don’t remember the details, but they had this roofer do repairs after there was damage in their bedroom and water leaked and was sitting in a pool on the top of a high-boy which was too tall for either of my parents to see the top of. They called this roofer in who discovered rotted wood and was to replace the wood and repair the roof. They paid him, he tore everything apart and left and never came back, leaving the tarp on the roof and a mess underneath it. They went to the Better Business Bureau but could not get their money back and had to pay another contractor. I went through a couple of plumbing fiascos last year and had whole-house insulation done because it had gotten so cold in my house which was built in 1963. The insulation company was endorsed by a local handyman job and I went with this company – they made such a big mess that I spent all Summer cleaning everything, inside and outside. I complained that it was still cold in the house despite me using silicone caulking around doors and windows – they never acknowledged my complaints. Renovation never goes smoothly – my parents did several renovations in this house over the years – always a mess or hassle of some type! I’m happy there was a solution for the flickering lights too because I thought, despite other people having issue, that I was ready to call in an electrician to determine the cause. I always worry about fire.
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You are definitely going to make that goal!!! I am so glad you power is fixed!
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Thanks – I think so now Diane, although this morning was this sloppy Wintry precip – ugh. I stayed inside as I am feeling confident I’ll finish (and it was just wet and ugly out). It’s too early for all this yucky weather – hope you have seen the last of your freezing rain/ice s well! We are having dry weather for Wednesday and Thursday – hope you have good weather as well – you said your son and their new baby are coming for Thanksgiving?
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Yes they are and I am so excited to see the baby again! Will you be with family as well?
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It sounds fun Diane. Wait til the first Christmas! No, it is just me since I have no family, so I will whip up my one-pot wonder. (All the normal Turkey Day fixin’s in one pot 🙂
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Well if you live closer I would have you over!
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Thank you Diane – that is kind of you to say that!
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You’re often walking, it’s so nice when you see so much.😊 Hope to get started soon.
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Yes, I do enjoy the walking and know that the weather is crimping my walks more and more. Today was wintry precipitation so I didn’t go out – it didn’t know whether to rain or snow and it was quite messy. I started out small, just a block, then kept adding blocks – start out small and you’ll be find. You were riding your bike to work in the Summer, maybe you could walk to work or is it too far?
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My current workplace is only about 7 minutes away with bike. I ride my bike to work, but I hope I will have more power to get out after work as well.
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It does look good for you meeting your goal Linda. How will we celebrate when you do? LOL. So glad you got you power problems fixed.
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Thanks, I think it is doable now too Ruth (though I didn’t go today as it was a wintry precip out there most of the day) I always do write a post when I reach my goal and then if there are any more miles after I make my goal, I call them “gravy miles” and add those up and post it at New Years. I am almost afraid to walk too many miles over as I’ll have to match ’em next year! I am glad they fixed the problem as well – it was getting very worrisome.
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Ugh! Being without electricity is so frustrating. If we are without power, we are without water, too. we have a well and an electric pump. I tend to take things like that for granted. Good reminder for another thing to be thankful for! Hoping for no snow here this week!
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Yes, I agree Laurie, we always realize just how much we appreciate electricity until we don’t have it. I wished I’d have called earlier now – the lights have been flickering for months. We had a sleety/snowy precip this morning – there were accidents, even though the snow as not sticking to cement surfaces. I decided not to walk and I think I’m good for making my goal so I lived dangerously and stayed inside. Didn’t get my roses cut down though because snow was covering them again, nor leaves done. We have a small amount of snow Monday night into Tuesday and the rest of the week is all good, so I hope to make some progress on my remaining 41 miles.
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Good luck with your remaining 41! I didn’t get my roses cut either.
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Mother Nature is just not cooperating with anything this year!
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The weather has been crazy over on your side of the country! We’ve had sunshine but with a freezing cold blustery wind. I did venture out on a hike yesterday because I know that the leaves have mostly fallen and rain is supposed to start in a couple of days. Have a good week Linda! 🙂
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Thanks Sabine – It is supposed to get drier, except Tuesday. Today we had wintry precip but I think I’ll meet my goal so I took it easy today. I just read an awesome story on Twitter: ” a Canadian man who has been hiking over 10 years and completed a 21,000-kilometre (13,048 mile) trek in the Northwest Territories last week. He was inspired to start the journey after his father lost his ability to walk, and was the first person to touch all three of Canada’s coasts on the trail.” I have to find out more about hiker and spotlight him in an upcoming post … and I was feeling good as I’ve done 1,000 miles. 🙂
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Yay for no more flickering lights!! These pictures look so peaceful. They calm me down as I had too much coffee today and am a bit wired right now lol. Thanks for sharing, Linda!
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I like peaceful settings, even if the Park is starting to look a little blah as it loses the colorful foliage and the weeds that look like flowers if you squint just right. 🙂 I’m happy no more flickering lights – I was ready to call an electrician.
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A well-written narrative of frustration and determination! Thanks for sharing, Linda. I hope your electrical problems are behind you…way behind you!
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Thank you Carolyn – I hope so too and I should have called them months away but I thought it would just go away and other people had it so I minimized the problem.
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What a story! I hope the fix is permanent.
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I hope so too – they said if there were more problems, they would give us juice from another circuit/grid and replace the canister on the transformer on Monday and we’d be without power for about an hour Monday. When I came back from walking and saw the guys on a different pole, then lost power for 35 minutes, that’s what I thought they were doing. I kept waiting for the power to go down yesterday but nothing happened … so did they fix it entirely on Saturday? Do they still need to come back? Sigh. I should have dealt with it long ago as now there is no flickering at all.
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At least it is done now!
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I am glad the power has been fixed as it must have been annoying. How amazing you have done with all of those miles so far. It just goes to show when you persist with smaller goals on a regular basis, your end goal can be amazing. Well done 🙂
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Thank you Zena – I hope to make my goal – we have the long holiday weekend and three of the four days look to be dry (that’s got to be a record the way the weather has been this year). So I am hopeful … now the question is … do I keep on going as then next year I’ll have to top my mileage by at least one mile? My original goal in 2017 was just 755 and I went over and above that by 300 miles last year, but our weather was way more cooperative. We have had three little snowy coverings, a freezing fog and black ice morning and several morning just slick with ice and it is only November 21st … that is not normal. So fingers cross I can get this done. Thank you for your supporting words from afar – they are sure appreciated.
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300 miles over is amazing. I suppose it is all weather dependant and this year has her so extreme so you have done amazing this far to get where you are.
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Thanks Zena – I do think I can make it and today we had a rainy day again – I could have gone out in between rains, but stayed inside and did some chores and did a long post. I heard the story about our climate change problems this morning and all the complications and changes in weather and thought to myself … maybe I’d better not go too far over my goal in case next year’s weather is worse than this year!
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