Who Owns A Snow Shovel In Southern California???

So our first big snow storm has come and gone and we survived just fine.  It is projected to be in the 60s most of this week and 99% of the snow on the ground has already melted.  On Friday a week ago, Maureen and I stocked up on soup and bread and some other staples like snacks and beer for the weekend football games, made sure we had some good books available, and hunkered down with no intention to leave the house until Monday.  If you read my last post you remember that I hired an electrician to set up a transfer switch so I can hook up a generator to my house when or if the power ever goes down.  I've been telling everyone that I operate under the theory; "if you always carry an umbrella around with you it never rains."  So by prepping the house for an extended power outage the logical extension of my theory practically guarantees that I will never actually need a generator.  So I figured I could just wait to purchase a generator until some future date on the off chance that we ever have an extended power outage.  Uncle Keith shot a hole in that part of my theory.  It was his experience with his cabin in the mountains that when the power goes out all of the generators on the shelves disappear immediately, usually within the first hour.  And if on the off chance I'm snowed in it is likely that I wouldn't be able to make it to the store within that first hour anyway.  So looking back at my "umbrella" theory, I broke down and purchased a reasonably priced 7000 watt Honda generator from Sam's Club while the electrician was installing the transfer switch.  That evening I even took the generator out of the box, assembled it, and then ran it for 5-10 minutes to make sure it would work if needed.  Here's where Uncle Keith hit the nail on the head.  I went back to Lowe's that afternoon to buy a length of cable and a couple of 30 Amp connectors so I could make up a custom length cord and actually connect the generator to my new hookup.  I found myself standing in the electrical isle with four other guys staring at an empty box where the 30 Amp connectors used to be before they sold out.  And, except for one pathetically small portable Generac display model left on the shelf, Lowes had sold out of all its generators as well.  I ended up paying way too much for a pre-made cable that was way too long for what I needed just so there was not a loophole in my umbrella theory for mother nature or the power company to exploit.  As it turned out my theory proved itself once again; having everything I needed to keep power on at the house the power indeed did not go out.

However, during all of my careful planning and preparation, it never occurred to me to buy a snow shovel!  And having spent the last 35 years in Southern California, of course I didn't own anything remotely resembling a snow shovel.  And if you take my "umbrella" theory to its logical conclusion, of course I needed one before our snow episode was over.  In addition to the transfer switch, I had the electrician install a sub-panel in my shop.  My entire lower level garage/shop has a half dozen receptacles (good right?) all fed by one 15 Amp circuit (not so good!).  I can't run my 13 Amp table saw and my shop vac (for dust collection) at the same time without tripping said 15 Amp breaker.  So what does this have to do with my lack of snow shovel?  The electrician was due to come back and finish up with the sub-panel on Monday but was not able to get to my house with his truck because of the snow and ice on the street/hill in front of my house.  So on Monday morning I salted the hill and in the afternoon after the sun and salt had an opportunity to soften the ice, I went after the ice and snow with my 10" flat garden shovel and my shop push broom.  No, I did not try to sweep the snow and ice.  That was about as effective as trying to move a heavy load by pushing a rope!  OK, I did initially try a bit to push the snow with my broom.  What worked eventually was breaking up the ice with the shovel and then flipping the broom head upside down and plowing the ice off the road with the solid wood part of the broom head.  And I failed to mention, generators and cables were not the only thing that sold out before the worst of the snow fell over the weekend.  Both Lowes and Home Depot were completely sold out of snow shovels.  The upside was I got a very good look at what I was up against for tackling my two long drives and the street hill in front of my house.  With snow shovels still not available and on back order I got on-line and ordered a couple of specialty items not available in stores.  Delivered this week I now have in my garage (see umbrella theory above) an Edge 24 inch Poly Blade Snow Pusher and Ice Chopper; and, a 36 inch Wide Plastic Perfect Shovel.  
 Of course I still have to clear about 50 yards of driveway and another 50 yards of street by hand but at least I now have decent tools for the job!  What are the chances it won't snow for the rest of the season now?  That's OK, it's bound to snow again eventually.

I also had a brief opportunity to deal with the local county electrical inspector.  I've always said that you should not be qualified to work in a Building Department without first having to deal with plan review, permitting, or inspection with a different Building Department.  I've previously had that privilege when I lived in Fontana, but that story is for another time.  My electrician did a bang up job on my main and sub-panel and passed the inspection on his work first time, however we failed the final inspection because of a gas pipe bonding issue that was previously approved during the original home construction, something apparently that has been recognized as acceptable forever.  But as it goes with inspection staffs, someone with a different opinion did a training session and now all the inspectors are calling what they learned retroactively.  So I did the only thing I could.  I called "our" electrical expert, Dave Dyer.  Dave helped me research the maze of code requirements that is the NEC; National Exception Code.  We agreed the bonding correction was not valid and should not be required and we outlined my argument for the inspector with code sections and the appropriate rational.  I then took my newly acquired knowledge and supporting documentation, went to Lowes, purchased $50 worth of wire, clamps and supports, and in about a half hour I made the correction by bonding the gas pipe to the service with #4 wire.  One of the more important lessons I learned from the development community during my 30+ years in the building enforcement industry is, regardless of how right or wrong you are, sometimes the best course of action is the path of least resistance.  I hope that all of my contractor friends appreciate the perspective I've developed on this particular issue.  Dave was great.  And apparently I'm not the only one that imposes on him occasionally for his electrical expertise.  Dave even let slide that "primadonna electrical inspector" comment I made.  I'm almost positive Dave won't mind that he did all that research for me and I just caved in and installed the wire anyway.  I just kept remembering that old "wrestling a pig in the mud" joke and cut my losses.  Anyway, I met the electrical inspector when he came by for the re-inspection.  He was a perfectly pleasant guy and I passed the re-inspection so all's well that ends well!          

We went again to see Liam compete at Marshall University (yes the same "We Are Marshall" from the movie) on Saturday.  It was about 5 hours each way but if we don't go to see him at his meets, we never get to see him at all.  Also, we have to remember that he is starting over as a freshman competing against NCAA DI athletes.  Liam beat all of the college runners in his first meet in early December qualifying for the end of season championship and only barely finished second to a professional runner in that early meet.  After spending most of his Christmas holiday with a lung infection and then catching a cold after his return to school, Liam is finally getting back to form and managed to better his time by about seven seconds for 3000 meters Saturday, but his 8:47.61 was only good for 13th place against the older more seasoned DI runners from the larger schools.     

Four hours prior to his personal best at 3000 meters Liam ran a personal best 4:23.26 mile, also good for 13th place.  Liam has run mile splits faster with his high school relay teams when they set their school records and qualified for national rankings but those times were from moving, not static starts.  Liam's 4:23 was almost :04 seconds faster than his previous best mile.  Also, Liam's previous best mile was an outdoor time.  I'm told that indoor times are always slower due to the small ovals and added turns for whatever that is worth.

Except for a little projected rain (90% chance) on Wednesday our 10 day weather forecast is looking great.  And I just got the news that this year we are looking at getting a modest tax refund from the feds for a change.  If I can be allowed a minor plagerism; "If I were doing any better I'd  be twins!"  I hope everyone is doing at least as well.

Your friend,

Rick