Never say never

After 6 months of living without electricity we finally were able to proceed with getting temporary power. When we were applying for a construction loan they told us not to do any improvements on the land i.e. electricity until we closed. The loan process started in August and we finally closed in November. So those four months we had to sit on our hands and not improve anything (even if we were going to pay out of pocket). Then in December we were not sure if we should just wait till we got our house permits and just get our permanent electric line in and not waist the money for the temporary line. Well getting all the permits in order has taken longer than expected. Oh, the red tape. Getting trenches dug, Benjamin and Scott setting up our electric box and pedestal, all that stuff takes time. But with Suzie's little Franklin being born 10 weeks early our need for temporary power seemed eminent. We decided that the extra cost would be worth it to receive temporary power (it ended up being less then 500 dollars, are you kidding me!).

Finally the day arrived Monday January 26, the county inspector would come to see our set up and see if it met the code. If it made code he would then "green tag" it. Once it is green tagged then the power company comes out and puts all the power lines in and juices it up. The power company was scheduled to come the very next day to set the lines and turn it all on. But.......... we didn't get green tagged. The inspector came (or as I like to call him the dream crusher) and he failed us. We would not be getting power. Six months we have lived with out. Six months. SIX MONTHS.

I was devastated. I woke up on Tuesday knowing this was the day we were suppose to get power but wouldn't. I was really getting pruney in my sadness. I was shopping with the boys and Holman says to me"Mom will we ever get power?" I turned to him and said, "no son we will never get power." I bought a chocolate cake from walmart and took it home.

When we got home from our shopping trip I called the power company told them we weren't green tagged and almost cried on the phone, they asked when we would be able to be green tagged and I said, it would probably be another month until we could get all the stuff done that we needed to. I explained that I didn't want a worker to drive all the way out here only to find out that we weren't tagged to go ahead. Then at 1 in the afternoon a worker shows up. I apologized to him for not getting the message and for waisting his time. He said he got the message and was just going to place all the wire and get it set up, and that he would come back to turn it on once it is green tagged. Then he says, "How long till you get green tagged"......I nearly cry again as I tell him my woes. He smiled and said "Oh".

I picked up the kids from the bus we all crammed in my trailer and I pulled out the cake and we ate to our mediocrity.

At five thirty when I was making dinner I hear the workers telling me they are leaving. I thank them for coming and as he is leaving he says, "mam, you got power now, just run an electric cord to the outlet by the pedestal." I say, "but won't you get in trouble?" He turns to leave and shrugs his shoulders and says, "maybe." Love that man! The kids were so excited and asked but how mom how did we get it? I told them that the man saw a damsel in distress and decided to become a hero. Never say never!