Day #1,287 - New Phone

It's really easy to report the Progress of Charter Cable Service Today -- Another Day of ZERO!!!  Not a peep from them.  On the other hand there was plenty of activity from the Phone Company crews.

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I have been working full time with the utility company crews every day this week and have made almost no progress inside the Penny Palace or at the Pomona house.

8:30  a.m. A water company rep arrived to mark their water lines.  That was probably triggered by the new permit request submitted by the Phone Company.  The lines were marked three weeks ago when the first city permit was requested by the Cable Company.

8:45 a.m.  Phone Company bury crew Gus and Eric returned to continue their work today.  First thing we did was to open the sprinkler control box and double check the repaired water line.  The guys could not get the valve to work.  I had forgotten how to activate the controller, but fortunately neighbor Craig sauntered across the street.  He has been my “Knight in Shining Armor” so many times over the past two years.

Shelving Optimization

9:15 a.m.  Luis from a Utility Undergrounding service arrived.  He had been here previously to mark the lines, but was called out again due to this new Permit Request.  So he basically hung around to kill an hour.  He “pathed a line” but thought it might be the power line versus the telephone line we were seeking.

11:00  The Phone Crew was still digging in hole #2.  30” down and no phone line to be found.  After several days of digging the crew was ready to stop on that hole and begin on Hole #3.  They were tired and discouraged and so was I.  I went out and gave them each a house-shaped refrigerator magnet.  These are little tokens which I had made up to thank persons who have helped us on this project.  The magnets say “Thank you for helping to make our Dream House a Reality.  Doc and Tina Shelton”.  The two guys smiled and appreciated the small recognition of their efforts.  Shared Moment of Joy.

Moments later there was a knock on the garage door.  It was Gus. He had just found the sought-after phone line!!!!  COINcidence?  He said he was about to begin on Hole #3, but “something told him” to look one more time in Hole #1  (about 6 feet down).  I call those “nudgings”.

11:30  It took only a few minutes and they had their bullet through the ground.  They first attempted to blast a channel about 4 ft. down, but hit rock.  The second try was only about 1 foot deep and took just minutes.

We've Got Dirt!

I noted that there would be a sizable remaining hole once the crew began backfilling.  There were numerous large boulders and medium-sized rocks which could not be placed back in the holes.  Thus, while they went to lunch, I went in search of some fill dirt.  Tried three different sources.  Finally asked neighbor Craig.  He knew of a neighbor 6-7 houses away who had a huge pile of mulch in his driveway.  I grabbed my gloves and a shovel for a lunch-time “date” with my Knight. 

By the time the Phone Crew returned, I had dirt for them and we began the backfilling.

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This morning Housekeeper Maribel put in a few hours for a bit of much-needed cleaning.  The Ramboard (thick cardboard) on the floor really adds to the dust.  Shortly after she left, I came walking through the entire house in my work boots (after shoveling that truckload of soil).  I left a trail of dirt in my wake.  Rats!

Doc was very sweet and vacuumed up my mess when he awoke from his nap.

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3:00 p.m.  The Phone Bury Crew was in their truck and ready to leave.  I shut the garage door and was planning to FINALLY head to the Pomona house to begin my work day.

Finally Phone Service

Within minutes the Phone Company Install Crew arrived.  It was Mario’s last day on the job before retiring.  The Penny Palace was his final performance.  His partner, Dan, began working immediately.  When he called in to test and activate the line there were complications.  They also needed a grounding cable installed.  (Future work for our electrician).  There were glitches, but by 5 p.m. we had a working phone line  (Line #1).

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Approximately 6:45 Doc and I headed to the Pomona house to work.  Doc stopped at the 7-11 store before the freeway in order to get a coffee and allow me to find coins.  We found a penny before going inside.  Then just inside the door was a dime and three pennies, then more as Doc was making his purchase.  We had ten coins when we left that store!  Doc said, “I just KNOW there are two more coins in the parking lot.”  I laughed and said, “Should I keep looking or do you want to leave now?”  Within moments I had a penny, then a dime.  Laughingly I said, “OK Angels.  That now makes a Coin Mine (12 coins).  Do you want to play any more and make it a ‘Baker’s Dozen’”? I found another penny and dime!

We made a stop at Lowe’s for some supplies.  One nickel there.

Total:    15  Coins        P (9), N (1), D (5), Q (0) = $0.64

I have been fond of saying:  “Thirty Years:  Same House, Same Spouse, Same Phone Number”. Two out of three of those have just changed and Doc is getting nervous.

Note:  I have a 50 Year Agreement with the Spouse part of that equation and we will celebrate 30 years in a few days from now.