S**t Happened, Not My Fault This Time

We got our internet back today, having been without since Monday morning. I was looking forward to enjoy a bit of stewing during the week-end, but it was a bit hectic.

I wanted to brag about our youngest and Truls the pony who won the 80 cm show jumping class on Saturday, but I had to attend a 50th birthday party in the evening so I had no time. They won a ribbon, a backpack, a drinking bottle, a bag of carrots and a lot of applause. The birthday party was nice but I ate too much and sat and moaned most of Saturday evening.

Then I wanted to tell you about the snow on Sunday, but it was All Hearts Day and Mother's Day so I went to the stables and then took mother and mother-in-law out to family dinner in the afternoon. When we got home I had some wine and chocolate and fell asleep at 21.45 so I couldn't post about the nice dinner either.

Monday morning I went to the stables. Our neighbour rang to inform me that a big truck with trailer was stuck in the lane next to our house and we ought to come home and check the damage. Damage? Yes, the driver had taken a wrong turn in to our rather narrow lanes, couldn't turn back and decided to brave the uphill slippery lane next to our house. He didn't manage the climb up and slid back, hooking our internet cable on his way. Not too big a damage you say? Well, the cable is partly kevlar so it's pretty strong. It's anchored to a phone pole on the other side of the road and to a very long, heavy bolt on our wall. The pole held, but our wall board didn't. The cable was torn out of the in-house connection, and the outside lamp cables were torn out of the wall. The lamp disintegrated. The board could be hammered back in place, but we needed people in to fix the internet cable and an electrician to fix the lamp wires.

I started with the most important task, the internet. I rang the supplier who promised to send people first thing yesterday morning. They didn't show up so I rang them early in the afternoon. They claimed they had been here but didn't have the right type of cable in stock so they would be here this morning. They were, so internet is good.

The lamp is not good yet. We have to get a new lamp, and I'm not too keen on shopping for outdoor lamps. Hubby said he'll find one tomorrow.

The transport company got a report from their driver and then a damage report from my husband. They're covering the cost, no problems there. Right now the problem is a neighbour further up the road who is very upset because of the truck getting stuck and the fact that we got damage. He's waging a full-scale war on the transport company. We've told the people it has nothing to do with us. As far as we're concerned everything is fine. But the neighbour has sunk his teeth in and won't let go. We've decided to do absolutely nothing and let him wear himself out.

Here's a photo from the event to cheer both you and me up a bit:

 

good job truls and daughter.
Good thinking on the neighbor, too. We had a fabulously interesting call tonight from an irate community member that thought my husband should be the defender of clean air as a township trustee vs. the Nexus pipeline... good grief there are just some things we have no control over and one of them is other peoples behavior. you are doing the right thing.

 

Beautiful piccie from the event! Glad that things went so well there.
Sorry about the truck/accident/aggro, though - if you're like me, then maybe you are glad that you weren't actually there when it all happened.
I can cope with the mopping up and sorting out after a "disaster", but my nerves (and temper ) are likely to get the better of me in the heat of the moment, and that's not a pretty picture.

 

Ty carolyn. Clean air defender? Sounds interesting. Some people ought to work at getting a life. All that energy might be channeled into something useful.

Thanks zuzu. I'm pretty level headed as long as I'm not scared. Then it's another story. The poor driver was so sorry about the whole business. He sat there in his very long vehicle, waiting to be towed uphill, and was probably relieved that we didn't give him a good telling-off. I think the neighbour did that to his complete satisfaction. My husband heard most of it. It wasn't pleasant. Damage was done, the chap did a mistake and nobody was hurt bar dead things.

eileen, I don't know if he'll calm down any time soon. He has summoned the bosses of the transport company to a meeting here, to show them the lanes and set things straight. He said. I think this will be a long, ugly story before it's over but I do hope that he'll blow himself out as you say soon. Thanks for the congratulations. I'll bring them on. The carrots are already devoured.

 

What a day you had!

Yes, that steep and icy little street where you live is definitely not a place for a big truck. It sounds like the guy felt really bad about it all. Lucky that he was co-operative and his company will pay for the damage without being difficult.

What I can't get my head around is the neighbour from up the street. What is with that guy!

Well you have internet connection and the rest will be repaired and replaced, so it sounds like all will end well for you. Lucky no none was injured.

I still have to get used to the idea that there are all these wires and cables above ground.

Did you enjoy the eat that you took your mum and mother in law to? Is it a place that I know?

Well, I hope that your day today will be less active.

 

Big lorries on minor roads, seems to happen a lot. Satnavs do not take low wires into account. Round here when the main road is closed the lorries try to go round using a minor road and every time they do, they pull down the electricity cables which cross the road.
Glad everything is sorted for you though.

 

What a hectic few days you have had Droopy! Congrats to your daughter and Truls!
Glad you got your internet back and that all the damage will be paid for.

 

Sjoerd, we had Chinese in town. The food's ok, but not amazing.

Palustris, we've had a bus of Spanish tourists stuck outside at one time. We weren't home. Pity, I would have loved to serve them coffee and chat a bit.

Netty, thank you.

I've had a pretty relaxing day so far. I took my youngest to the dentist and then to school. I've done the stable chores and went to fetch some wood chips and saw dust for the horses' bedding. A dairy farmer I didn't know was already there, but there was a lot more than he needed so I could dig in. Then a couple of horse ladies I know turned up. There was still a lot left so they could also fill their car up. We're getting ready for jumping practice now, and when that's over we'll fetch the middle daughter on our way home. I don't have to get up early tomorrow, so I think I'll try to sleep in.

 

Probably the only good thing about this is that all the disasters happened at once, rather than being strung out over several days! I'm so glad you have your 'net back (again) because I do love reading your posts, and especially seeing elegant Truls. Your daughter did very well, and so did Truls--congratulations to both of them!

 

You have surely had an interesting and busy week! I'm glad you problems were not major ones, just irritating, and are being taken care of. I really enjoyed the picture of your daughter and Truls and please give them my congratulations.

 

Thanks, marlingardener and 2ofus.

Yesterday I heard that the end of the story is not yet in sight. It seems the angry neighbour has been phoning other neighbours around here to get them in on his game, whatever he's playing at. He hasn't contacted us yet. We're not going to play anyways, and he'll most likely never speak to us again. How come I feel that's a good thing I wonder?

 

You are probably right on that one, Droo.
Chinese?. I am thinking of ordering Chinese tonight.mmmmmmm.

 

Perhaps he has never read Alexander Pope’s "Essay on Criticism”...
you know, " To err is human, to forgive, divine".