[OT] And I thought *I* was dumb about electricity....

This woman who's gonna replace me as horse-watcher was here today dropping
off a trailer and she brought her mom along. Her mom was waiting near the
car while daughter was inside with me discussing electrical issues of this
place.

We walked outside toward the car, still talking, when the woman mentions
that she could stay in her camper in the yard until I got moved out but
she'd have to have electricity. The mom was hearing this as I told the lady
there is no place to plug into, as the outdoor socket had become inoperable
when a mouse shorted out the wiring in the walls.

Then the mother piped up "Oh, the electric company will take care of that."

I said, "Oh, how's that?"

She says, "Well, they come out and hook up a meter."

I said, "There's already a meter on the pole. Everything past the pole, into
the house, the electric company doesn't do."

She shot back: "Oh yes they do. When they come out and hook up that meter,
then the outlet will work."

I gave up trying to make her get the picture.....

jmcquown...

Perhaps she just isn't familiar with the zoning laws in your area or what
the electric company will or won't do out there. I know if I moved to a
place such as you've described I wouldn't have any idea.

Having said that, I'm sure if they would have taken care of it you or Gloria
would have had them already do so :)

John F. Eldredge...

Even so, hooking up a meter wouldn't magically fix the inside wiring.

Pat...

The woman in question lives 4 miles away and uses the same electric company.

To set the record straight, electric companies produce and distribute
electricity. They do not handle wiring to and within individual homes, that
is the province of private electricians.

jmcquown...

That makes sense. But then again, I've lived in places where a mile down
the road I've have been in the Memphis city limits but where I lived wasn't
considered the city even though we use the same electric company. They
handled things differently depending on the zones. For example, in the
"city" they install street lights in new subdivisions. In the county, it
can take years for streetlights to be installed (by the same electric
company). It depends on the tax base.

Still, as I stated, I'm sure if your electric company would have fixed the
problem with a new meter or by *whatever* means, y'all would have had it
taken care of well before this.

sriddles...

Our rural electric company actually *does* repair wiring inside the
house. You have to pay for it though. Anything outside your walls, they
pay for.