I would be able to write something called

Ode to a Generator



During our recent power outage, this little guy kept us going beautifully.  I think it deserves an ode, but that type of prose is beyond me.

Of course so then does my husband.  The man who knew how to wire things so the generator could be used to its full potential during those hours with no electricity.  The man knows how to create cables, how to run motors on the generator without ruining them (there is apparently a trick to this that I did not know), ensuring that things are safely connected and listening critically to how the motor runs the entire time it's on...

Who knew it could be so complicated.  That you don't just turn it on, plug stuff in and walk away.  I think he has osmosis where this stuff is concerned.  He seems to just "know" it.  He will claim it's through trial and error and lots of reading... but I think it's got to be osmosis. 

We were able to use this lovely little machine to alternately, run the furnace, the hot water heater, the water pump (necessary when you have well and septic for your water supply), the refrigerator, and any lights we needed (we didn't turn on anything high voltage of course).  Except for the lights these all had to run separately, but just the fact that they could run was most excellent.

There were a few harrowing moments when it started to bog down.  That was Saturday night when the temperature was about 15 degrees.  My husband had read that these generators can have difficulty with ice build up in the carburetor... so we moved it into the garage, opened a couple of doors and a window.  For some reason that was adequate to make it start behaving well again.

We bought this back in 2000 after a power outage caused a basement flood.  This is the first time we've used it, outside of the test runs.  I will say, it performed beautifully.  I'm very glad we had it or we might have frozen into Popsicles in our house.    

It's a wonderful thing this generator.  It goes without saying that my husband is wonderful. 

Posted by: Teresa in Weather at 10:19 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 379 words, total size 2 kb.

1 Your husband sounds like mine; they can just do these things.  I find that mystifying in the extreme.  

Generators are awesome when you need 'em... I'm just glad we haven't needed one since Wilma. 

Posted by: pam at December 17, 2008 10:14 AM (l6NIn)

2

Ode to a generator

(or Owed to a generator)

Oh rumbly beast that lights my house

From rafter tall to cornered mouse,

I thank you for your service here;

For warming feet and cooling beer.

I hope that you will not feel slighted

(I truly think you should be knighted)

If I appreciate this pass

But run you fully out of gas

So when I need you next for use

You’ll start better with this abuse.

Your innards won’t be clogged with crud

From gasoline that’s turned to mud.

So thank you for your toil and labor.

You’ve kept us warmer than the neighbor.

And when we finally roll you ‘way

I hope that you won’t hear me say..

I hope we don’t have to do this again next week!

Posted by: MGA at December 18, 2008 09:14 AM (YcUKP)

3 OMG - Excellent!!!   I love it!!!

ROFLMAO.

Posted by: Teresa at December 18, 2008 09:16 AM (smhqn)

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