Last night the wind storms we’ve been experiencing finally inflicted damage on our little neighborhood. The wind gusts were predicted to reach as high as 60 mph, and I believe they made it, have not yet heard any confirmation of that, but it was howling like I’ve never heard.
No buildings here were damaged, but a neighbor’s tree was uprooted and fell across the small roadway that leads from Piney Mountain Rd up to Smoky Mountain Woodworks and points beyond. No one else has built up there yet but hunters use the road to get their dogs up there to hunt.
The power lines to Smoky Mountain Woodworks also run along that roadway, and the falling tree landed on them. 
The strain snapped off two power poles, including the one next to SMW, which ripped up the wiring between the outside breaker box and the building.
The end result is that Smoky Mountain Woodworks has no power – and will have no power until the broken pole and damaged wiring can be repaired or replaced. Since this is a holiday our neighbor – who has said he will take responsibility for the damage – may not be able to contact his insurance company. I am going to drive into town and see if I can’t find a heavy duty extension cord long enough (about 200 feet) to bring a little power out to the workshop from our house. I will still have no lights or heat, but would be able to run tools, one or two at a time so that I can keep working on Nance’s CD End Table and not fall any further behind than necessary. The mortgage payment is due soon.
When I got back from the Newport Lowes with my extension cord I found 3 Utilities trucks busily replacing the one pole that belongs to them and an electrician, hired by Tim (the neighbor whose tree caused the mess) looking over the damage to my system. He had to go get the materials he’ll need but we may have the power back on before the day’s end – thanks to Tim’s prompt action.
So, all in all, we’re still blessed!
I’ll log in again this evening to let you know what I got accomplished today.
Doug
No buildings here were damaged, but a neighbor’s tree was uprooted and fell across the small roadway that leads from Piney Mountain Rd up to Smoky Mountain Woodworks and points beyond. No one else has built up there yet but hunters use the road to get their dogs up there to hunt.
The power lines to Smoky Mountain Woodworks also run along that roadway, and the falling tree landed on them. 
The strain snapped off two power poles, including the one next to SMW, which ripped up the wiring between the outside breaker box and the building.The end result is that Smoky Mountain Woodworks has no power – and will have no power until the broken pole and damaged wiring can be repaired or replaced. Since this is a holiday our neighbor – who has said he will take responsibility for the damage – may not be able to contact his insurance company. I am going to drive into town and see if I can’t find a heavy duty extension cord long enough (about 200 feet) to bring a little power out to the workshop from our house. I will still have no lights or heat, but would be able to run tools, one or two at a time so that I can keep working on Nance’s CD End Table and not fall any further behind than necessary. The mortgage payment is due soon.
When I got back from the Newport Lowes with my extension cord I found 3 Utilities trucks busily replacing the one pole that belongs to them and an electrician, hired by Tim (the neighbor whose tree caused the mess) looking over the damage to my system. He had to go get the materials he’ll need but we may have the power back on before the day’s end – thanks to Tim’s prompt action.So, all in all, we’re still blessed!
I’ll log in again this evening to let you know what I got accomplished today.
Doug
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