Two hours before midnight in 2007 and I’m without diner, heating, power, Internet or TV. While vacuum cleaning my living room early today an AC outlet located in a rain-swept outside wall started making a humming sound, followed by a small flash. I assume somehow water got into the wall. Seconds later, all my fuses blew, along with the AC outlet. I (foolishly) only disconnected some equipment and decided to power-up again. Flicking the switch caused a major domino effect, destroying several of my appliances. My 200 name digital phone directory seems to have died, along with the phones and several other devices. I’ve yet to check the extend of the overall damage. An emergency electrician noted a major issue with the wiring in the wall and claimed he could not assist my any further before Jan 2nd or later. Electricians don’t break into walls on New Year’s day.
I’m typing this on a laptop connected to an AC extension cord generously provided by a neighbor and a friend. While the streets in front of Antwerp City hall are filling up with a crowd of 100,000 heading towards the riverbank fireworks, I’m trying to decide what to do next. Looking at several uncooked “Roti de Biche” and ten bottles of sparkling wine, I called my guests to inform them that my party had been canceled, as 2008 had already started without them, with one loud flashy bang.
Sometimes, life sucks. Anyway, I hope your last hours of 2007 were less traumatic.
[Updated and reposted Jan 1st: I'm still without TV, heating or the use of my kitchen after a sleepless night with the noise of the city celebrating the New Year, with only power in the bedroom. My insurance is refusing assistance, claiming the AC wiring wiring damage and subsequent power flash was 'structural' and not 'accidental'. I'm waiting for a technician, who will hopefully show up tomorrow. As you can see, I did manage to take a couple of shots of the Antwerp fireworks on the riverbanks in front of my door. Friends sent me 'have lots of fun' messages on my cell phone... Anyway, I'm beginning to realize how it feels to suffer major damage to one's home]
[update Jan 2nd: the repair service cannot assist me due to to "work overload after Jan 1st". It's freezing in Antwerp. "We will call you when someone is free this week". I'm off to a warm spot at the downtown shopping center...]
[Update Jan 3rd: my return to the civilized world (heat! power!) was celebrated with popping bottles of Asti!]
This blog is not affiliated with or endorsed by the city of Antwerp, Belgium.
Roving veterbrae, a frozen shoulder, months of expensive physio, disengaged partner, fragile neighbor, disloyal friends, bottles of painkillers, a collapsing closet, and exploding wiring. No, you won’t miss 2007, will you?
Wishing you GOOD THINGS and GOOD PEOPLE in 2008.
XOXO
Comment by V-Grrrl — January 1, 2008 @ 1:08 pm
Thanks for commenting Veronica.
It’s uplifting to read wishes not starting with “have lots of fun today!”.
Anyway, I’m amazed Antwerp electricians will not start any structural work on Jan 1st.
Weird, isn’t it? I’m typing a comment on a high-speed internet network while the essentials (and much less high-tech) items like heating and power are down. I’m still trying to figure out how to save my living room (with a large banana tree and tropical plants) now that the temperature is dropping fast towards freezing.
XO
[The spam blogs are making money off the damage to my home: http://cleaning.thegeekyblog.com/2007/12/31/power-crashing-into-2008/
Just what I needed.]
Comment by Peter — January 1, 2008 @ 1:26 pm
oh that stinks, sorry to hear that. well happy new year to you anywho.
Comment by furiousBall — January 1, 2008 @ 3:42 pm
Thanks furiousball. Isn’t it amazing how helpless we become when our AC power goes down for a prolonged period of time? No TV, cooking, heating. Fortunately a friendly neighbor assisted me to get an internet connection while waiting for assistance to arrive Wednesday 2nd.
Comment by Peter — January 1, 2008 @ 4:10 pm
* offers her shoulder *
Say goodbye to 2007 with a swift kick in the ass. I too won’t miss it. What a crap experience, all because you were trying to keep your house clean. Damn those moments of sanity!
I hope everything works out in the end, and if it doesn’t come to my house, I’ll fry you and the s/o up some eggs and get silly drunk with you on mulled wine and self-pity.
KUS!
Comment by Claudia — January 1, 2008 @ 6:43 pm
Thanks Claudia, much appreciated. The KUS (kiss) was great
My s/o said (in a rare moment of real enlightenment, he’s the “let’s chop wood type”): ‘it could be worse’.
I’ll get over it, as soon as the power is restored and the financial damage forgotten. Thanks again for offering your shoulder.
Comment by Peter — January 1, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
That’s horrible … I hope things improve rapidly.
xo
Comment by Di — January 1, 2008 @ 11:17 pm
Thanks for being supportive Di. It feels like camping, without the fun. The emergency oil heater keeps it at 12-15°C inside, but I just hope anyone will show up on Wednesday: it’s hard to get an electrician after the mayhem of Jan 1st. Living on one AC extension cord also doesn’t work well for my s/o.
[Update Jan 2nd: got a call that Thursday Jan 3rd someone "might" assess the damage. Seems half of Belgium is on vacation the first week of Jan. I feel cold and upset.]
Comment by Peter — January 1, 2008 @ 11:30 pm
That’s awful. Talk about bad timing. Hope it gets sorted soon, although knowing Belgian services, it could take a while. I can drive up with a woolly jumper to keep you warm if you like? Or maybe some mulled wine?
Comment by simonlitton — January 3, 2008 @ 11:19 am
Your too kind Simon. Really, I’m amazed how supportive people both online and in real life have been.
It’s 2pm on a freezing cold Thursday and YES!, my heating has been restored.
A older, friendly technician worked six hours to repair a part of the damage. Unfortunately, the “water in the outside wall” short-circuit issue can only be resolved by breaking down half the building, something I do not envision paying for. Next week some new, partial “on the wall wiring” will be installed.
Isn’t it fun, living in historic buildings with stuck, melted power-lines encased in pure concrete?
Anyway, I can continue blogging
Comment by Peter — January 3, 2008 @ 2:19 pm
[...] a regular reader you may remember my explosive, water-induced “flashy” start of 2008, when my AC blew due to water infiltration in these cute historic walls. Well, it just happened again, fortunately [...]
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