The Trouble with Potholes!
I've been in Owensboro since Saturday-- scanning in old pictures, letters, and documents for a family reunion. I grew up here, and know all the odd shortcuts to places, the ways around traffic snafus, and am used to cutting through parking lots to get places. One good thing about Owensboro, there are at least 5 ways to get anywhere in town.
But, I haven't lived here since 1986, and some things have changed. Most of the changes don't leave that much of an impression-- I remember who used to live in that house, but they have long since died or the family has moved... Our house will shortly be 51 years old, and we're on our 8th set of across-the-street neighbors. I've lived at that house, or considered it "home", for 51 years.
Mike Parker's house has a new family in it, of at least 3 boys. Good to see! Mike had 3 brothers and his Daddy was a sports writer for the local newspaper, a lovely man. His Mama was a cute little women, who ran off with a biker, leaving her family behind, and was never heard of again. Mike, sadly, passed away of a malignant brain tumor about 20 years ago. Things like that-- things you don't really notice as a major change, because it's all under the surface, so to speak.
I was up in the attic this afternoon, banging my head on the rafters, nails grabbing at my hair, crawling around trying to find the box of pictures that used to be up there. NO luck. I finally tried to inch my way down the attic pull-down stairs, and realized, about half way down, that it probably isn't a good idea to be up there by myself going up and down on that old wooden stairway. It sways, and wants to dump one off the side. Just as I was figuring that out, I missed a step, and lost my footing, falling heavily to the concrete floor and banging my head on the dryer.
It was only the 3rd step, so I am unharmed, but, as much as I hate to do it, I guess I'm going to have to hire someone to come and either help me, or to be available to call an ambulance.
Not obviously rattled, I decided to go the local barbecue joint and get some good old Daviess County Barbecue. They had moved the ordering speaker in the drive-thru, so naturally, I missed it, and ended up sandwiched between a giant, jacked up pick-em-up truck and the smokehouse. As soon as possible, coughing up a lung from the hickory smoke, I cut around the smokehouse and went back through the line with the window rolled up. I paid for my sandwich, and then, just like I have done thousands of times, turned right to cut through the parking lot, across an alley, and into another parking lot, which would spit me out behind Kroger's.
My headlights picked up a shadow, but I thought nothing of it-- until the right rear wheel of my car fell into the bottomless pit of a pot hole. Oh my gosh! I was going slowly, thank heavens, or it would have ripped the axle off of the car!
My flashlight that I usually carry in my purse was at home, up in the attic, and in my fluster after falling, I had left my phone on the kitchen table, along with the umpteen thousand old photographs and letters.
I got out of the car and couldn't see the bottom of the hole. By leaning into it, I could feel all around the tire, and it wasn't touching anything on any side. I drive a Subaru Outback, and it has all wheel drive, but my car wasn't going anywhere .
A very nice man, who ended up being a boy I taught, 35+ years ago, in high school, stopped and called AAA for me. He has all grown up and is now a grandfather! What a lovely fellow! (Somehow, I find this surprising. Just about as surprised as he was, when he learned who I was-- yes, I have gray hair... Why don't you?)
So, back at home, sitting at the table, surrounded by all these er, bits , I would just like to thank my former student for calling AAA, them for coming to get my car out of the pothole, Old Hickory for a delicious barbecue sandwich, and yes, I promise to be more careful...
So, do you have a pothole story?
Thanks for coming by!
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This ability to get anywhere in town about 5 different ways is really good, and one that Louisville doesn't have! It comes in really handy after a natural disaster, when they close off the main roads, and you want to get home and see what is still standing.
However, beware the evil potholes!
I think I need to hire somebody to come and help me... I also need more boxes. This afternoon, I tugged on a box and the whole side gave way! It's been up in that attic since about 1965... It's almost dust!
The sound of hitting the dryer sounded bad, but it really didn't hurt that much... My knees hurt worse! I'm truly grateful that arthritis has eased a bit the past couple of days.
Also, I think the worst thing about potholes is that they are so unexpected!
Thanks so much for coming by!
What a hoot!!! I love this picture!
Thanks for posting it!
I don't have a pothole story . But I do have a mechanical repair story . It is not nearly as dramatic as your harrowing attic accident story nor your pothole saga , but it happened just a few days back , so here goes :
I have taken to doing most of my transportation by bicycle and also the repairs to said bicycle . I recently changed out the old 5-speed freewheel for a brand new 7-speed one . It was tiring but I got through it OK . Then a few days ago I realized I could not shift into the fastest gears because the chain was too long . So I plunged headlong into removing a link from the chain . I got the old link off with no problem but as with most things mechanical getting it back together is always trickier than taking it apart ! It seems I needed at least 3 hands to effect that part of the repair ... and my cat was not going to assist . Finally I put the thing aside for the night and let my brain come up with the solution the next day .
The next day I put the chain onto the smallest gears so that it did not require quite so much force to pull the ends of the chain together . That worked better but to get the shaft back into the chain I needed to use a quick & dirty trick ... a vise grip and not the special chain tool . Unfortunately I pinched my finger while applying force to the chain shaft . I drew a little blood . Still things could have been a lot worse . My finger has almost healed from the abrasion . Am I complaining ? Hell no . My bike works great again , better than before . Mission accomplished . Sorry if my story lacks the dramatic flair of Dowser's . But if you like I could post a dramatic sinkhole pic from Florida :
Those of who live along the shores of Lake Erie enjoy only two real seasons each year -- winter and road construction, largely to fill in the pot holes which appear during the winter.
If someone were to actually create roads with material that stayed in place for more than a year or two at the most, unemployment would skyrocket in the area.
One local station in Cleveland actually gives out pothole alerts much like where gasoline is the cheapest for streets that are particularly bad at times.
Glad you are alright, be careful
Good gosh, Petey!
Is your finger ok? Pinching hurts so badly!!! My poor husband gets pinched all the time-- he just lost a thumbnail to being pinched. Hope you feel better soon!
Man, that is some "pothole"!
I'm not going up in the attic again, without someone else here, for sure.
My friend from Chicago names Chicago's seasons: winter, winter, winter, and road repair. I'm sure that y'all have it worse than we do with pot holes, but this was quite a surprise! The AAA guy said he had pulled a few cars out of this one!
All the major routes in Owensboro are being repaired/resurfaced right now, so the whole city is one of detours-- It's hard to locate new businesses to find the things I need when 1)they are on new streets and I'm not sure where they are located, and 2) even if I figure it out, I can't get there without going on a detour. At the moment, Louisville is the same way!
What you need Dowser is a young person to go up in that attic and bring everything up there down so you don't have to go back up there but one more time to make sure everything is downstairs.
My son could do it, but his knee is messed up, so he can't kneel. So, I'm going to have to hire someone! You are absolutely right!
I've looked into fixing the stairs and they don't make them any more... I don't know how to tighten it up, either! Grrrr.
Good idea! Great video, too!
Dowser, would you consider hiring someone to help you? Remember, that you are just one person, and you can't do everything!
Nona, I think I'm going to have to hire help. Someone young and strong... I need to somehow brace this stairway, though, or do something to make it safer. I sure don't want someone to get hurt!
Dear friend, thank you for your concern!!!
Dowser ,
You should post a photo of your rickety stairs . Those of us with a mechanical bent might be able to suggest a fix .