As I write this Alex is currently sputtering with rage, pacing anxiously, muttering obscenities, and generally having a nervous breakdown. Typically this is my role in our renovation adventures as well as our relationship, it's a rare occasion when the tables are turned and I get to witness his meltdown unicorn. When he turns into a seething monster, I try to be the calm one, instead offering up words of encouragement, support, and attempts at the general "look at the positive side" arguments. Tonight, all I can come up with is, "At least the house didn't burn down." But let me back up a couple months to bring you up to speed.

Earlier this year, after arriving home from work, I noticed something just didn't look right on the side of our house. After pausing and inspecting more carefully, I realized that the wire holder above our main service head had pulled out of the house, evident by the dangling anchor and gaping hole in our masonry. Alex covered it at length during one of his venting blog posts back when it occurred and received a lot of very helpful advice from everyone. Here's a photo of what it looked like when it was still attached.

Back when we first discovered the issue, Alex contacted our power company, who after paying us a visit advised us that we needed to install a new heavy duty wire holder on the side of the house in order for them to reattach the wires, thus correcting the problem. The helpful power company employee instructed us that unfortunately due to liability issues, we'd need to install the wire holder ourself (or hire someone to do it). Hmm. This presented some challenges given the location is at the middle of our second story, and the fact we don't have a 20 foot extension ladder. I also have a panic attack when my husband is up in high, unsecured places given his penchant for roof diving. (If it were an Olympic sport, he'd be a leading contender, I'm sure.)

So, in good form, we ignored the problem for a good five months, knowing we needed to address it at some point in the near future. Granted, the power company employee did say, "You know, it really doesn't have any stress on it, so there's no rush to correct it right now." Life went on, we were happy, but it was always a project nagging in the back of our minds.

Fast forward to two weeks ago, a mere 30 minutes before we were set to leave for our trip to Germany. In the whirlwind of packing, making sure everything was wrapped up before or trip, and general last second pre-vacation craziness, Alex discovered that the wires had pulled further away from our house, leaving them in a very precarious situation.