As previewed here last week, Pacific Power did its thing outside our house on Friday, and the old transformer (left or top picture, left pole) has been replaced by Big Bertha (right or bottom picture, right pole). The street light was also transplanted (or is that trans-poled?). Then, surprise surprise, the power crew sawed off the top of the old pole!

All that's left to be moved now are digital cable and phone lines. I'm assuming they will be affixed to the new pole, and the old pole will be removed, in due course. In the meantime, we did run the heat pump a bit over the weekend (Rose Festival weather always involves nighttime temperatures in the 40s and some good hard showers), and lo and behold, the lights didn't blink any more. Huzzah. The true test will come, of course, when the air conditioners at our place and the neghbors' are both going full tilt in mid- and late summer.

Anyway, thanks to the men and women of Pacific Power for their splendid efforts to date. For anyone else with blinking lights, I suggest you get your repair request in before the City of Portland takes over the power business in these parts. Once they're running things, you'll be required to build a windmill on your roof, and drink out of the downspouts. Save the planet!