[thechat] #uksnow

[Luther, Ron]

John Handelaar noted:

>>I once knew some people who lived 15 miles from the border up in
>>Cumbria.  They didn't get electricity until the M6 reached Carlisle.
>>1968.


Hi John,

Yeah.  ;-)  I spent a lot of time up in rural northern Minnesota.  We had it pretty good.  We had electricity and even a hand crank telephone.  Eventually we put in an electric pump and a hose to bring water up from the lake and into the house.  That beat hell out of carrying buckets up from the lake!  Still had to drive a fair number of miles over to the State Park to work the hand pump to fill jerry cans with drinking water though.  Good times.  Although I admit - it could be a little disconcerting seeing eyes attached to something taller than you shining back from your flashlight on your way to the outhouse at night.

I remember an old guy, Tonto, who stopping by the house for a drink and to show off his first car.  I think he was in his 70's.  He didn't have electricity, or running water ... or even a driver's license for that matter ... but now that he had a car he didn't have to walk to the bar anymore!  He was pretty pleased!

RonL.