Re: Wiring in Winter

["Just Looking" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>There's "ways and means" to make your attic wire runs less enticing >to
furry freeloaders by the way.

Yes, insist that the homeowner calls a professional exterminator ASAP.

>You can always ask the homeowner for some margarine and >mustard because
you're going to your van to make some
> fresh squirrel sandwiches.

I've never eaten squirrel meat. And trying to eat one during the summer?
Fleas, ticks, parasitic worms and God knows what else will crawl off them
and on to you. No thanks.

> Been there.  Not squirrels though...  Bats.  They're really creepy.

Bats? We've got plenty! More than you've ever seen I bet.

http://www.batcon.org/home/index.asp?idPage=122&idSubPage=66

http://www.austincityguide.com/content/congress-bridge-bats-austin.asp

About Congress Bridge Bats
The Congress Avenue Bridge spans Town Lake in downtown Austin and is home to
the largest urban bat colony in North America.  The colony is estimated at
1.5 million Mexican free-tail bats.   Each night from mid-March to November,
the bats emerge from under the bridge at dusk to blanket the sky as they
head out to forage for food.  This event has become one of the most
spectacular and unusual tourist attractions in Texas.  The most spectacular
bat flights are during hot, dry August nights, when multiple columns of bats
emerge.  There are several points from which to view the event, and an
information kiosk is located on the north bank of the river, just east of
the bridge.

"Frank Olson" <use_the_email_links@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Kp06j.3411$iU.1533@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Roland Moore wrote:
> >> Try workin' in -25 C.  That'll put some frost on that hair >on your
face.
> >
> > I have a beard. Unless I was driving south, I wouldn't even go outside
> > in -25 C, let alone try to work.
>
> Wuss.
>
>
> >
> >> That's plain dumb.  Get all your runs done before 0900.
> >
> > Well it's not necessarily a new installation. In this area there are
lots of
> > native pecan tress. Rodents, especially squirrels, like using those
pecans
> > as a food resource. The animals then decide any adjacent structure with
an
> > attic is a better place to hang out. Once there the pecan thing seems
less
> > enticing than good old 22-2 loop wire. So no matter when you start your
day,
> > when the service ticket for that location comes in you can bet you'll
get to
> > spend some time in the attic repairing the gnaw fest.
>
> That would just plain suck.  There's "ways and means" to make your attic
> wire runs less enticing to furry freeloaders by the way.  Garlic works
> on bats (or is it just vampires?).  I wonder if it does the same for
> squirrels?
>
> > Some guys even bring
> > pellet guns on repeat calls to get rid of the pesky varmints. Then the
> > challenge is to sneak the carcass past the homeowner and the kids
(because
> > they've probably named the stupid thing by that point).
>
> Take your lunch box up with you.  You can always ask the homeowner for
> some margarine and mustard because you're going to your van to make some
> fresh squirrel sandwiches.
>
> > Other times,
> > sticking your head in a roof-top cupola and finding you're not alone can
be
> > an experience to remember.
>
> Been there.  Not squirrels though...  Bats.  They're really creepy.
>
> > Did I mention squirrels bite?
>
> But only when they smell pecans on your breath.  :-)