When the heat wouldn’t cycle on at the church last week, raccoons were the last culprits that would have occurred to me. But that’s what the furnace man said. Apparently, the little rascals had gotten into the furnace and chewed up the wiring and other crucial bits and pieces. Parts have been ordered.
These sorts of complications always happen at the most inopportune times. I think it’s must be a variation on one of those “Peter Principles” – or maybe in the case of a church those should be called the “Saint Peter Principles.” Come to think of it, it’s not a Peter Principle at all. It’s Murphy’s Law. Well… you get the point.
I was at the church with the Shoalwater Storytellers, sitting in on one of their rehearsals. I had turned the heat on earlier in the afternoon and the church was quite comfortable by the time the furnace cycled off. A little later, though, when it became uncomfortably chilly and the heat had not gone on again, I tried fiddling with the thermostat. Then I called Nyel to have a look. Then we called the electrician.
He was to come the next morning but, of course, the Peter Principle was still at work. That was the day Bonneville went kerflooey and we had no power. So, it wasn’t until the following day that the electrician made the church call and discovered the raccoon problem. And, of course, there was a wedding scheduled for that very afternoon.
Fortunately, it was a beautiful, sunny day (though not very warm) and the wedding party was lovely about it. We worried that they might want to light a fire in the old woodstove – we have grave doubts about the safety of the chimney – but that option, fortunately, was not mentioned.
Next, of course, came the weekend and there was no forward progress. So, we are hoping that today will be the day that the electrician puts us back in business. And, none too soon, either. The Water Music Festival is this coming weekend and Saturday afternoon we expect that there will be a full house at the church for “Social Insecurity,” a national award-winning barbershop quartet from Oregon. They have an “all-American” program planned but I don’t think a family of raccoons, even though native to North America, are on the schedule.
And speaking of those raccoons… I’m not sure if it’s part of the electrician’s contract to get rid of them. Over the years, we’ve had bats in the belfry (ahem!), birds nesting under the eaves, and mice in the Sunday School Room. And once, back in 1912 or 1913, my uncle’s pet goat got locked inside by mistake. I have a strong suspicion that the problem-solver in most of those cases lived right here in this house across the street from the church. Oh dear…
I have heard of “church dust” and “church mice,” but never “church raccoons.” Folks my consider Oysterville a sleepy little village, but there’s always something going on and I am glad that you share it with the rest of us!
When it comes right down to it, I’m not totally convinced that it was raccoons. I haven’t talked to the electrician yet so I don’t know what he based his assessment on. Maybe he actually saw them, or maybe raccoons leave particular tell-tale signs that he’s run across before. Stay tuned…
About those clever little rascals: A family found a warm and cozy home under the house in which I lived about 5 years ago. There were indications that they had found shelter; strange noises, etc. but never did I suspect them of some of the electrical “disturbances” that beset on a regular basis were because of their dental needs. Those masked bandits at the church, well……to embroider the story, they stole the heat!
Let’s get Mike Nichols to look at the stove in order that we can avoid a fire in the church. If something IS wrong with it then this situation could have taken a turn for the worse.
Greg — As you know, the Oysterville Church is owned and maintained by the Oysterville Restoration Foundation. It is my understanding that they have a maintenance plan involving roof, flashing, chimney, etc. Meanwhile, the woodstove is not being used.
“Bats in the belfry” reminds me of a similar critter problem they had at the First United Methodist Church in Olympia years ago. According to Dad, the janitor there had told him that Mama Owl had set up housekeeping and was raising a nest of owlets in the belfry. The electronic chimes that tolled every hour on the hour did not seem to bother them. Do you know why?—they didn’t give a hoot!