Then, I notice the microwave starts right up, and then 1/2 a second later fades to a crawl.

The night-light in the bathroom is bright then fades then bright.

The Plasma TV (when on) shows no problems (and it is on the same circuit as the "fading" fan).

The fluorescent lights don't seem to be bothered either.

I called the utility company, but they are not getting reports from others. They are coming some time today to check my problem out.

So, if it isn't a problem with the utilities....what new thing could have gone wrong with my house?

Thanks
Bk

We had a lightening storm last night, but not sure if that did anything.

Right now, I do hear trucks idling loudly up and down my street... I'll go see if they are utility trucks. (heavily wooded area with lots of hills...so I can't just eyeball down the street)

I just started my central A/C to see if it would work, it turns on and blows cold, but it isn't running as fast as usual, so I turned it off.

A squirrel had apparently eaten my ground (or did he say "Neutral") wire up on the pole in my yard between my house and the the main line.

He said that was probably the cause even before taking a look. He climbed the pole, replaced a wire, climbed down..and stuff works again. It took him 15 minutes from the time he pulled up.

I offered him $5 tip, but he refused it.

Electricity is a big mystery to me, so I'm glad that this wasn't some sort of ordeal.

BK

Glad you are back up and running. A broken neutral can cause odd problems. Best to shut off your power in the future if you suspect that's what's going on because it can cause excessive voltage which can damage electronics or low voltage which can damage motors.