Three days without electricity may not seem like much if you're on a camping trip. Three days without electricity in the middle of a snowstorm when the temperatures are below freezing, however, are something else altogether!
One good thing about extended power outages: you learn what's important. Family, being together, staying warm when it's cold outside, surviving... Most of us have it relatively easy in the two latter departments. Modern life is filled with conveniences that most of our ancestors couldn't have imagined. Just being able to get on the Internet and communicate with family, friends, acquaintances and total strangers is an incredible thing. I guess I had started taking it for granted, along with refrigeration and a working furnace.
After three days of building fires and two of sawing wood, I learned to appreciate basic survival. I also have a new appreciation of being able to turn on a computer to work on my books instead of writing in longhand. (I do have a manual typewriter, but I'm pretty sure the ink in the ribbon has dried out. Besides, it was too cold to type.)
Hope you're staying warm, whether you're in the northern hemisphere looking forward to spring, or the southern, with autumn fast approaching.
Happy reading & writing!
"Never say you will pray about a thing; pray about it." Oswald Chambers
The Hope Chest ||| Hope Chastain, writer's blog
wow,
its hard to imagine snow in the middle of March.
It is hard to imagine snow at all in the middle of Southern California. Unless we go ot the mountains for the day to play in the snow, it really is a foreign concept.
Terri
Got Books?
Hi Hope: I
Hi Hope:
I know how it feels. I just had eight days without power a few weeks ago with trees falling on the roof and lots of damage. It's no fun at all. With no oven and no microwave and no coffee, you learn real quick how depended we all are.
I hope all is well now. BTW, did you get to write any songs? It would be a shame to waste all that inspiration.
Thanks,
Vince
“Romances are the emotional vitamins of the soul.” Vince
I know what you both mean!
Terri, after spending most of my life in beautiful San Diego county, I totally identify with just going to the mountains to visit the snow, then coming home! It's a different world here. Just as beautiful in its own way, though.
Oh, Vince, bless your heart! Being without coffee was what hurt us the most the first day, too. After that, I managed to heat (not quite boil) water and put it through the old drip pot. Wow, eight days. And I thought we had it bad. (Well, we did. Just not as bad as you did!) Mom and I are so sorry to hear about the damage! Hope you've been able to get it repaired quickly!
I wrote 15 songs during February Album Writing Month. It was too cold to write anything during the outage, and I think I played the guitar maybe once (with my fingerless gloves), but there's doubtless a song in there. (Although "Where Were You When the Lights Went Out" has already been done...
) I'm sure it's going to show up in a novel sooner or later, too. I'd hate to waste all that experience!
Glad you both stopped by! Good to see you!
"Never say you will pray about a thing; pray about it." Oswald Chambers
The Hope Chest ||| Hope Chastain, writer's blog
I always used to think power
I always used to think power outages were fun when I was little. We had a white Easter but only a dusting. Hope you have some gel cells etc. for doing ham radio. I have to say, having a radio really helps in times like this just to feel a bit more empowered. I confess though that we need to do some big work on emergency radio power since we moved.
AKA Merri
Family Challenge Team: The Spine Breakers with my dh Glenn AKA Phaedrus