nixtress's Diaryland Diary

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Should I change my name to Miller, Swartzentruber or Hochstetler?

I have lived like the Amish.
No, really. I have. Since Wednesday, we've had no power. None. Zero, zip, zilch.
Wednesday we got a humdinger of an ice storm. The roads were great but every tree around us looked as if it were sculpted from glass. The kids didn't have school because of anticipated bad weather and my mother unceremoniously showed up on my doorstep with my sister so we spent the day doing all sorts of entertaining things. When I got off work that evening, I came home to no power. No welcoming porch light a-blazing, not even a streetlight.
Night #1 wasn't too bad as the house retained alot of the heat that had built up. I lit up some of the fifty million candles I have everywhere, put fresh batteries in the flashlight and went to sleep, figuring it would be back to normal the next day.
Nope. Thursday found my house growing colder by the second and my children shivering while clothed in layers so we trundled off to the mall to spend some time someplace heated (all the while hoping like hell the Ohio Edison guys got their butts in gear). We also saw a movie, Without A Paddle (funny, for the most part, in one of those not-needing-to-use-your-brain ways) and then started home. My hopes were raised a bit as we drove into town because previously dark areas were lit up like Christmas at the Griswald's but luck was not on our side. Our SIDE of the street was black. However, the opposite side of the street was bright and shining. I swear I could hear the Electric Gods giggling at me. We went inside the house and it was as cold in there as it was outside. Can't Eat and Can't Poop (aka J's mom) called two seconds after we entered our residence and offered up a miracle. They brought down a kerosene heater.
Without that heater, we would surely have been in a world of hurt.
As it was, we spent the last several days sleeping in the living room, having blanketed off the kitchen and extra rooms. The heater kept the three rooms remaining well-heated and I was able to heat water on top of it to wash dishes in. I took showers at my Gramp's house and there was just enough hot water left in our hot water heater for the boys to shower here. All the food in my fridge went bad, as the coolers we've got here were packed with the food from the freezer. Evenings found us lighting up candles, lanterns and flashlights while cooking on the camping stove we use when we camp and it rains. Not that it does that great a job--can't even boil water on it well but it cooked hot dogs and made my sons happy. We've played lots and lots of games and the boys discovered that their basketball thingie my aunt got them for Christmas worked on batteries. It looked pretty nifty in the dark and I have to say was a sanity-saver(for me). They also created a new game--Wack-a-mole. At the fair this last Fall Trev got this huge inflatable hammer that squeaks every time you hit it. My sister was the wacker and the boys were the moles and every time one stood up, she beat the living daylights out of them with this inflated hammer. Wack-a-mole. That's what going without power does for the creative juices.
Power came back this evening. I can't remember the last time I was so relieved.
I can honestly say at this point that I'm so very dependent on power. Really. I've proven in the last few days that I can, if made to, exist without electric. I just don't really want to.
I missed the non-fumey heat, missed my cd player, missed THE CORDLESS PHONE! I missed easy hot water, missed being able to wash clothes, missed being able to go into the bathroom and pee without juggling a flashlight. (If you haven't tried it, lemme tell ya, it's an experience!)
There are lots of things that I'm thankful for--my wacky neighbors and the kindness of their kerosene heater, the fact that our toilets flushed, running water...I could go on. We were more fortunate than some as there are still lots of people without power right now. And honestly, it wasn't a tsunami, I didn't lose my loved ones. I just lost a little comfort and a whole heck of a lot of food.
SO glad to sleep in my own bed tonight without the sickening sweet fumes of kerosene to send me off.
***
And how are YOU? I've spent some time catching up on my favorites--glad to see that outfoxed has his page looking back to it's greatness, glad to see that bingoguy has updated, glad as always to see the stories out of dangerspouse. irisheyes70's Timmy story had me giggling and I was touched by widower's devotion to his beloved. It's good to be back. Leaving behind the technological advances by choice can be good but being abruptly removed from them was rather jarring.
Happy Saturday, one and all. Avoid those demon ice storms.
N.

10:36 p.m. - 2005-01-08

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