A Glance Back – Power Off!
The thing is… I dedicate my Monday mornings to writing. My husband takes the first shift with his dad, checking at about 7 a.m. that all is well, and I don’t go next door to do the daily clean-up/check-up on my father-in-law until 11:30 a.m. That gives me more than three hours to write. That’s at least 1600 words of first draft, on some days 2000 words. So you see why I love, love, love Mondays. Writing is something that I can’t wait to do, and just think – 3 uninterrupted hours. During that time, I don’t answer the phone. I don’t stray to the Internet. I don’t make up the bed. I don’t cook or do the wash or catchup on bookwork. I just write.
Except this week. We woke up on Monday to a chilly house and no electricity. High winds, rain, and snow had taken out two electric poles on the isolated road that leads to the isolated road that leads to the isolated…well you get the idea. We live back in the boonies.
No electricity, no computer, no writing. Rats! But seeing as Thanksgiving (in the USA) is just around the corner, I decided to find reasons for gratitude. Here’s what I came up with.
1. I had to wear comfy, snuggy clothes, layers of them.
2. I didn’t have to cook any meals.
3. I didn’t have to clean anybody’s bathroom. (I’m not counting dipping water out of the bay to make my father-in-law’s toilet flush.)
4. The phone didn’t work.
5. I had a good reason to spend a large portion of the day wrapping Christmas gifts. I like to wrap Christmas gifts.
6. I didn’t feel guilty burning my lovely scented candles.
7. I had the option of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch – no electricity needed.
8. The falling snow was beautiful. Especially from inside the house.
9. I spent extra time knitting on an afghan for a baby who will soon join our extended family. (No, I’m NOT pregnant. The baby will be our first cousin, twice removed. I think I’ve got that right.)
10. My Kindle is lighted so I read, read, read long into the darkening evening.
11. The silence.
12. My dog suddenly wanted to snuggle up.
13. Thick layers of quilts on the bed.
14. The smell of wood burning in the fireplace.
Why do you love it when the electricity goes out?
I get to love the non electric every day as we ranch, as you put it in the boonies and we don’t have hydro any day. Yup there are still hydroless folks out there. I confess that I do have hydro at my business in town, but with the roads in winter it takes me the better part of an hour to get here.
Have a great day.
Lisa
You’re an expert, Lisa! I don’t know how you manage, especially with work as demanding as ranching! Thank you for your input!
After Katrina we had about two weeks without electricity. We still had water so every afternoon we’d head out to the big house and take a cold shower. After those hot sultry days a cold shower felt good. Luckily, our church still had power and was providing meals for the relief workers. We donated our time and efforts to feeding the masses. We somehow managed to exist in a ‘tincan’ 5th wheel with a gas stove!! By the time the power came back on we had realized that we had survived and didn’t do too badly. I’m not anxious to repeat any of the above, but I know that I can.
I think, like you, I love the challenge to find the fun in the day despite the inconveniences. Rediscovering many of the blessings we take for granted fills a slower-paced day with memory-making moments, which then warm us from the inside out for days to come. 🙂
I can’t believe all the snow, Sue! Wow!
I’m usually very pathetic when the power goes out. I often end up moping around, and feel very unsettled. Reading is something that I enjoy doing, however, those times when I can just accept the fact that I can’t do many of the things I’d like to.
I like that you turned it around, however and found things to be grateful for. There usually is something if we look closely enough. Great post!
“Love” the way the world stops for a quiet moment. It has a way of truly showing us just exactly how much time we waste on technology. We listen to each other and actually hear entire stories not to mention, my husband always finds a way to prove he can spoil us, even without power. I’ll never forget the blizzard that knocked us out for a few days and we wanted popcorn. At the time, we had no fireplace, so he snuck outside, built a small fire and popped us some inside of an old coffee can. Back when they were metal of course! It was and “is” a treasured memory for myself and my children. Somehow, that popcorn tasted better than any we had eaten in years! 🙂
Your log home is beautiful! We live rurally, but our home isn’t isolated and has all the city conveniences. The longest we’ve been without power after a storm is three days. I just finished reading a blog post from Jody Hedlund, talking of her post-storm power outage experience. When it’s thrust on you unexpectedly, especially if there’s storm damage to deal with, it’s no fun.
But like Lisa, by choice my hubby and I regularly experience life without electricity at our remote lakeside summer cabin. It’s 20 miles from the nearest power pole in an area with no cell phone or internet service, so is a lot like camping, but in a snug cabin instead of a tent. We have wood stoves, kerosene lamps and a small propane fridge from an old RV, so we do have the means to live comfortably there, although there is also no running water (get it by bucket from the creek), and we have an outhouse (which can be mighty cold during winter holidays there). Summer or winter, it’s always beautiful and we’re thankful for the privilege of having it. I like your thankful attitude amid your storm-induced blackout. 🙂
It’s sometimes lovely to return to a simpler life as it used to exist on my grandparent’s farm a few miles down the road. I admit to becoming spoiled over the years with all the conveniences of city life near NYC and in Texas. Now that I’m back in NC, I have a little of both worlds – intense quiet under the pines, along with electricity. I like electricity. 🙂
The perfect combination, Patti!! So happy for you.
Thank you, Carol. Your cabin sounds wonderful. Some of my most joyous childhood memories were on camping trips with my parents. I remember on one trip to Maine, we woke up in our tent to this incredible silence, and when we looked out we realized it had snowed in the night. I was three and my brother was one, and my parents’ reaction was one of wonder and joy, not frustration with the weather. I’m so grateful for that!
Oh how perfect, Deb! I love the idea of that popcorn!!
Laura, when our power went out we didn’t have that much snow. The photo is from a previous winter, but we are looking like that now. Snow, snow, snow. I get to stay home and snuggle in today, AND, at this point anyway, we still have power!!
How true, Arlene. That “inside warmth” is what we remember because gratitude lifts us a little closer to heaven!!