The high wind warnings for yesterday resulted in a bit more than my anticipated raking. I pottered around the house in the afternoon, watching the trees bend and whip in the wind. The power went out around 4pm. I entertained myself by crocheting by the back kitchen windows until the sun set, then lit my many candles and sat by the fire until Charlie came home at 9. He discovered that the loud crack I had heard earlier was a big tree falling across our driveway.
Seasoned storm veterans that we are, we had a gourmet meal of pan-fried tilapia and wild rice, a bottle of wine, and played cribbage. Power outages don't phase us! We thought about hooking up the generator (mostly to keep the fridge going) but figured that the power would be on by morning. It wasn't. We spent the morning in the yard with Charlie on axe and me on chainsaw. The tree wasn't that much trouble, but during life it had been host to a robust and wiry wisteria vine. For every tree branch there were five thick vines wrapped around it. It took a lot of hacking to get it all broken up and dragged off to the side.
1. Think about every movie you've seen about the British conquering foreign lands. They could be in the middle of the bush but be living in elaborate linen tents and eating off of china. You don't need that. What you need is hot water. Always have a way to heat up water. We fortunately have a gas stove powered by our huge propane tank. You just have to light it with a match. If you have an electric stove, invest in a modest camping stove. Coleman makes great two- burner ones that are ample enough for cooking and boiling large pots of water. A hot washcloth in the morning = ecstasy.
2. A french press. It's mid morning, you're soaked to the bone and cold after clearing brush from the yard. What makes you feel better? A lovely cup of fresh coffee. Mmmmm. Or have some tea, if you fancy that.
3. Hurricane lamps. Only people in movies carry candelabras to light their way. Candles are atmospheric but don't put out a useful amount of light unless you have lots of them. Buy one or two simple lamps that burn oil and have a glass chimney. This way you can carry it around with you one-handed.
4. An old-fashioned phone that plugs into the wall. In a power outage, cordless phones don't work. Pick up a $10 phone at radio shack and stash it in a drawer. The power going out doesn't necessarily mean that the phone lines go down, so it's nice to have a land line available.
Someday I'll include my other lists, which involve such tantalizing topics as "how to stock your pantry for the storm season" and "could you find a flashlight in your house in the dark?" And there's always the favorite "wear a hat to bed when it's under 50 degrees in your house; there is a reason people used to wear nightcaps in the days before central heating."
2 comments:
The good news is that because of the power of the internet I can read about your triumph over the forces of nature while working here in Sicily, Italy.
The bad news is that, as your father, I freaked out when I saw your using the chain saw without -- at least to my eyes -- your using any eye protection or ear protection.
Use both. And then my palms will stop sweating.
I am so busted. From across the earth!
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