Monday, February 20, 2012

More often than not …

when a Major Snowstorm hits us here in the Middle of Nowhere, it usually is accompanied by a Power Outage. I've lived here 15 years and have kind of, sort of gotten used to anticipating coldness and darkness when we get a heavy wet snow, as we did yesterday.

Last night was no exception: The lights (and heat and water) went out at about 8:30. I reported it immediately and was told by the friendly computer voice that it was not part of a known power outage and repairs would be made 10:30 p.m.

More often than not, when the friendly computer voice gives me that initial, optimistic restoration estimate, he is WRONG.

At 2 a.m. I called the friendly computer voice to get an update. He oh-so-carefully told me we were now part of a widespread power outage and would have power by 11:30 p.m. on February 20, 2012. P.M.!

More often than not, when refrigerated food is unrefrigerated for more than 24 hours, it needs to be tossed. I spent the next hour or so contemplating what I might safely save (condiments other than mayo) and what would need to be discarded (everything else).

My cell phone rang at 6 a.m. Friendly computer voice again, asking me to press "1" if my power had been restored. I was groggy, of course, but I heard the furnace running, pressed "1" and went back to sleep for another hour.

In retrospect, we didn't suffer too much. It was a little chilly, but not too bad. It happened during downtime – you don't need or use much electricity in the middle of the night. We could have planned better, of course. Had the power not returned until tonight, I would surely have been wishing I'd filled a Thermos® with coffee. (Not having coffee first thing in the morning is the worst part of a power outage.)

Not sure if I'll make it to town today to hit the gym. Days like this are why we bought the elliptical, after all. I would happily trade a hazardous trip down my steep, snow-covered driveway for a short walk to the garage!
 
All in all, I'd say I had a pretty good weekend. Homemade pizza on Friday, a good hard workout and a meeting with a potential client Saturday and a beautiful snowstorm accompanied by an abbreviated power outage Sunday. Hope yours was good, too!

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