| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| w22dheartlivie |
Posted - 03/05/2008 : 21:26:03
Oh. My. God. The last 20 hours have SO sucked. We had a monstrous ice storm here. I thought we'd escaped trouble. That is, until the power went out last night a little after 8 pm, while I was on the telephone with my friend. It wasn't just at my house since the outdoor pole lights at the houses down the road were off too.
I'm out in the middle of the country. I live alone. I only have a cordless telephone. I do, however, have a propane gas stove, except, the oven part of the stove has an electronic brain. The burners on the stove, fortunately, do light from a match. I have an abundance of candles thanks to my lovely goddaughter, Cari, who, a month or so ago, knowing I use them all the time, brought over two boxes and a plastic bag full of unused, little used, and well used candles (they were lifesavers, God bless you, Cari). I have a kerosene lamp (okay, it's 100 years old, but it still works, damn it). I do have a veritable plethora of blankets, quilts, comforters and throws.
Kasha and Ralph, the cats, and I spent the last 20 hours curled up on the daybed, swaddled in covers, surrounded by candles, reading the rest of "Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood" and making a huge dent in Kirk Douglas' last book (gotta love that library outreach program). I had forgotten how utterly dark and silent the world is at 3 am when the power is out. The last time I remember experiencing this, I wasn't alone. In fact, I think I was in the back seat of a 65 Cadillac, but that's another story.
We were asleep when the answering machine sputtered to life squawking its "Please wait for the beep" and the refrigerator fan motor whirred to life at 3:56 pm. The first thing we did was fire up the heat (it had dropped to 48 degrees F. in here) and the second was to turn on the computer. We do have our priorities. |
| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| w22dheartlivie |
Posted - 03/07/2008 : 01:06:34
The cat thing is often foremost in my mind. Not that I'd eat them, but I always make sure to have a full and open bag of cat food in the bottom cabinet door next to their bowls. When I go to the store, I joke about not wanting to be found dead in 2 weeks, while my cats are survivng by eating my cold dead body. I am well aware they are capable of opening that cabinet door and retrieving their own food when what is in the bowl isn't fresh enough to suit them (read that: Mom didn't stop at the door and put out more cat food for us when she got a drink of water!!!!!)
The trouble was, it wasn't all that romantic. I had been forced to use a dorm sized refrigerator for far too long while I saved up the bucks for a new regular fridge. The new one was delivered just last week. I had been excitedly planning my trip to the grocery this weekend to buy stuff to freeze. My comment had been "Now I'm not camping anymore!!" While I was growing up here at the same homeplace to which I've returned, I spent many nights in the "cabin" in the backyard. The cabin was a room-sized wooden structure which my clever grandfather had built some years before he built the Patrick girls their own merry-go-round (I will tell that story another time, when I find the picture that was in the newspaper). It could be taken apart and was carted off to a family campground at a large creek every spring for summer weekend retreats. I took to sleeping in it on an antique Murphy bed (in its own oak cabinet), during the summer when I was 12, using only candles and kerosene lamps since electricity wasn't included. Later on, electricity, not to mention light, wasn't necessary for the purpose I had in mind. I finally gave it up when I got a driver's license and my boyfriend bought a '65 Cadillac, but that, again, is another story.
The good part about all of this is that there was little rioting in Millville, Indiana, mostly due to lack of available rioters and general rural Indiana apathy. The bad part about all of this is that there is a lack of available rioters and general rural Indiana apathy. That, and I can no longer drive due to my vision issues. The greatest claim of the place my grandparents called home was that Wilbur Wright was born 2 miles north of here. Oh, and that I grew up here (hah!).
What was a worry was that the water pump for the well didn't work without power, although we don't drink the water anyway. I import city water from nearby Hagerstown, where I lived after I grew up. There were 6 gallon milk jugs full just sitting here. Now that makes me think. I wonder what the cats would do for water once their bowl was dry? Are they smart enough to figure out how to knock over the jugs? Hmm. |
| w22dheartlivie |
Posted - 03/07/2008 : 00:30:14
quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
quote:
Originally posted by wildhartlivie
As much as I hate to admit it, I don't watch American Idol. I have no reasoning for this, except perhaps for a none too latent dislike for Simon Cowell. I watch Dancing with the Stars religiously, however.
Oh, okay. Say, do you watch "So You Think You Can Dance" as well? My friend's daughter was on it last year - Hanna-Lee Sakakibara. She's in another competition soon and I understand she's been told she's in the finals and they'll be filming soon.
I haven't had the pleasure of the other dance show, mostly because what draws me to Stars one is... well, the Stars. I can't wait to see the upcoming season (next week starts it, I think). What an interesting and bizarre group of stars for it! Marlee Matlin (!), Penn Jillette, Adam Carolla, Priscilla Presley, Kristy Yamaguchi, Shannon Elizabeth, Monica Seles, Steve Gutenberg, an NFL player (they love those football players) and 3 others I didn't know. The two favorites for me at the outset are Yamaguchi and Shannon Elizabeth, but time will tell. |
| randall |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 22:34:39
Livie, so glad you made it through. I survived the Great Eastern Blackout of a few summers ago, but for me it was nothing more than discomfort: it was SO FUCKING RELENTLESSLY HOT for a couple of days, with NO WAY TO ESCAPE IT -- and I live in Manhattan, where you'd assume they'd get the lights on asap!* -- but an ice storm such as you describe is merciless, especially for those who live alone in rural areas. It could have been lethal. Midwestern heat waves can be similar killers too, but we in NYC could always walk down stairs and mingle with the other pissed-off-but-not-rioting citizens. It was irritating, and played havoc with our icemakers, but that's a matter for mops, not lives. We hated it, but made it through -- unlike earlier storied blackouts in NYC.
*The overstressed Con Ed decided to begin restoring power in more rural areas, where people's lives actually depended upon it. That took our couple days. I believe they made the right call. |
| MguyXXVI |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 18:21:59
I thought this was about a movie, judging from the title. What was scary is that it kind of started out like "Alive," so I was getting scared for the cats at first.
Then it started to sound romantic, so I started getting jealous, except there was no guy in the story (so I got calm and put the shotgun down).
Then it sounded pretty darned peaceful. Ah that livie: always making even the direst situation something nice.  |
| ChocolateLady |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 12:42:30
quote:
Originally posted by wildhartlivie
As much as I hate to admit it, I don't watch American Idol. I have no reasoning for this, except perhaps for a none too latent dislike for Simon Cowell. I watch Dancing with the Stars religiously, however.
Oh, okay. Say, do you watch "So You Think You Can Dance" as well? My friend's daughter was on it last year - Hanna-Lee Sakakibara. She's in another competition soon and I understand she's been told she's in the finals and they'll be filming soon.
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| w22dheartlivie |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 11:01:20
As much as I hate to admit it, I don't watch American Idol. I have no reasoning for this, except perhaps for a none too latent dislike for Simon Cowell. I watch Dancing with the Stars religiously, however. |
| ChocolateLady |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 09:52:17
quote:
Originally posted by wildhartlivie
Thanks!! Now, if they'd just get the cable working again... *sigh*
Oh dear! Does that mean you missed American Idol last night?
(If not, don't tell me. We get ours here on Friday and Saturday nights, with the results program airing right after the girls's program. Damn our satelite company for taking the Star World channel off. When we had that we could see these with only a 24 hour delay.)
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| ChocolateLady |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 09:48:38
quote:
Originally posted by wildhartlivie
The first thing we did was fire up the heat (it had dropped to 48 degrees F. in here) and the second was to turn on the computer. We do have our priorities.
Yes, but I'd say in this case they were backwards.
(Computer first, then heat.)
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| w22dheartlivie |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 09:35:03
Thanks!! Now, if they'd just get the cable working again... *sigh* |
| Chris C |
Posted - 03/05/2008 : 22:16:25
Keep well and warm, Livie, we're glad all is OK. |
| BaftaBaby |
Posted - 03/05/2008 : 21:56:24
quote:
Originally posted by wildhartlivie
Oh. My. God. The last 20 hours have SO sucked. We had a monstrous ice storm here. I thought we'd escaped trouble. That is, until the power went out last night a little after 8 pm, while I was on the telephone with my friend. It wasn't just at my house since the outdoor pole lights at the houses down the road were off too.
I'm out in the middle of the country. I live alone. I only have a cordless telephone. I do, however, have a propane gas stove, except, the oven part of the stove has an electronic brain. The burners on the stove, fortunately, do light from a match. I have an abundance of candles thanks to my lovely goddaughter, Cari, who, a month or so ago, knowing I use them all the time, brought over two boxes and a plastic bag full of unused, little used, and well used candles (they were lifesavers, God bless you, Cari). I have a kerosene lamp (okay, it's 100 years old, but it still works, damn it). I do have a veritable plethora of blankets, quilts, comforters and throws.
Kasha and Ralph, the cats, and I spent the last 20 hours curled up on the daybed, swaddled in covers, surrounded by candles, reading the rest of "Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood" and making a huge dent in Kirk Douglas' last book (gotta love that library outreach program). I had forgotten how utterly dark and silent the world is at 3 am when the power is out. The last time I remember experiencing this, I wasn't alone. In fact, I think I was in the back seat of a 65 Cadillac, but that's another story.
We were asleep when the answering machine sputtered to life squawking its "Please wait for the beep" and the refrigerator fan motor whirred to life at 3:56 pm. The first thing we did was fire up the heat (it had dropped to 48 degrees F. in here) and the second was to turn on the computer. We do have our priorities.
Livie - SO glad you're finally safe and sound. And warm! And connected!!!
Please take care.
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