....this....
....this....and...
....this...
Following with the winter wonderland scenario and crystal trees came came disaster and destruction that translated into four long days without electricity. Certainly not the first time I experience long power outages given the many third world countries I've lived in. However, in this part of the world this time of the year no power also means no heat. With outdoor temperatures in the teens, by Friday afternoon the thermostat was reading 42 degrees in my house. Bundled up like an Eskimo and without a long term plan figuring that living on a much traveled road would give me the advantage of a short lived outage, I made my way to work. Today is day four of this ordeal that is beginning to seem interminable. Since with every experience comes a lesson here is what I've learned so far;
*Being cold for extended periods of time is exhausting.
*Constantly feeling sudden urges to sleep and not having anywhere to crash for a quick nap is as close as it gets to desperation.
*Never take your morning constitutional hot cup of coffee for granted.
*Inch thick ice on your windshield can cause it to crack.
* Generators weigh more than I do and helping unload them from the back of a truck can send unbearable pain shooting up your back.
*In times of critical situations that involve the masses, people become self absorbed. They tend to their needs first and then those of the people they care for the most, making it very easy for you to determine where you stand on their priority list.
* Pyrex glass isn't tempered for heating water with a blow torch.
* I'd rather be miserable and cold than shop for gifts the weekend before the holidays if the Mall is the only place with power and heat.
* It's best to know how to take care of yourself in tough situations, because relying on others can be disappointing.
* People who truly love you aren't the ones that nonchalantly offer to help, they are the ones that don their work gloves and shitty clothes and just show up to "check on you" despite not being asked.
* Pumping 240 volts from a generator into your switchbox can cause an electrical fire.
* Those friends with the ability to whip up a warm meal in no time and offer you a warm place to shelter are truly a godsend.
* Gas pumps don't work if there is no power.
* I'm overwhelmed and I'd like a hug.
* There is no sense in standing around waiting for the power to come back or snuggling under a blanket reading a book when there are so many others you could be helping and trees that need clearing. I just don't get some people!
* Being a refugee seeking out asylum and living out of a duffle bag day to day is physically and mentally taxing.
* They say never to lose hope, but after four days of nothing but that it's hard to stay positive.
* There is nothing more I want than 20 minutes of silence and warmth and maybe a full night's sleep.
* No matter how little, how old, how messy or decrepit, there is just no place like home!!
2 comments:
You know there's something wrong with me when I think all that cold looks nice. But it does... from here. :)
Being a pug, these types of situations make me nervous because of the desperate types who would view me as a food item.
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