It started out a normal Monday: Seminary, laundry, lessons. Analiese and I went outside for half an hour to pick pecans (yes - that's started already). The wind started picking up, there'd been a wind advisory on the Weather Channel. So we worked on math on the computer and started to work on science.
It was really gusting out there...trees bending and swaying, dust flying. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Analiese sees a flash and a spark...and the lights, the computer, the a/c and the fans all stop. Something has happened to our power.
Because she saw something, I figured I'd better check the backyard. Oh, what a sight! Our old dead tree, which sat in the back southwestern corner of our property next to my compost bins, had toppled over onto our fence, taking with it some power lines - ripped right out of our house!
ACK! I had the presence of mind to take pictures (later to be used for insurance pictures), but I texted Ken and called the city power number. They could already tell there'd been a cessation of power in our area and, yep, that was us!
They came pretty quickly (so did Ken, he was home in minutes) to survey the situation. They would take care of the city lines and the part of the tree in the alley,
Enter our ward angel, Brother Dennis Whardo. He's been working with us on our roof situation (because of course, we can't just deal with one problem at a time) and he came, advised Ken, cut the tree off the fence with his chain saw, brought extension cords to go into our generator (thank Heaven for that bit of insight!), and purchased pickets to replace the ones the tree knocked down (only five - imagine that!).
Laundry became a no-go, at least, not in the house. My washer locks when it's working, so we had to temporarily plug it into the generator so I could get it open...and my wet stuff out. I'm very glad the laundromat is only around the corner, because that's where I ended up for the next two hours.
On top of the wind is the dust...and a fire in town. My lungs ache. A/C would help. None here. Jonathan said that at the airport they clocked the wind at 30 knots - that's 50 mph!
We went to dinner as a family that night (I didn't have time to go shopping, the fridge/freezer issue is only temporarily resolved, and both my microwave and stove/oven work on electricity). Our Family Home Evening was playing games by candlelight, which was actually much more mellow than you'd think. Everyone has flashlights in each room (one of my other preparedness precautions), because after 7:30, it's dark! I'm just glad it's not the raging heat of summer (no a/c or fans) and it's not winter (no heat, either). The timing is just about right, and I'm grateful
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Day two in the dark. The house is fairly well-lit in the daytime. Only Analiese's room (no windows), our back bathroom (same) and the kitchen (one teeny-tiny window) are dark.
I have asked Ken if maybe one of his ancestors was an Egyptian tomb-robber and there's some family curse going on. He thinks it's funny. It is...to a point.
Dennis came over this morning to help Ken repair the fence. Ken was surprised how easy it was to do. We have some pickets that need replacing (time, weather), but they have to wait.
Yesterday, as another miracle of the day, an electrician walked into our backyard and asked Ken if we needed an electrician. Ken was skeptical at first, until he realized that the man was the same one another ward member had recommended to us. Good! Let's get going. He came back today to check things out and give us an estimate.
The new RS president called today, wanting to know how we are. She's arranging for meals for us for Thursday and Saturday. I sincerely hope I don't need help past then! She thought I was taking it well and was funny. Honey, it's either laugh or cry. I've been through so much, I think I'm too tired to cry. But I am getting just enough crazy to laugh.
Dinner was barbecued hamburgers in the back yard. Easy and no electricity needed. Dark night around the candle again, this time just chilling and listening to music.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Temperatures have gone up...into the 90's in the daytime. A fan has been connected to the generator for the back room. Analiese and I went over to the church today so she could study there (church has wifi) and in comfort. I had permission from the bishop to use the kitchen to cook dinner, so I plugged a crockpot in the kitchen.
It was a good thing I took those pictures. Ken sent them on to the insurance company today. I hope and pray - since it's a weather-related incident - that they'll pay the majority of the repairs. We'll see.
The kids and I stayed in the back with the generator on (we've been turning it off at night) until 9:30, hoping and praying that the house would cool off enough so that we could sleep. Only four windows in our house (and we have many) open. None of us slept very well. Jonathan doesn't have school for the rest of the week, but I do have Seminary tomorrow and an inservice on Friday.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Seminary today was about the 10 Plagues of Egypt. Three days of darkness, that I could relate. One of my family's is bringing in dinner on Friday. I think we'd be okay, but I couldn't tell that sweet face "no." Gosh, I love these kids!
Electrician is here today, working. Ken stayed until he had to go to work at Walmart. The kids and I headed to the library to use their wifi (and a/c) and to check out books. The kids have been bugging me for a while to go, so off we went. I took the kids to lunch (still no shopping, not much food in the house), and relieved Ken.
This afternoon, the kids and I went to a friend's house (my egg supplier) to help acclimate their baby chicks to humans. Unfortunately, our window of time was very small, because 1) we were following her home - she lives out in the country, a 20 minute drive, at 4 o'clock, 2) we had to be back by 5 o'clock because my VT's were coming to bring us dinner. Basically, 20 minute drive, 20 minute chicks, 20 minute drive.
I've been toying with the idea of chickens (a few), so it was a good learning experience for me. They were in a tub in their shed with a heat lamp (they need lots of heat when they're little, it's the cold they don't like). They had three kinds - don't ask me the breeds, I don't go to 4H chicken club (not that that's available). But they were cute and fluffy.
We took a quick trip to Walmart following dinner to refill water jugs and cool off before we faced another hot stuffy night in the house. But just before heading to bed, Ken texted me to tell me a storm was on it's way with lightning & thunder, so we had to put the generator away in the garage and pull the cords in the house. Stuffier, but I wouldn't let the kids close the windows or we'd suffocate!
Friday, October 16, 2015
Today is my Mommy's birthday. Just so you know. She's special to me. Her card got blown away from the mailbox Monday morning, but luckily we found it and put it in the mail.
No Seminary today, but I had an online inservice with my CES "boss." I went over to do it at the church where there's electricity and wifi. It was already starting to sprinkle as I headed out of the house around a quarter to six. No, I didn't think to bring an umbrella, and by the time I was done and had to go back to the car, it was coming down. So I got wet.
Downside? Yep, electrician isn't working on the power today. I wonder why? LOL Some lame excuse, I guess, about electricity and water not mixing. Maybe he'll be back at it tomorrow, if things have dried off. Maybe even Sunday, bless his heart. So now we're looking at power returning on Monday. Erg.
Today one of my Seminary students brought us dinner. She really wanted to, and I can't say no to them! She brought some "tangy chicken", rice. rolls and mini cupcakes. Everyone really liked it. I liked not having to worry about another meal.
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Another day, another lesson learned. Ken didn't realize we had to check the oil level on the generator...now we have no working generator. I had stayed away from all things mechanical, so I had no idea. I guess using a generator for 50 hours takes a toll on the oil level. So, shamefacedly, we had to borrow someone else's generator, if only to keep the fridge and freezer going.
And now we're working on cleaning out the dining room, laundry room, and back bathroom so that next Saturday the ward brethren can come tear the roof off of the extension. Big heavy pieces of furniture and what-not (like file cabinets and a washer and dryer) will be covered with painter's plastic, but everything else has to go! I told the kids to get ready for the invasion, because we've got to find a temporary home for all of our stuff in those areas. Let's hope and pray that this gets done quickly...cuz I know more rain is coming!
Dinner tonight was pizza. The sister bringing it apologized that she didn't have time to cook. No apologies needed - my kids adore pizza. Ken does, too, and on his break he was able to have dinner. I like that he can do that!
Sunday, October 18, 2015
No electrician. No power. Ken says, "Maybe he's keeping the Sabbath?" Yeah, well then why did he say he'd come back Sunday?
The bishop said today, "You've got your power back, right?" Har-har. NOPE.
Now, I do happen to know that Altus Power does have guys working on Sunday because I saw them (they wear pink hard hats!) and their truck on our way to church today.
And we had to get our oxen out of the mire today. Translation: We had to clean out our dining room, bathroom & laundry room. Why? So brethren from the ward can come tomorrow, Tuesday and Saturday to deconstruct the flat roof. After all that's taken off, they'll have to ascertain the underlying damage and fix it. Then, we call in our roofer, who's going to lay down rubber sheeting, putting flares up the sides of the chimney and to the slanted (original roof) and all that other don't-ask-me-cuz-I-don't-know stuff. In between all this is supposedly a couple days of rain (goody), so everything's got to be covered.
People are starting to wonder what's up with us. I keep using the Egyptian tomb robber joke to good effect. I'm not at all certain what the Lord has in store, but at least I know we'll be safe and warm this winter in our house.
No comments:
Post a Comment