We got the power back the other day. We were without power for 10 days, total. I’m a little sad thinking about how much the loss of power simplified our lives, and how I don’t know if I’m ready or willing to jump back into all the old time-suckers.
I had 150 emails in my inbox, and 97 blogs posts on my reader. Some of you have been waaay too prolific.
Cooking has been so simple, with just the gas cook top, no microwave or oven. I also tried to limit the number of pans I used, to make cleanup easier. I couldn’t keep much in the freezer that I packed with ice, so I didn’t have to worry about buying much at the store, just what we would cook and eat. Simple meals, simple preparation, simple cleanup. I did fantasize about cupcakes every single day, though. And I don’t even like cupcakes.
We read books by flashlight, and went to bed when it was dark. We were really, really tired by the time it was dark.
We spent a lot of time outside. All the neighbors were always outside, too, so we did a lot of talking.
We watched the tree guys saw up and remove the giant tree that had cracked the power pole that feeds our block, and we watched the power guys who had been shipped in from New Jersey as they replaced the fallen pole. It was awesome. When they finally restored the power and drove away in their cherry-pickers, everyone on the street went outside into the dark night, with their porch lights on, and cheered the power truck parade. They honked and waved like royalty.
There were no video games, no movies, no canned music, no emails, no news (did the financial market crash or something?). We had hot breakfast every day. Who new that “fried bread” could be so incredible? Or that cold milk could be a delicacy? We also had my kids’ favorite breakfast, “toast with French on it”. If you need the recipe, I can provide it, at no charge.
So I have already spent a couple of hours on the internet today, and I’m feeling it. I just don’t know if I can keep it up. I have also thoroughly scrubbed down my refrigerator and done three gigantic loads of laundry in a washing machine, instead of the bathtub.
I felt so tough, not eating out like everyone else, washing in the tub, hanging stuff out to dry, not using the TV to babysit my kids. Now I’m just back to my old, lazy self. Boo hoo.
Not that I would give my power back.
September 25, 2008 at 11:09 am
Ten days!! Holy Hannah.
I think I might die if I ever saw 97 posts on my Reader. I hate there being numbers there and I find it nearly impossible to skip a post, even if it looks really long or slightly boring. I hope you’re not like me. Skip, skip, skip!!
What a lovely little taste for your family of Life As It Once Was.
Hey, I need the toast with French on it recipe, and I also need you to help me know which words you capitalize in a post title. I’ve looked it up but didn’t really get it. (If the “it” is connect in a certain way to the verb or the pronoun or the adverb then you don’t capitalize it, whereas the “of” is capitalized only if the noun is disconnected from the verb and laying on its side—)not my lanuage.
September 25, 2008 at 11:13 am
Um, Lisa? You capitalize what you feel like capitalizing. I’m pretty sure that unless you’re blogging for a literary journal, nobody except Lisa Pawlik has ever noticed which letters are capitalized.
September 25, 2008 at 1:40 pm
What an interesting and hopefully unforgettable experience. Good for you and all that you did without power. It really makes me think how I would handle the situation and if I’m prepared for an experience like that.
One evening the power went out at our house for a couple of hours. I loved it because everybody came out of their houses and visited. I met neighbors I’ve never met before and I haven’t talked to them since that night. I secretly wish the power would go out every night. I could probably even do okay with a couple of days.
September 25, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Eeesh.. I’ve had times with over two hundred posts in my Bloglines… and they were not Ten Days Without Power sorts of times. I’ve paired down my subscriptions since then.
Soooooo… 10 days didn’t kill ya dead huh? Good to know that it IS is fact doable.
September 25, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Oh! Didn’t you know that my blog IS a literary journal? It’s completely professional. What? Couldn’t you tell that from the content?
Thanks for helping me not to care about the capitalization issue.
September 26, 2008 at 9:46 am
I frequently fantasize about going off the grid completely, just to discipline myself to stay off the freaking internet and spend time with my kids (and my housework).
My Google Reader, at this very moment, says All Items (1,000+). The “Mommy Blogs” subsection says (507). Maybe I need to think about reducing my subscriptions.
September 26, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Reading your library post eminded me of the dark days when our town was without power for 8 long days. 2 days more and I would have had to check in to a mental institution. It was the cold that got to me. I just can’t handle being cold.
Happy for you the powers on.
September 27, 2008 at 1:57 am
See this is why I can’t bring myself to sign up for a reader…too much pressure.
Not that I would trade my power for all those days, but I’m sort of jealous that you got some 1940 type time. Life is better simple.
October 1, 2008 at 12:06 am
Just catching up myself here.
I’m so sorry. But it sounds like it had an upside (or at least you found one in it). I love the part about everyone pitching in and pooling resources. That gives me hope in humanity.
Sketchy–here is the beauty of Google Reader: When it gets to be too much you click one little box that says, “Mark all as read.” And then it’s over. Tomorrow is another day–a blank slate. I wish it were that easy IRL.