I'll admit it. I am accustomed to the comforts of the modern age and as much as I love history and dystopian fiction I have no interest in doing without said modern comforts. I was reminded of this fact after losing power during the windstorm (I know, it was a windstorm for Pete's sake! Not even a hurricane!) we had here in Maine Sunday night. Supposedly more people lost power during this windstorm than during the ice storm of '97 and I'm curious as to why. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was very windy! But I recall other windstorms with less severe results. And trying to get power back on a fall day is a lot easier than in the dead of winter when a sheet of ice coats everything. I feel very fortunate that I got my power back Tuesday night. Lots of people are still without, including some of my family members, and there are still lots of trees and wires down.
But honestly? My two days without power was a breeze compared to what some people have had to go through and what some people are still going through. I was never too far away from a store or restaurant, we never ran out of water, our propane stove still worked, and I had my cell phone, kindle, and laptop, not to mention gas in my car. One could hardly call that suffering. Nevertheless, I'm glad it's over so I can get back to my usual routine.
Meanwhile, I did finish another book,
The Kept Woman, by Karen Slaughter, and my current WIP, TROUBLE, stands at 26K, which is piss poor progress considering I started it in August. To steal a quote from Inception (one of my all time favorite movies), "Disappointed."
How would you fare if the power went out for good? What do you do when you lose it? What's the longest you went without?
We are so connected now, I think most people would panic. I'd be unhappy, that's for sure. Electric guitars don't sound the same without electricity.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I admire people who go on missions trips to third world countries. You know they are doing without a lot of creature comforts!
Yes, I hated not being able to go on line!
DeleteIt would drive me nuts to be without power. No computer or phone after some time and no coffee. I do have a wood stove though. You're making me think that I should get some wood.
ReplyDeleteIt is...trying. Luckily our gas stove still worked so I didn't have to go without coffee, which would've been truly disastrous!
DeleteI've never gone more than an hour or two without power in my entire life. Blessed!
ReplyDeleteOh you ARE lucky!
Deleteshe's Canadian :P
DeleteLast year, with Hurricane Matthew, we were without power for five days, this year with Irma only 36 hours. Once in New York in an ice storm I was without power for 3 days and also 3 days in Michigan, but those were in the winter and we huddled around the fireplace and thankfully had gas hot water and stove.
ReplyDeleteNo power in winter is the worst.
DeleteEvery year we have at least one power outage; it lasts several hours, not several days. The solution: gas stove for coffee and cooking.
ReplyDeleteI never give up the basics. That's why I still have a landphone along with a cellphone, a tiny stove that goes on alcohol (in case there's no gas), etc...
I used to have a landline but then I moved. Having one is a good idea.
DeleteMy family was without power for two weeks during that ice storm of '97, and as far as I have heard, they haven't yet gotten their power back from this last windstorm. Whereas I have now gone through two Cat 4 hurricanes in Florida and have been without power for a grand total of 24 hours. Which is probably good because I would hate to have to go without going online. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you came through the storm all right!
Yes, I was lucky to get mine back as quick as I did. My son got his back yesterday but I think my mom and brother may still be out. I hate not being able to go on line.
DeleteThe longest I've been without power is 24 hours, and that was during Hurricane Irma not so very long ago. I was fine, but very happy when the power came back on. It took longer for the internet to work again. That was tough for me. I was bored.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Isn't it amazing how dependent we are on something we managed just fine without?
DeleteI think about a day is as long as I have been without power. We did have friends who lived with no running water, and no electricity. Their life (with four children under 6) was challenging to say the least.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you think of The Kept Woman? A fellow blogger and friend of Karin Slaughter put me on to her books and I have enjoyed most of them.
That would be tough with four kids. As for The Kept Woman, it was ok. I liked Pretty Girls much better. That was riveting.
DeleteWe've had windstorm here in Europe too last week, I even saw some rooftiles flying ;)
ReplyDeleteWe had powercuts for three or four months when America was bombing us back in 1999 day and night. But it was nothing compared to being without flour, sugar, oil and other basic food then and before in other wars. You learn to cope with it. When you see babies dying in hospitals because there is no power or oxygen because of international embargo or bombing, you really cannot bother complaining yourself :(
Yes. Nothing compared to a few days without. I'm sorry you had to go through that.
DeleteWe once lived without power for five days after Hurricane Ike remnants swept through Ohio. We didn't suffer except for my partner going into withdrawal over Internet addiction. ~grin~ I wrote fiction in notebooks and we powered a portable DVD player at night watching apocalyptic movies. Congrats on the new book!
ReplyDeleteYeah, being without the internet was tough.
DeleteGlad you got your power back. Ours was out for about 14 hours. Some are still waiting.
ReplyDeleteThere are still people here in Maine waiting for power. I feel super fortunate I got mine back in under 48 hours.
DeleteAnd now it already feels like the distant past. How soon we forget, once comforted.
DeleteI always say I'd make a terrible pioneer! i'm not good when the power is out!
ReplyDeleteThere's a woman in an online Dementia caregiver support group I know who has been without power for 2 months. Her mom with dementia has had heat stroke a few times. She's in Puerto Rico - and just got a generator on the weekend to provide some air for her mom. Awful
I feel so sorry for our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico. My two days of no power is nothing compared to what they've been going through.
DeleteWe've been without for two days in the winter because of ice storms. Luckily, we have fireplaces, melted snow to flush the toilets, and cooked hotdogs. The kids loved it. Me, not so much.
ReplyDeleteI want a fireplace.
DeleteI'm so sorry. Losing power sucks. I, too, wouldn't do well in the past or a dystopian story.
ReplyDeletelol. More fun to write them!
DeleteI think the longest we've lost power was about four days, and that was due to an ice storm. That was a wake-up call. We moved to GA right before Christmas in '71, and it was short sleeve weather. Gorgeous! January was more of the same, and by that time we thought we had it made. There we were wearing shorts, and our poor family back in MD was still suffering through frigid winter weather. February was good, too, right up until the end of the month, when nature exposed us to our first ice storm. We weren't prepared for it THEN, but we are more than prepared for power outages now. (But I still don't like 'em!)
ReplyDeleteI hate losing power. It would be nice to have a generator.
ReplyDeleteOur power company schedules "no power" days. They tell you in advance and doesn't last more than 5 hours. I don't have a problem losing power for a couple of days. Anything longer than that, and we'd just use our RV. It's has everything we in it we need.
ReplyDeleteKeep plugging away on your writing!
Knowing in advance would be helpful. Then you can plan.
Delete