You got power?

What is the most commonly asked question in the Northwest these days? You Got Power?? We are just recovering from the worst wind in many years up here in the Seattle area. Thursday December 14th the storm blew through and by Friday morning over 1 million people were without electricity. We have tons of beautiful tall trees everywhere which makes this a gorgeous place to live. But, following the wettest month in our history leaving the ground soaked, trees were pushed over roots and all, falling on and snapping power lines everywhere you look. Today, Sunday December 17th, there are still over 500,000 people in the dark.

Ron and I didn't do too bad with a gas fireplace/stove/and hot water heater, and we got electricity back Saturday afternoon. That short period in the dark gave us time to start thinking about the time that is coming for us to be in this situation on a regular basis.

In Africa the power you have is pretty unreliable I am told. While we were visiting last spring they were rationing the electricity, on at night and off during the day or reverse, whatever they decided for the day. Not totally sure the reasoning for that schedule but that will be one of the many things we will not have control over and will have to learn to live with. It was fun to start thinking about what it might be like. Food will be interesting if we are not keeping any perishable food around to spoil and we have no way to cook except by fire outside. I don't think you go out much after dark and I can see why when it is so dark out there and animals hunt at night. We might find it is hard to play games or read by candlelight or maybe our eyes are just too old for that.

In the middle of this we thought about how much we have, and how this was but a little inconvenience compared to the tsunami, to the hurricane, or to places like Africa.