Wednesday, July 13, 2011

UNINTENDED HIATUS


I'm sure everyone knows that old saying…When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.

That's what Myladylove and I have been doing the past three days. No, not making lemonade, but making the best of an unexpected situation. Making actual lemonade would have been impossible because we didn't have ice—and we didn't have ice because we've been without electric power.

Monday evening, after a day when the heat index soared to 120˚F, a thunderstorm came rumbling and flashing in from the southwest. Frankly, we welcomed the prospects of a dose of cooling rain. Earlier that afternoon, beaten by the sweltering heat, I'd temporarily given up on my chaise lounge building project and sent Myladlove a rare text: I'm drowning in sweat! 

Now, our light dinner meal over and sweet relief on the way, we sat on the deck in the gathering twilight and watched the front appear over the hill. Thunder boomed and lightening flashed. The wind picked up, tossing and shaking the tops of the big sycamores. A kingfisher hurtled downriver, giving us a sharp squawk as it passed. The air cooled considerably and felt suddenly damp.

When the first fat raindrops began pelting the water, we retreated inside. The rain became a downpour, falling so fast and furious that sometimes you could barely make out the island across from the cottage. The thunder and lightening were almost continuous. Then the power went—ker-poof!. Lights, fans, refrigerator, water pump, computer. "Uh-oh," I said, somehow pessimistically knowing this would prove more than a brief service interruption. "We're going to be camping tonight—maybe longer."

There are times I'd rather be wrong than right. As it turned out, the storm put over 60,000 area homes in the dark, not to mention the toppled trees and roofs that went sailing away. As of this Wednesday noontime, 10,000 or so houses were still without electricity and the power company was handing out free ice so that folks might not lose all their cold-storage foods. 

Mylady and I have both spent much of our lives living out of tents and wilderness cabins where amenities are few and rustic. I broke out the necessary camping gear. We cooked on the portable propane stove, used flashlights, candles, oil lamps and a lantern for light. We always keep plenty of bottled water on hand, including a dozen gallon jugs. (The nearby river would furnish the water to solve such matters as flushing the toilet.)  Luckily, I didn't have a column or article deadline looming. Myladylove used the outage (no blow dryer) as an excuse for a hot-weather haircut. I read a couple of good mysteries. And so, for us, these few days without electricity have been little more than an inconvenience, maybe even one of those impromptu little adventures that, in retrospect, we've rather enjoyed

Of course, Moon-the-Dog, who missed sleeping in front of the floor fan, probably would not agree.

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FYI: The tiger lilies, which I photographed yesterday, are in one of the beds. Myladylove is rather proud of them—her mother gave her the plants, which she carted home following her last visit to east-Tennessee; this is the first time they've bloomed. 
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12 comments:

AfromTO said...

Can't wait to see your chaise-you might even find some time to lounge.Hope the lumbar support works in the designs -all other chaises seemed too flat.Good luck

Gail said...

Oh Grizz -I love how you rally, make the best of all that life throws at you, and itlooks like your Lady Love is cut from the same cloth. Real pioneers you two are. Survivors.
I am such a baby when it comes to 'no power'. The toilet issue drives me crazy, and w/out A/C my MS muscles weaken so much. grrrrr
We have weathered some outages too - not nearly as well as you to though. And I love,love, love the tale of the tiger lillies. :-)
Love to you'
Gail
peace,.....

Robin said...

Hey Grizz,
We got that storm at approximately 8:15 am that morning. Being a weather geek, I knew it was going to be a bad one. Made it into work and stood watching it come in. Then I went to the garden center.

There were huge wooden planters flying off the top shelves, the entire computer and housing went scooting and we watched part of the roof try to come off. It took hours to clean up.

Now I know it was a 'derecho', straight line winds as powerful as a tornado. 800,000 people lost power and 160,000 won't have any till Saturday (thank God I'm not one because of Meander and now being on the third floor.)

The suburb I drive thru to get to work is devastated. I hate seeing downed trees, and they are everywhere.

I'm glad you guys are safe and having a relaxing time. If I lived on the river I'd do exactly what you are.

~Robin

KGMom said...

Sorry for your troubles. One of the biggest consequences of no power is ruined food supplies--ice cream melts, meats thaw, etc. I hope you didn't have too much of that to deal with.

Grizz………… said...

AfromTO…

FYI, the chaise I'm building now (or not building, as I'm soon off to a nearby prairie and then to Sam's for groceries) is just a simple flat design, much like one I built several years ago at another house. Except this one will sit higher off the ground—better on the old back when getting up. If it's anything like the last one, it will be sturdy, heavy, and semi-permanent in its placement…just carry the cushion out, plop down, read/sun/sip/snooze.

I'll tackle the slightly modified version of the design you sent later.

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

In the end, that's about all anyone can do when faced with whatever circumstances…make the best of things and keep plodding along. (Perhaps with the occasional whine and grumble, and always, being Irish, laughing and poking fun.)

As to our being real pioneers, not so much as just the fact that we both have similar backgrounds, have always camped and often spent long stretches of time in fairly primitive conditions. Back when I used to spend upwards of 300 days per year on the road doing assignment work, I stayed in fancy lodges and the like sometimes, but more often in hunting and fishing camps, tents, cabins, packing into places on horseback, by canoe, or afoot. Often for weeks at a time, I simply lived out of the back of my pickup which had just a simple metal shell on the rear and a sleeping platform/pad with storage underneath. I'd park in a primitive campground for the night, or just pull down a two-track into the woods. I was self contained, and actually quite comfortable.

Funny thing, though, Myladylove were talking last night how it seems harder to "camp" comfortably at home than in the real wilderness.

I can, however, see why you'd have medical-related issues. Luckily, my medical problems don't really cause these impromptu campouts to be any more of a hardship.

Grizz………… said...

Robin…

Being without power meant I didn't keep up with the wider news. I didn't realize until I read your comment this morning that the storm we experienced was so widespread. Obviously you folks got hit really hard. They've now put the numbers at 80,000 homes without power initially. Wind speeds (straight line) at something exceeding 80 mph. No limbs down here along the river, but then we're down in this protected little pocket; however, lots of tree/limb damage elsewhere.

I'm really glad to hear that you're not one with a power loss. It would be a lot tougher for you and Meander three flights up. I'd say we were all lucky. Please take care…

Grizz………… said...

KGMom…

No, so far as I know, I didn't lose a thing. I was careful about opening the freezer and lower refrigerator doors—quick in and out and as infrequently as possible. Had I had any in storage, ice cream would certainly have gotten soft, though it wouldn't have been lost—I can assure you we would have risen to the task and scarfed up every spoonful. My big packages of frozen strawberries and blueberries didn't thaw completely, nor did any of the meats. And in the refrigerator portion, the three quarts of whole yogurt, eggs, cheese, fruits and veggies seem okay…so I think I'm good. I would have bought ice and put any perishables in a cooler if the outage had continued much longer, though.

Gail said...

HI AGAIN - your wilderness, work and life history is so fascinating. Wow!! I love the idea of such an adventurous life style and dare I say a few years back I would have done quite well, with a need for a hot shower and electricity though to blow dry and curl my hair, - God forbid my hair isn't just so..... :-) ANd I am not a big fan of bathroom needs being met by a hole in the ground or behind a bush - I am a huge fan of flushing :-) So given all that I would be a real hoot at your side out in the wild!! :-)
Love to you always my favorite nature man
Gail
peace.....

Scott said...

Those beatuiful lilies wouldn't last overnight here; they'd be a bedtime snack of our deer.

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

You'd have been in big trouble in many of the places I stayed re. a blow dryer, hot shower, and flush toilet. Which isn't to say folks who spend a great deal of time back in the boonies don't manage to take care of business and keep themselves cleaned and neatly dressed—just that you have to come prepared and learn the tricks and alternate ways and means.

Grizz………… said...

Scott…

Speaking from what you might call a fair degree of insider knowledge…those deer might then find themselves becoming a bedtime snack of the lily-planting lady who takes a rather dim view of such raids, but has a taste for homemade jerky.