Power Outage

Quite a lot of us here in Florida had at least one opportunity to explore this issue in depth rather recently.

In the hot/humid weather my favorite pastime is finding ways to stay cool!

Second to that is dreaming up ways to make life more comfortable when the grid goes down.

In the winter it's open fire cookery, especially with the Dutch Oven.

.....Alan.

 

For six day recently after Hurricane Jeanne, I discovered that I really like to swim in my pond. My son and I rediscovered the joys of a good game of Chess and cards (he's very good). Don't know what I would do in the north during winter in a power outage, probably spend all day gathering wood and all night by a fire.

 

It seems the most recent power outages here have been close to sunset. Depending on the weather (snowstorm, thunderstorm, nice day) I sometimes listen to a battery operated radio, read (kerosene lamp), or do crossword puzzles. If its winter, I make sure I have lots of wood inside for the woodstove.

Cooking is no problem as I have a gas (propane) cooking stove. Although it has electronic ignition, it also lights with a match.

Fortunately, power outages here have usually been brief (less than 10 hours).

 

I plug an extension cord into the inverter,watch tv,computer...All the normal stuff.If its less than 48 hours Im Ok
BooBoo

 

My favorite past time used to be boiling a pot of coffee and laughing at all of the neighbors that used to think I was crazy for having a pot to boil coffee in. (percolator)

Now, I live with normal country folk for neighbors and most of them do that. Or they have a generator.

 

Read, crossword puzzles, Scrabble, talk, chores. We were without power for 14 days in February of 1999 after an ice storm. The only things we noticed were missing were water coming out of the faucet (we had to pump it from the well), the indoor toilet (had to use the outhouse which we keep in good repair for just such occassions), and the computer.

 

Depending on the temps we would run the gen in the morning and evening for showers. If it's really cold we run 30 minutes on 1 hour off to keep the automatic waterers open and full.

mikell

 

Several years ago at Thanksgiving week we had an ice storm that put the electric out for almost all week...I live alone & it was the telephone that kept me from hiking out to the neighbors...Had to mind the wood stove & feed dogs & livestock so kept busy..I paint & play with clay or read when I have the time.. It made the telephone a "real" friend...All of us called to check where the elec. crew was & who's transformer blew out.. I got to bed early...That was before the computer in my house so I don't want a repete this year...I would miss having coffee with you folks every morning ... GrannieD