The Night the Lights Went Out

Saturday was a miserable, rainy, cold day as a Nor'easter (the storm formerly known as Hurricane Noel) swung up the coast. Winds were gusting up to 50 miles per hour in some areas with heavy rains. The Cape got the brunt of the storm with wind gusts near hurricane force (70 mph)

The storm wasn't really bothering us. Himself had the outside pumps ready. A click from an electronic switch would set them running without having to wade outside to plug them in. We were cozy, dry, and all occupied late in the afternoon when the lights went out. The Young One had been in the middle of playing Xbox so she sent up an annoyed, "Hey!" I had been burning a DVD, and fortunately it finished.

Himself, the Young One, and I gathered in the livingroom to wait for the lights to go on. It's happened before that when the winds are strong we lose electricity for 10 minutes or so. Ten minutes came and went. Then a half hour, and then an hour had passed. When it looked like the lights weren't coming on anytime soon and it was getting hard to keep track of where Ink was wandering, I lit some jar candles and said lots of prayers that the lights would come back on soon.

The Young One entertained us by making shadow puppets on the wall. I got out the dynamo radio, cranked it up and tuned into a news station. Most of the storm news was focused on the Cape.

Around supper time, the discussion turned to food. There were donuts left over from the morning, and cold cereal. Tony's the local pizzeria has gas ovens so I called to place an order. I thought they had an emergency generator for the lights. We'd just have to pay cash because the debit/credit payment machine might be down. Since our telephone is tied into the cable, I used my cell phone to Tony's to ask if they were open. The girl laughed and took my order. Himself went to pick it up.

I put a battery candle in the jack o'lantern in the front window, so Himself would be able to recognize the house. Even on a night when the electricty is running, Himself has been known to sail clear past the house because in our rural neck of the woods, the only street lights are at the intersections of the crossroads. The Young One and I waited. I saw two electric company cherry picker trucks fly up the road.

Soon Himself arrived with pizza, soda, potato chops, and Snickers bars. All the essentials of waiting out a storm. He said the girls were laughing when I asked if they were open. Seems the power outage was very local and confined to south of the center of town. Himself came home by way of the center. The fire barn, town hall, and police station were all lit. There was some sort of function going on across the green at the Congo (Congregational church). Heading down Uxbridge Rd. , Himself passed a gathering of electric company trucks. Seems someone whacked the pole.

We ate pizza by candle light in the kitchen. We were warm, safe and together. Didn't really matter what else happened though I was beginning to wish the electricty would come on very soon. I tried calling the Eldest at her college to see what she was up to. Obviously, she was not studying as there was no answer in her dorm room.

Three hours after the lights went out, they came. I was so happy and made a mad dash for the bathroom. When we lose electricity, we also lose our well pump. No pump, no water. No water, no flushing of the toilet! How do you spell relief?