Survival Mode

These trees were about 15 feet tall before the blizzard and the hurricane joined forces to beat them down.  By 2:30 PM Monday big flakes of snow were being blown horizontally across the front of my house.  With darkness came thunder and lightning.  A kind of beautiful, eerie scene as lightning lit up the snow blowing and snow already on the ground.
At 12:30 AM Tuesday I was awakened by my door bell.  I jumped from bed to see who was seeking shelter from the storm.  The door bell rang again and the lights went out. Electricity's last hurrah!
I hadn't heated with wood for two winters, but I had enough wood to get started.  Neighbors gave me more wood.  So I kept warm.  I could also do some cooking on the wood stove.  Without electricity the pump for my well doesn't work.  I had drawn a lot of water in jugs for drinking.  I hauled water from the lake to flush the toilets.  No shower.
No TV and internet meant that I had some more hours to read and pray and listen to music (on boom box with batteries.)  I had mellow evenings by candlelight.  One night accompanied by Judy Collins' Who Knows Where the Time Goes, All My Life, Send in the Clowns.
My cell phone kept me connected to friends and family.   Neighbors were a big help. 
My power came on Saturday night at 10:36, after five days without.  For me it had been a kind of exciting challenge, but I was aware that for many poor people in the county it was a critical time.
I thank God for today's brilliant sunshine.