2006-08-03
I survived the Midwest Storms and all I got was this T-Shirt!
When the midwest storms hit on Wednesday the 19th of July I was on the computer talking to friends in my EQ game. The lights flickered and I said "I might lose power ... "Then I did.
I am hooked up to a UPS but power went off and the UPS beeped. So I turned everything off and reset the UPS.
That was the last electricity I saw for 7 days.
The winds were amazing! I am a storm-lover, and it was pretty awesome. Scary, but quite invigorating.
I got to watch a huge walnut tree fall right next to our house. Luckily, it fell parallel to the driveway and RIGHT next to the wood box!! How's that for convenient? hehe. We also lost a chimney, which I heard come down but didn't know what it was. The dogs and I spent some time in the basement (Partner was driving back from a work-related trip and wasn't home yet).
We were fine, as Partner is kind of a redneck hoosier at times, and I'm a medievalist, used to SCA camping trips.
We had the trolling motor battery and a few other 12v ones, that gave us reading lights. On Friday, he rented a generator. Amazingly enough all our food in the freezer was still frozen solid! So we didn't lose anything there. The generator powered the fridge, and recharged the other batteries, and also powered up the coffee grinder and microwave occasionally. We had a Coleman stove to cook on or we grilled, although it was pretty hot for that.
We got power back the following Wednesday night. What a relief!! No more cold showers in the dark!! Although Partner had set up our camp shower outside next to the car port behind the shed ...
However, my computer was a casualty. Partner didn't really want to deal with it so I called my computer builder, who was trying to walk me thru diagnosing things on the phone. Finally Partner, seeing that I was bound and determined to take the computer apart and start throwing wires all over the place, relented and took over. Seems the power supply got fried, and another is on order. But I doubt it'll be in and installed until at least this weekend and probably not then.
It seems my computer access is not a priority with Partner, even though it means I can't work from home either, and am spending 10-12 hours a day here in the office.
*sigh*
So ... I'm still here, I haven't melted in the heat and I wasn't smooshed flat by falling trees, but I have no way to get to anywhere on line right now.