To Guarantee that the Power Doesn't Go Out, Just be Totally Prepared for a Power Outage (Or "How Tom is Spending his Birthday")
So today is Tom's birthday. Happy birthday, Tom! You were supposed to get a sexy snow woman for your birthday, complete with painted on (this is a g-rated blog!) bikini and "danglies."
Instead, this is how you've been spending your birthday, because of this damn weather report, and that means that we MUST be prepared for what is on its way as I type this.
So maybe I'm over-reacting; that is actually possible. I only admit that because it's pretty obvious here, as Tom and Peter give the generator a test start-up:
"Carol/Mom, breathe. Caaaalm down. Do not fret. It will start!" (And it did -- the FIRST time they tried. That clinches it: the power will NOT go out!)
We have reason to be concerned, and there's a bit of history to our (my?) reaction. In December, 1995 (we called it "Wind '95" which old-time Microsofties will understand), a windstorm blew through our area and dropped one of these...
...right smack-dab onto our house. Or, actually... not RIGHT onto our house. It hit the corner of our bedroom, then broke and not only hit the boys' room, but went straight INTO it (thank goodness they weren't in it!), then broke again and came to a rest on BOTH of our cars, totaling one and destroying all the kids' Christmas presents which we had cleverly (or not so cleverly, as it turns out) hidden in the trunk of the totaled car. The house took almost a year to repair, but our psychies took a bit longer. Have you ever heard the sound of one of these huge cedars crash through your house -- from INSIDE your house?!
So we're prepared this time. See?
Firewood has been brought (see the boot prints?) from the woodpile under the trees (see the green tarp, peeking out from the snow?) to the garage:
Supplies, at the ready: 
Provisions, at the ready:
We're just not all that worried this time because, well -- we have provisions!
Happy Birthday, Tom! Now hunker down and get ready, because nature is about to bring you a rousing "celebration."
8 comments:
OK, that clinches it. I'm coming to YOUR house. PAR-TEE! :o)
[It's starting...]
Right now it is still relatively calm at our house. But Maple Valley is supposed to get some of the worst winds and we don't have a generator. So, as usual, the fireplace will have to do for heat in this house because it is a given we will lose power, just like we did back then when we were without it for five days. You'd think we would have gotten a generator by now, wouldn't you. Well, least we do have some of the same "refreshments" at our house as you do.
Those are some really yummy looking provisions! We have tested our flashlights, have candles and our gas insert--but my husband hasn't tested the generator. Hmmm... that could cause a power outage in P-town. You see, I'm as superstitious as you are.
Happy B'day to Tom, and I hope that he gets to celebrate with more than Wild Turkey!
My neighborhood (before I moved here) lost power for 3-4 days in 2006. We talk about a generator but haven't followed through. I think it will probably take an experience (hopefully not as drastic as yours) to really motivate us.
I think you're supposed to have worse winds than we are (80 miles N of you), but I'm guessing it (the wind) is not going to be as bad as the forecast... keep fingers crossed!
Well, it's almost 9pm and no wind down in Tacoma. But it WILL NOT STOP SNOWING. I feel like we're in the midwest or something. Who thought I would miss winter rain?
Hang in there, Carol. Hopefully the forecast will be wrong again.
I'd be most interested in that bottle of Wild Turkey :)
good grief you ARE prepared aren't you!!!?
It is strange to think that over here in the UK the whole country seems to go into a collective panic when we get the merest smidgen of snow!! (we don't know how good we've got it!!)
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