February 3, 2009

No "easy wind or downy flake"


With apologies to Robert Frost. Outside it is fourteen degrees and a wind chill factor just over zero. At various times over the weekend, our house has been about fifty degrees.

We have had three power outages, but I am truly not complaining (well, very much) as friends have been suffering much worse. South of us in the state my friend Julia calls “The Promised Land” many gas stations don’t have power and those that do are out of fuel. Her friends in Lyon County are without water and power.

Outage number three came like this: Husband and I are settled snug in our basement in front of the television as Random Pop Singer is singing the National Anthem before the Super Bowl. (Dating myself, I know the names of no pop singers after Olivia Newton-John – whom my father once thought was a trio. The last pop singer he knows is Rosemary Clooney.)

Just as Random Pop Singer reached the high notes of The Star Spangled Banner, the power went off.

Blip.
Clack.
Nothingness.

Thankfully the Super Bowl was broadcast on local radio.

Now remember, I am not complaining, but during this episode of Ice Road Truckers Midwest, I did not have coffee for five days. (There was an unfortunate incident on Friday with the coffeemaker when when had power and I was home alone. Refer to previous posts on my homemaker abilities.)

When I don’t have coffee, the world does not look good. Today is a new day. Seventy degrees in the house. A grande Mocha non-fat no-whip at the ready.

Quoth the raven.