Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Powerless To Do Anything

In my 2+ years of blogging, I had never written fewer than five posts in a full month. Sure, I'd written exactly five posts twelve times, but long ago I'd instituted a five-post minimum, and I'd never dipped below it. Until now.

I'd planned to churn out two posts in the last few days of October (one featuring an adorable costumed Professor), but Mother Nature decided she had yet another trick up her sleeve.1 Despite already hurling countless earthquakes, snowstorms, sandstorms, hurricanes, and a whirlwind Kim Kardashian marriage at us this year, apparently it wasn't enough.

That, or she had it in for the trees. On Saturday night, 40mph winds and lead masquerading as snow snapped trees as if they were twigs, and those tree-twigs in turn snapped power lines as if they were... um... other things that snap easily. Peas? Dragons? Anyway, this left most of us in Connecticut without electricity. And by extension, heat. (Also, internet.) The heatlessness is the toughest to deal with, especially with a three-and-a-half-month-old.2

At least six homes on our block — including ours — had their power lines downed by trees, and one had both cars felled by branches the size of small Buicks. Thankfully, however, no nearby homes seem to have been damaged.

Three days later, approximately 100% of our town remains without power. We don't expect ours to be reconnected for at least another week. I'm writing this post from work (possibly violating my company's social media policy in the process),3 at an office in another town where 100% of the people are without power. The building was closed yesterday, and today their generator is powering enough of the cube farm for only about 300 of its 3000 employees. I was one of the "lucky" ones who happened to work in the one working wing.

In short, you shan't expect to see me much 'round these parts in the coming days. But give me a week or so, when once again I see the light, and I'll be back blogging like it's October 29.

Until then, stay safe, stay warm, and stay cool.4


1 Not that Mother Nature has sleeves, per se. At least, I hope not. That would mean the blanket of snow she draped over us this weekend was actually a giant white Snuggie. *shudder*
2 As of this morning, our house was down to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. But you'll be happy to know we've yet to surpass four layers of clothing on our son, so he can still flail his limbs as will. (Will thinks it's cute.)
3 Dear crack team of corporate attack lawyers, when considering whether to rescind my internet access, please take into account I wrote this during my lunch break.
4 Figuratively speaking, of course, for that last one.

6 comments:

  1. Dude, sorry you're without power! Keep that kid warm.

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  2. Oh, no. I hope you find a place to stay to keep the little guy from forming icicles. Or, that the temps. warm up for you. And, that the power guys get help so they can get you reconnected. So sorry for, yet another, natural disaster!

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  3. I hope you get your power back soon! Fingers crossed that CL&P's estimated service restoration time is erring heavily on the side of caution.

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  4. Alex, so you're saying I shouldn't put the baby's cradle in the tree tops? (It's not as bad as it sounds; the boughs have already broken, and the tree tops are on the ground.)

    Mary, but he'd be such a cute little Professcicle. And don't worry; he's so warm we just have to look at him and it makes us melt.

    Joelle, no power, yet, but my parents just got theirs back about an hour ago. Now we can stop imposing upon our friends, and impose on them instead. Hooray!

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  5. Ahhh good times to be had. It's moments like those that truly build character. After living in Kansas for the past 15 years, I have learned to live through many powerless days and nights, it was always fun to see how creative we could get to stay warm. The kids always seem to enjoy it and liked the adventure of it all. I sympathize with ya. Stay warm and safe.
    Blessings to you!!

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  6. Thanks, Heather. Our creative method of getting and staying warm was to stay with friends overnight. (If it wasn't for The Professor, my method would have been more creative. It would have included multiple cats.)

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