We have been without power since Saturday night at 10:21 pm when the snowstorm knocked out some important equipment somewhere on the grid. It's one thing to not have electricity and quite another to not have heat or running water. That's the situation we found ourselves in Sunday morning. Uh-oh. We had thought about getting a generator, but it never seemed quite the right time until we found ourselves sitting in a cold dark house. So, on Sunday Roger made some calls to the local hardware stores and found that they had already sold out all of their generators. That meant a 35 mile drive to the nearest big box stores to find one.Luckily, we found a generator there that had enough power to support (4) 120 volt connections and (1) 220, which we needed to power the well pump. We brought it home and used it right away to the heat the house from its 57 degrees and to the cool refrigerator down to its appropriate chill level. Ah modern life.
The local newspaper, which we finally got to read online Monday when our telephone (and dsl) service was mysteriously restored, after dying mid-conversation on Sunday, told us that we are one of 7000 households in Nevada County without power. We probably won't see electricity until Tuesday evening, at the earliest. Even with the generator, we still don't have hot water, but I can at least stop melting snow to wash the dishes. Progress.
I don't think there are any big lessons to be learned from this. You have to experience it to get a real sense of life without power.
Stock up on water, candles TP, and on and on. When I first moved to Anchorage, power outages during winter were common. Things have got a lot better, but still happens from time to time.
ReplyDeleteStay warm!
That is seriously without power. And if the sauna were completed, you would have had to use the generator on that puppy as well! Hope you get your power back soon - it's not fun after the initial excitement wears off.
ReplyDeleteI learned something: your & Roger's presence here is a source of comfort to me. I actually noticed you'd sort of gone missing and it made me feel a little anxious!
ReplyDeleteIn your defense, this is your first winter there and you had no idea what to expect. Next year, you'll be better prepared. By year three, you'll be old hands!
ReplyDeleteThe little hill town where I'm slowly making progress on building is quite prone to multi-day power outages. Up there, it makes sense to have a wood stove (I imagine that would be a serious fire hazard where you live), and there are many springs at the back of the property, plus an amazing community of folks who check in on, and take care of, each other.
Lovely snow but no power is not fun. Fortunately, I have all kinds of back up-- gas heat,hot water-on rural water supply, Kindle for entertainment and gas stove. Gas is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteEach year I think about a generator but like you, only think seriously when the power goes off. Kind of a human condition.
Don't forget, the guys trying to give you power again, are out in all that mess.
Stay warm, snuggle lots and enjoy the beauty.
We would be like you if we had a power outage, except we could build a fire. I actually have a generator but I haven't used it in several years. Your experience has convinced me I need to get it out and make sure everything works.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are smart to get a generator! Hope things are back to normal soon. Life on the North Coast always includes power outages. In the last decade, we have had many. The longest was 6 days. Thank goodness for the wood burning stoves we have had, as they not only provided heat, but a place to cook food. When the girls were still at home, it was a cool opportunity to connect and hang out as a family more... play cards, have good talks, etc. Though inconvenient, I find power outages to be excellent reminders of who's in charge. And it isn't humans!! xo
ReplyDeleteAlthough we live way out in the country, until a few years ago we had not had any particularly long power outages. I knew what they were like though from city living and one year during a particularly severe snowstorm and cold spell leading us to be without it for a week in Lake Oswego while we'd see houses with electricity only a block over. Definitely it changes your perspective. And it changed for us at the farm after that week without power. Naturally it was too late to buy a generator but we got one before the next winter and now don't have to fear the problems of no toilet flushing, kerosene lamps, woodstove as only source of heat, propane stove to cook on, and evenings with no internet or television. Generators are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteYou can still have a happy thanksgiving, right?
ReplyDeletehope the power's back up soon! and glad your phone/internet are back.
ReplyDeletethe snow's very pretty! they got snow in corvallis last night, and it was still snowing this morning as my daughter walked to school. [she knows not from driving in snow, and besides, she had no idea what to do with the ice on the windshield!]
Oh my.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a cold version of hurricane season here.
No power for days and stores sold out of generators.
It's 17 degrees here tonight. If the power went out I'd have to put on the long underwear, snow pants, jacket, hat, lots of sox maybe some fingerless gloves, get under the covers and do some serious hibernating. Not funny...
ReplyDeleteI hope you are once again Powerfull. Love you,
Lots of snow, too but just a short power outage here at the snowline in Camino, Robin. The early season, heavy snow was a surprise until I remembered the first winter we lived here, which was also an La Nina year, like this one. We had far more snow that winter and spring than we'd expected and learned a lot about living in the middle of it. Now we have a great woodstove for heat, even if the power goes, but we do lose everything else. We get by.
ReplyDeleteI hope your power is back on, now (it's Tuesday night). Forecast is for bitter cold overnight and a couple more very chilly days and nights. Stay warm--and here's wishing you and Roger a very happy Thanksgiving. :o)
How did you connect the generator & well pump?
ReplyDeleteThe longest we've lost power in a snow storm is 3 or 4 days. We heat with wood so comfort and cooking isn't a problem.
I've been meaning to do something about stand-by for the well for a while.
Wow. In Roanoke, we're still experiencing balmy, sunny autumn days. We're still "leaf peeping" at the end days of November. The reds are now out in their glory. It's been an incredibly beautiful season.
ReplyDeleteSending some of this through the intertubes for your enjoyment.
Several years ago when the infamous Ice Storm swept through eastern Ontario and western Quebec, taking out all the power lines along with it for as long as 2 weeks in some places, everyone went out and bought generators. We (well, not me, but the other half of we) starts it up once every few months to make sure it's in good working order; we heat with a combination wood and electric; have tons of candles, lamps etc; and a propane BBQ...bring it! When you're adequately prepared, it's actually rather a relief to do without all the power gadgets and noise they make. The silence and the slowing down of daily rhythyms are quite easy to get used to...a kinder, gentler time indeed. But very glad you didn't have any major problems!
ReplyDeletemaybe i'll do a post with pix of my jury-rigged connection from generator to well pump. for now here's the word pic. i opened the circuit breaker box under the power meter, removed the breaker cover, disconnected the pump wires from their particular breaker, and spliced (i love wire nuts) those wires to a wire with a suitable plug on the end and plugged that into the generator. yes, i do have lots of experience with wiring.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the power... Bu love that snowy Buddha! Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you're all powered up to celebrate.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving!!
ReplyDeleteMy sister's home in W. Idaho lost power this week, too. They have a woodstove and a gas range, but an electric hot water heater. She said that was the worst part, no hot water for washing anything.
ReplyDeleteHope things are shipshape down your way by now; a peaceful T-Giving to you.
Love the snowy Buddha too. As Susan commented, we were without power for 2 weeks during the big ice storm that went through the northeast. We were able to get an old well in our orchard working with a cistern hand pump and used that to water our herd of 35 dairy goats, 2 horses, and various other critters. Unfortunately, after the ice storm, the temperature took a major nosedive and it was quite brutal for many people. some died trying to heat houses with stoves not meant to be operated indoors. Best tactic is to be prepared even though such outages are fairly rare.
ReplyDeleteWe built our house shortly after the three successive hurricanes dumped massive amounts of rain in western NC. When we learned the area was without power for three weeks, we got a huge generator that will power the entire house for two weeks...more if we turn off one of the heat pumps.
ReplyDeleteWe've been here four years and have never needed it for more than two hours at a time, but I wouldn't be without it.
Hope you're back up and running!
I suppose your thanksgiving was filled with a variety of meditations on gratitude. some good food too, I hope. and love. and beauty.
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