POWERLESS
6:30 AM
I am powerless. It has nothing to do with my age. It has nothing to do with being female.
The storm that hit at dinner time last night has taken my power. Twisting and turning and pounding, knocking out powerlines, and kicking two granite stones off Stonehead, which has always been a balancing act.
So, after a bad night’s sleep (two glasses of wine on the back porch last night didn’t help the snooze fairy), I got up in the dark not knowing what time it was—no red numbers lit up the old alarm clock. My usual good morning texts to Sue, Kristen and Joy, can’t happen today. My phone is dead. Cause of death: no juice. Starved. Powerless.
I come downstairs in the dark with my electric candle. Coffee first thing in the morning is always nice. The good thing is having gas stove burners, you can bypass the electric ignition by using a fire stick. I have one that works! Yay!
So, coffee filter over a cup, spoon of caffeine, and I’m thinking, I’m pretty fancy…like this is a Starbuck’s pour-over. However, in the vague candle glow, I over pour the cup. Wet coffee grounds have plopped in places outside the cup. Somehow, I do get a cup of coffee, and it’s okay. But tea sounds better and easier.
I open my iPad naively expecting to see mail, the New York Times “Morning” and all the puzzles that start my day, but our WIFI is out.
We have a gas water heater, and later when it’s light enough to see myself, I could possibly take a shower.
My main plan today was lunch in a park with Ann. She’s making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I was going to bring cookies. But my car is inside the garage with an electric door opener. I’m trapped. I can’t call her because my phone is dead. I can’t email because the WIFI is out.
I can’t check the weather, or what’s happening with the power company.
And now I’m getting hungry, I could cook an egg, one of those beauties my brother Tom and his new wife Lizzie brought us. They have chickens. I have eggs. But they’re in the frig and I don’t want to open the door and let the cold escape.
I could toast bread in a dry pan, but my bread is in the freezer. Do Not Open!
There are things in the cupboard to eat. Oatmeal—ugh. Instant mashed potatoes—maybe. But then…
8:30 am
John’s up. But wait! His car isn’t in the garage. He’s taking me to Panera for breakfast and WIFI plugins. It’s amazing how many places along our route still have power.
We sit in Panera with all our devices plugged in, and eat too much, and it takes too long for everything to get charged. A group of loud elder men are talking religion and politics next to me. I listen, eavesdrop, snope, but make no comments. I disagree with them on almost everything, but my powers out.
We stop at a grocery store and buy bread and a few other things that we already have, but are trapped in the shut tight refrigerator at home. Dinner: open a can of chili, or maybe have PBJs.
10:00 am
Back home I try to reach Ann to cancel our plans but her phone just rings, and so I write an email. I worry about her and call several more times. And then, hours later discover that she had answered my email.
Exhausted I lay down to take a nap, and I think, “hmm, maybe I should do some quilting. But then I remember. My Singer is powerless.
3:20 pm
I’m lying on the couch reading Joan Didion and having nothing to do with her dated essays from the 60’s, my world lights up!
All the lights we turned on last night in the dark are casting a gold glow.
I have POWER!
I could flex an arm muscle, but you wouldn’t be impressed.
