Back to Our Roots

The power outage in Washington County on Monday was the most fun I've had in a long time.
4:30 pm At the office, with slight warnings of light flickers, the power went completely out. An incessant beeping was coming from all 6 computers in the room. Everyone working marched out of the office and a patient with a propped up broken leg in a wheel chair shouted from a pitch black waiting room. We gave him pain meds and did our best to close out the day without electricity. On our way home, traffic was crazy. While people seemed panicked all the same, treating a busy stop-light intersection as a 4-way-stop is always a gracious reminder that we live in a wonderful place.
5:00 pm I returned home and called Megan, 10 miles away to find their power was out as well. We discussed the rurality of it all. Just as our ancient ancestors had done. 'Back to our roots,' Megan said.
7:00 pm I remained restless in the warm hours of the evening; discovering the breeze and sprinkle outside provided a cooler atmosphere than the previously air-conditioned indoors. We ate a cold dinner: delicious veggie wraps, along with watermelon and salad.
8:15 pm We found out our tickets for Cinderella at Tuachan would not be useful; the show was canceled for obvious reasons. I was surprisingly relieved. My inclination to enjoy irregular weather plays games with my moods.
9:00 pm I sprawled out in a plastic chair on my porch. The light was bright for such a time of night (read that aloud :).) To finish the final fifty pages of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. As I read the dark shocking ending, silver-dollar sized raindrops splattered inches from me. It was pouring within minutes, but only for minutes. And...power!


It seemed as though Mother Nature was reading right along with me. For as my tears wet the page, the rain wet the ground. And as the sun went down, the light came on.

I have not fully recovered from my strange evening.