Because of the high winds on Thursday, I wasn't surprised when we lost electricity at 4:00 p.m. We used to lose power frequently, so Maureen and I have made preparations because we know it will happen eventually.
We have the wood stove which will heat the house at temperatures of 20 F and above. Below that temperature, we can warm the house by opening and shutting doors to target heat flow into certain rooms. I also keep spare propane for emergency heat and for the grill. So, we can cook and heat water on the wood stove. We can also use the grill, or the camp stove out side on the porch.
Camping a lot makes living without electricity less complicated. We keep over 10 gallons of drinking water always ready. Two 5 gallon jugs are always filled, and I recycle the water regularly to keep it fresh. We can get buckets of water from the spring for flushing toilets. Non-scented baby wipes, that we take camping, make a very good substitute for a shower.
Because we camp so much, Maureen and I are nuts about flashlights. We have an array of lanterns, headlamps, and wind-up flashlights, along with a selection of different Mag lights. Maureen is great about keeping a closet stocked with batteries to power everything.
So, when it got dark last night, we were ready. We called neighbors, emptied the fridge, set out a tray of food, lit candles and lanterns, put a CD on the battery powered radio, and then talked and ate for hours in front of the wood stove.
This morning, when the power was still off, I hooked up the generator. Years ago, I decided that a generator was a worthwhile investment (and it has been!). We had the breaker box rewired so that we could connect simply and safely to power the essential circuits. So, I flipped on the water pump and furnace and we took showers. Then I charged the freezer and fridge for a while. When that was done, I shut down, gassed up, and put the generator back in storage all ready for the "next time." Sure we could have survived the 20 hours without electricity - we have done it before. But it is nice to know you are prepared. Preparation is power.
