Sunday, September 26, 2004
Generating Power
After Hurricane Frances, we bought a generator. Unlike some large purchases that we quibble over before making the final decision to spend the money, we both agreed we needed to make this purchase — now! It put a dent in our budget, but we reasoned it would pay for itself in as little as two or three storms. How? After Frances we were without power for two days and we lost everything in our refrigerator/freezer and a small chest freezer — easily adding up to over $250. We reasoned if another storm hit (and that was a big IF in our discussion), we would be able to plug in our refrigerator and by saving our perishables, we'd save money.Of course, you'd have to know my husband to know the cost of the generator wouldn't be the only expense involved. He had to "outfit" the generator. That required a metal garden cart ($75) to hold the generator and its accessories. Accessories? Two six-gallon gasoline cans ($12), one power strip and three 25 ft. extension cords ($25). Then, since he isn't around (he's a power company employee), he decided to make the hook-up foolproof (I guess that would make me the fool) and run a designated line from the outside to the inside of the house for an easy connection. That required wire to run the connection ($30) and electrical outlets and boxes ($25).
This morning as Hurricane Jeanne blew through, we lost power. A few hours later, the storm subsided enough for the fool to get the generator started. It is humming along... well, actually generators don't hum... they roar... loudly. What is humming is our refrigerator and a couple of small fans. Generating your own power makes you feel... well, powerful. And, when you otherwise feel so powerless over these huge storms, that feeling is... priceless.
Monday, September 27, 2004
Life Goes On
It is the morning after a Category I Hurricane Jeanne battered the Tampa Bay area. Most of the damage reported thus far seems to be downed trees and power lines resulting in massive area power outages. But, disaster or not, life goes on.Whether you have power or not, the dog still needs to be walked, the garbage cans set out and many are required to report to work. Mondays are difficult enough without adding a cold shower to start the day. Making matters worse is your favorite place you stop for that morning cup of coffee won't be open. That goes for the corner gas station too. The oaks that provided shade on your afternoon commute are now blocking the roadways making it necessary to find an alternate route and you play the-bravest-goes-first at the intersections with no working traffic signals.
After my cold shower, I don't have to climb in the car and fight traffic. I work from a small office in my home. This morning though I can't report for work. I have no power other than a generator. It runs a couple of fans and my computer, but the cable is out. This is an event that is beyond my control and I'm frustrated that I can't communicate with friends and family via emails and I can't update Florida for Visitors with all the opening and closing information that I've collected by watching a small battery-powered TV. So, I do what anyone in my position would do. I make note to get dialup Internet access as a backup. Then, I go back to bed.
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Cable Ready
I am bored, so I turn on the computer. This is no small feat. We still have no electric service and the generator will only power a handful of appliances — the refrigerator and a couple of small fans topping the list. The remaining power is alternated between a variety of plug-ins on an as-needed basis — a table lamp, cell phone chargers, a hair dryer (my teenage girls have their priorities too), a portable DVD player, the computer and a toaster oven. All of this is hooked up via a mass of cords, extension cords and power strips. So, making changes in what's plugged in at any one time is an ordeal and ends up looking like an electrician's nightmare.I probably work at least five minutes before realizing that the cable box lights are all on — I HAVE CABLE! That means that I can I begin catching up on my work and I could easily redefine the term "cable ready."
