I like to think of us (Hubs and I) as self sufficient. We have a home that can easily be hooked up to a generator to power our well and appliances. I have food stored. We heat with a wood stove. Really, electricity is a convenience here at The Refuge. No, we are not off the grid, although we have friends who are. When we first moved here (rural Idaho), power outages were common. We would have 3 brown outs in a row, then the power would disappear. Who knew how long it would be out? Then, Idaho Power replaced some poles and the lights stayed on. But, I have learned to read weather signs and pay attention to the alerts. We live on a hill, so I can see it coming. I will fill up a bathtub, find the candles, lay down the chairs on the porch, pick up things that can blow away, take a shower and make sure my phone is charged. Lessons learned and put to use!
I usually put myself away at a certain time. I have a charged cell phone and I am clean and ready for the evening. But, the other night I stayed up, chatting on the phone, reading, writing. And…boom. Lights out. Damn. I wasn’t ready for that! It was 94 degrees as the sun was setting through the terrible smoky haze that was the sky. I realized I had not turned the AC on in my room either, so it was HOT. The one night I wasn’t in my normal routine and the abnormal happens. (Honey…if you are reading this, and you know you are, can I have some lanterns?)
I was discombobulated. And I was disgusting from working outside all day. I found a flashlight that was dim, just like the light in the house. It was the time of day that was neither dark or light. It was an unusually strange gloaming due to the smoky air. The sun hung in the sky, a great glowing orb, reminiscent of Mt. Doom. And all was silent. Everything felt the missing proverbial hum of the power grid. I felt it. And…it felt really good. I cannot explain except to just say it was a most welcome absence. Like when you have a houseful of guests or children and have a really great time but you still heave that sigh of relief when the party is over and they have all gone home. You plop down on the couch and sigh. You know you have done it…and so have I. Whew! Glad they are gone because I was stretched! Yep. I felt that. It was like absence of power made way for something far greater. Something that could not fit into the space that was taken up by the electrical grid. And, as soon as that power went off, whatever it was melted down over my house in Middle Earth and I embraced it. I checked out the Idaho Power website and saw the random outages, but my phone was not charged and was dying. I was not sad. I happily turned it off and put it in its cage for the night. There was no hum from the fridge, (which is super annoying anyway) no router lights blinking, no lights from appliances or from the homes in the valley. Even the cattle seemed to moo signs of relief. I did hear a few gun shots out yonder, and in these troublesome times, I tend to see menace where there is none. I have become hyper-sensitive and alert to outwardly innocuous things. I have always been very aware but now, it is my usual state. The air was still and silent; the rain drops began falling and the smell was amazing. If you have ever been in the West during a summer rain, you know what I am talking about. The drops were few, but enough for the earth to release its thanks in a waft of refreshing air. I opened the windows and basked in the quiet dusk, letting my own senses do what they do. It was a welcome relief. The power was out for 2 hours, but during that time I felt what was missing in my soul. Stillness. The stillness of air, time, space. The suspension of what we know as “real life”. And I could sure use more of that inadvertent medicine. You should try it.
i know that feeling. i crave it.
i was in my early 30s and had 3 kiddos the first time my electricity was knocked out (true!). I was down for 5 days and nights. The silence after the massive storm that did the damage was PROFOUND. the relief i felt was equally profound. all the buzz of electricity stopped for the first time in my life (lived in major metro area). I could go on to explain the other joys that accompany lights out but you know and did a fine job above. I will just add this: I continue to crave electric outages (as i say this my fridge fires up for another round of soul-sucking serge).
I'm in my mid 50s now and living in a different town where the electricity get booted with some frequency (lost if for a couple hours yesterday, a perfectly clear blue day). Sadly, a neighbor has a generator that he is so proud of be cause it "kicks on within 11 seconds of an outage". Wwwaaahhhhhhhhhhh!
What on earth is so precious a person cannot go without electricity temporarily (excepting some medical devices, which he has not)?
Anyway, nice style, Sadiejay. -Amy