Nothing is quite as humbling as the loss of power to one’s humble abode. This is one of the few things that can immediately bring me to my knees, reducing me to a whining pile of mush—no water, no lights, still no generator.
In the five seconds following such an outage, I am instantly thirsty, hungry, and in need of the potty.
Cobwebs mysteriously appear, swaying gaily in corners and from the rafters, just screaming for my vacuum to be operational.
The entire house, alive and happy one second ago, becomes a dreary death-like tomb that makes me want to sob with the injustice of it all.
Of course life is a bit more complicated these days. The losses now include television, telephone, internet and cell phone service. And at this time of year every day is a challenge, a gamble if you will.
Last week’s power loss was huge and occurred on one of the coldest nights of the year. And truly, nothing’s been the same since.
I’m guessing that all these towers, signals, broadbands and such are having a heck of a time keeping up with our oh-so-needy human race.
Man, we use a lot of stuff, and that becomes blatantly obvious when one becomes a virtual shut-in during an extended cold snap.
Before wrapping up in a blankie on the couch I surround myself lovingly with three things: landline phone, cell phone, and television remote.
For over a week now we’re lucky to have one of the three functioning and each and every day is a changing scenario.
Sometimes phone, once in a while cell signal, and sporadic DISH TV (to put it mildly.)
Admittedy, there are times I start to feel singled out, picked on even, when the five minutes of morning reception that the God of “total signal loss” allows us consists totally of DISH commercials.
Go figure…mocked by a television screen. Definitely a form of bullying in my book, because we have no way to fight back.
The unusual slant to this particular outage is the, well, unusual slant. No rhyme or reason.
Some folks still have no telephone, others no cell service, and yet the internet works like a champ.
I am constantly confused by the whole idea of waves and waves of signals flying about so there’s absolutely no way my mind can wrap itself around such mysteries.
All one can do is wait for the powers that be to finally figure it all out.
Sorry I am for the the poor worker-folks that have to maintain the lines and be responsible for putting Humpty Dumpty together again.
They are a rugged group indeed and should be bowed to on the streets in my opinion.
But as I waffle between sympathy for workers and my blind adoration of personal comforts one can’t help but wonder if our monthly bills will reflect the considerable amount of down time experienced.
Then I can’t help but think of all those employees racking up all of those overtime hours and the voice of reason inevitably returns. Its booming voice can be heard throughout the land shouting, “Well then, who the hell is gonna pay for all this stuff!?” The obvious answer? Why, us, of course.
Well, I for one am a product of my century. Yup, a complete and total wimp when forced to sacrifice the basics.
And this being 2014 and all, maybe ol’ PR can sift through his pile of ridiculous boy junk, unload something useless, and buy his wife a generator.
Hmmmm, looking out the window at some tractors right now. Just throwin’ it out there.
Happy New Year to all!