Day Five Without Power

They are saying now that we may not have power until Tuesday, September 6th. REALLY?? Ugh. Happy Labor Day Weekend! Summer is coming to a close and we are spending the last few days of it without power. NOT HAPPY! :( We are most likely going to be one of the last people without it. It's a little (okay, a lot) discouraging.

I hope we get power back before you get here Mom and Marsha! We may be staying at a hotel! :) If the house isn't spotless, please understand.

Not sure how much I will be blogging in the next few days. I'm sure we'll be fine. You can always call David or I on the cell.

I could complain on and on here (trust me), but on the up side, there are some good things about having a power outage after a hurricane:

1. Name another time you can stand there and clean your fridge and freezer for an hour or so without worry. Our fridge is SPOTLESS! No power. No food. Clean as a whistle. All those pesky condiment bottles in the front door I can't stand ... they're gone!

2. You get an appreciation for the little things like warm water, lights after dark and ice in your drinks.

3. Your electric bill will be less next month.

4. You find out who cares about you. The emails, calls, offers to help and actual help, have all been really nice.

5. You get some great blogging material that you've desperately been needing and a chance to write some stories. (You get some good photos too of you have the skill.)

6. You can go to work dressed however you want ... jeans, hats, flipflops? They don't care what you look like - long as you show up. You certainly don't have to worry about your hair! I haven't curled it but once in 5 days.

7. You get an appreciation for the lives of people who have less ... countries with people who live everyday without the comforts we take for granted here in America.

8. You get to do new things you'd never do, like say, go to the local laundry mat!

Yesterday was the day of defeat for me. When we got word that morning that it could be Saturday at the earliest because the electric company had to ship a part, I figured it would be Tuesday. I doubt they will be working hard, if at all, on Sunday and Monday and they won't be shipping those days either. So I took a 1/2 a sick day (I WAS feeling sick!) and David and I spent the afternoon cleaning the fridge and freezer completely out, straightening the house as best we could, washing laundry at the local laundry mat and generally admitting defeat and preparing for a long weekend ahead.

I pass the laundry mat everyday on the way to and from work. It's right next door to our local pizza place. But I have never been in. I took a few photos so you could experience it too - Hebron Laundry & Dry Cleaning:

There's a darling little Laundry Bar inside. I mean, just look at this for a minute.... really take it in.

In what universe does a carved todem pole face, a "color-me-in" Charlie's Angel head and a hairless psychedelic Jar-Jar Binks under a brown, orange & yellow rainbow say "Let's get to washing these clothes!" ? I mean really?

You know you live in the country when they have to put these signs on the washers:

My sweet husband was just having a great time. He could be happy anywhere. It's an endearing and aggrevating quality.

I have to say, I did love the little rolling baskets ... it was so "Ross & Rachel Do Laundry".

We took the three bear approach: pappa washer, mamma washer and little baby washer. We got everything done at one time and into two giant dryers. It was relatively quick and painless. And the towels from the patio are clean!

We had delicious dinner with Dan and Linda again. SO GRACIOUS. We were able to shower. Back home in the dark and straight to bed. And that, my friends, brings us to Day 5 without power.