I had gone to the Orthopoedic Administration to get fitted with a mid-calf boot for plantar fasciitus. So, I thought my grocery store adventures would be that this was my first experience riding around on a go cart through the store (due to my, hopefully, temporary foot problem). But instead, it was a clerk screwing up on my credit card that had me waiting and waiting and waiting to be treated fairly. It got to the point where my emoting was about to have me removed from the store, so I said, "Do it then!" I kept calling Bill and having them explain to him all this mess on the speaker phone. Long story short, they figured out a way, finally, to resolve the issue. On the way home, I thought, I'd seen my dad in action a few times, and I wondered if I'd inherited his persistence. I don't have the advantage of being a large 6 foot 2 like he was, with a deep voice. In fact, I was still sitting down. But all's well that ends well, at least, for then.
So, on Halloween, I look out the window and see white. Snow? On Halloween? It appeared to be a day like all days, except it was Halloween...with snow. As usual, I decide to check the internet news, but my computer goes blank. "Uh Oh!" Because it's not just the computer, it's everything. And I'm informed that it wouldn't be so bad, except the heat will be affected.
My friend Wendy wishes me a "Happy Halloween!", and "how are you?" "Not good. The power went out." This starts a long conversation. She begins by offering her house if the power continued to be out. I start packing my overnight bag.
I notice that Bill made two mistakes, briefly opening the refrigerator and insisting we run out to the car to rescue our gran-dog. When we try to get into the car, me wearing my boot with a hole in the front, we get warned by the street plow guy that our travels would be futile, as cars are stuck in the snow all over. So, I insist we call the other grandma, since they're geographically closer to the dog. When we get back to the house, I'm back to packing, while Bill is warning me the temperature is going to drop more.
Then, we proceed to drive around, possibly for a place to eat. My stomach is in knots, so I can't anyway. I'm dropped off on Seminole, so he can find a place to park. I'm still wearing my mid-calf boot and attempting to cross a busy street in the slush. It's time for prayer like, "Oh God, I'm so scared!" which isn't very effective when it comes to focusing on the positive. We thought only the dog would be there, but our daughter is and too fatigued to know what's going on until figuring it out the next day.
So, we go back to the house, because the energy company is still saying power will be back by 11. We find battery lanterns, and four of five actually work. Bill hears conversation while on the porch that gives him hope that the power will return. Instead, the workers leave. So, we get under many covers with clothes and coats on (even hats) and freeze.
The next day, we drive around again, this time, with packed bags. The heat in the car is so fierce, I tell Bill to please turn it down. By this time, even Wendy's power had gone out. Finally, he could think and calls friends who'd had people staying in their basement before.
We're greeted with warm soup. Bill's still checking as to when the power returns. Wendy even has hopes for our location. Later, we enjoy home-made tacos with our friends.
We enjoy our somewhat fitful but warmer night. He complains about my snoring, when I'm merely breathing. So, I'm relieved when I hear him snore, and I drift off to sleep. For a moment, in the morning in the bathroom, I see the lights go out and say, "Uh oh!" Fortunately, it's only out for 15 minutes.
We enjoy bean soup the next day.
Finally, Wendy figures out we'd have our power back, and I say, maybe by 5, though I'm skeptical. But actually, when we check back, the power is restored by 2:15, about the time it went out two days ago.
When I get back, I pick up the grandaughters, telling them the whole story, and dog sit, as originally planned.
In the process, I have acquired a new affinity for cats, as one circled around my head near the end of my taking a nap. Another cuddled up to me, and I was surprised, as I told the cat, "You LIKE me, I didn't know cats liked people!" Another cat sabotaged Bill's bed making by refusing to move. There were a couple dogs there, whom we already enjoy, but my animal appreciation has expanded.
Bill goes to get stuff for us to eat to tied us over, since after the power outage,
there's virtually no food in the fridge or freezer. He brings me a can of lasagna, and I start salivating over the garlic toast in the freezer. I keep checking the internet to make sure it's safe. This time, I bought it with no cheese, so it should be. But there's this nagging feeling that maybe the butter sauce might not be okay.
Meanwhile, he's insisting I throw it out, and don't take any chances. So, I get some regular wheat bread,
butter it, sprinkle garlic powder on it, and put it in the microwave. I succumb to his pressure and throw out the garlic bread. Sniff! 😭
After this long outage, I tell Bill I'm cutting up an onion
that survived it, because it's a vegetable that wasn't cut into. He's skeptical. So, he tells me that I'm the tester. I eat some slices first, then, he does. When I mention it later, he says he doesn't remember having any onions. I remind him that I was the tester, and that's so, if I should pass, he can claim my millions.
I also tell him that condiments are okay, even after the outage. He says how do you know if something is a condiment? I admit, I don't know for sure.
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