The Great Wind of 2011

While we didn't officially have a tornado, there was still damage in our area after some recent storms. Trees are down, and power lines and power poles, and a huge billboard. Our mail box was tossed in the street and our neighbors siding was ripped off their house. We lost electricity for ten hours and there are still many in the county with no power on day two.

One person from our neighborhood was on his way home when the storm whipped in. He just made it home and pulled in the driveway when a large tree fell and crushed his truck. One second one way and the tree would have crushed him in the cab instead of the truck bed. One second the other way and the tree would not have hit the truck.

It was slow today at work because it was still storming this morning. However, people started trickling in to purchase ice to try to save their food, propane or charcoal to cook with, and batteries. Fried chicken from the deli was also very popular today.

Whenever anyone started complaining I gently reminded them of Japan. As soon as they though of it they said, "You know what, this isn't so bad."

We sat in the living room and talked and we took early naps. Later at night one of those giant power trucks stopped right in front of our house and sent a man up in the bucket to repair a line. We opened the curtains and the grandbaby fresh from his nap pointed and cheered for his very own Tonka truck show.

It is not too bad to lose power in a warm state. I would hate to lose power in Michigan or Nebraska. I would die. Here, I am fairly well prepared for an emergency. We have food, water, batteries, candles, and charcoal. I could probably survive for an extended period, perhaps a month. How long could you go without electricity?