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My 7-year-old got really wide eyed and looked around questioningly... I don't think he can imagine a world without electricity. This leads me to believe we may need to have a few practice blackout nights.
My 15-year-old son immediately thought of something vitally important to all 15 year old boys. Food! Save the food! He declared, “Don't open the refrigerator unless absolutely necessary!†He is right, keeping the refrigerator door closed will preserve the cold in the refrigerator. The food will stay cooler until the power has returned.
My ever-practical and always-prepared husband immediately grabbed a piece of paper and started jotting notes. His list includes a few tips of things to do, but the bulk of it is is all the things that we should have already done before the outage.
Have on hand:
oil lamp and oil.
matches and/or lighters.
flashlights and batteries.
standard phone (one that can be used without electricity, remember those?).
wind up or battery operated clock.
To do:
Make a plan to stay warm or cool, depending on the season. Have a supply of wood for the stove and extra blankets if needed.
Call power company to be sure they know of the outage. Don't assume that the whole area must be out and surely they already know. If you don't call, they won't know that you have a problem. What if they fix the issue and everyone else gets power back but you? They think everything is fine and are finished with it. They won't know to check with you, unless you are on their list.
He also mentioned the fact that if you have generator back up, checking that back up system should be a regular event before any need arises. Be sure that when the time comes... you don't find that the power you were counting on is having problems of its own.
As for me? The impractical optimist in me takes over. The part that loves to make the best of everything. My thoughts run to things like....
Ooooh, wouldn't it be fun to play games by lamp light? We need to get out the games.
Lets pull out the real popcorn popper and make popcorn! We don't need the microwave.
How about roasting marshmallows at the wood stove?... This could be a perfect time to try it.
I wonder if our lamps will provide enough light to read by. Currently I'm reading through the Little House Series with my 7-year-old son. Reading Farmer Boy by lamplight appeals to my old fashioned senses.
I look forward to the type of quiet that comes with a power outage. In previous power outages I've noticed that when nothing is humming or running (like the refrigerator) ... it is heavenly quiet.
Yes indeed, a power outage can be a blessing. It all depends on your viewpoint.
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