Down But Not Out

We’re still without power, last I heard, and every time we call AEP they seem to put off the “final customers return to service” estimate by another 12 hours.

I had a patient cancellation at work just now so thought I’d let you know we’re okay–just sort of out of our rhythms and tired of eating soup.

The freezer leaked water (condensation) across the kitchen hardwood floor, I discoverd in my sock feet in the dark-cold this morning at 5 a.m. The milk we left outside on the porch was frozen solid. The keronsene lamp went dry about 30 minutes before there was enough light to see without it. Peanut butter was the best I could do for lunch. Man, is this about to make you weep or what!

I left for work in time to get a shower here before my first patient. And until this blessed no-show, there’s been a steady stream of clients since 8:00.

Oh how I hope to drive up and see a light on inside at Goose Creek. If not, I’ll certainly finish my book, eat my soup, and go to bed early, hoping for better fortune tomorrow–heck, maybe even blogging from home!

Share this with your friends!
fred
fred

Fred First holds masters degrees in Vertebrate Zoology and physical therapy, and has been a biology teacher and physical therapist by profession. He moved to southwest Virginia in 1975 and to Floyd County in 1997. He maintains a daily photo-blog, broadcasts essays on the Roanoke NPR station, and contributes regular columns for the Floyd Press and Roanoke's Star Sentinel. His two non-fiction books, Slow Road Home and his recent What We Hold in Our Hands, celebrate the riches that we possess in our families and communities, our natural bounty, social capital and Appalachian cultures old and new. He has served on the Jacksonville Center Board of Directors and is newly active in the Sustain Floyd organization. He lives in northeastern Floyd County on the headwaters of the Roanoke River.

Articles: 3007

4 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Fred, sure hope you do find lights at home. We never went out here, but evidently enough folks did in our area to keep my husband working many long hours. Let’s say this wasn’t a memorable Valentine’s Day–but at least we had heat and lights–much more practical than flowers anyway!

    Oh…hope you heard about the peanut butter recall and that the PB you had wasn’t Peter Pan. We had a jar of the recalled #2111 on our shelf–just about to the bottom, and we’re all still alive. Ha!

  2. I threw away two jars one creamy and one crunchy. What really makes me wonder is that the youngest daughter has been having trouble with her stomach after starting to take peanut butter sandwiches to school. Kinda’ makes you wonder…I hope the powers back soon. We went without for nine days back in the 80’s after a hurricane, didn’t make the wife happy. She was home with a new baby at the time.

  3. Once we were without power in Atlanta after an ice storm, for nearly a week. NO FUN after the first day. When we finally got power, it was disgusting how dirty the house was – from all the firewood carried in, candle-burning, and just not being able to see to clean up. Good luck.

  4. fred I am following your blog with great interest,not least because our daughter is a neighbor of yours. wondered why there was no e’mail from her. now I know. hope you are all ok, will call her on the phone today. take care ,we are thinking about you , here in England. millie

Related Posts