Let’s Just Say I’m Not Going Amish Any Time Soon

April 5, 2008 | Filed in: Quirky Me

We lost power yesterday at 7 AM. I didn’t think it was any big deal at first, but after what seemed like hours, I started to panic. In all actuality, it had only been maybe two minutes, but still.

I’ve been meaning all week to stop being SO LAME and get out this house that, by Friday, felt like a prison. So many days, I had plans to take the kids out and about, but it would suddenly be almost noon and we’d all still be in our PJ’s, with no shower and furry teeth. But yesterday I had GRAND plans. I was going to ~~get off my ass~~be productive and actually shower and get the kids out the door to make storytime at the library.

So when 7:02 came and I still didn’t have power, I wanted to wallow in despair. I simply couldn’t fathom yet another day at home. I started to reason with myself in my head.

And realized that I’m a moron.

“We can still go to storytime, I’ll just skip taking a shower.” No we can’t dingbat, we can’t get the car out of the garage…electric garage door opener.

“No cable?? Well I’ll just turn a movie on for Carson to watch to keep him occupied.” Hello! You need ELECTRICITY for the DVD player, too. Fool.

“I could call some friends and catch up. Oh damn, my cell phone is dead. I’ll just plug it in.” Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn.

“Well since we can’t go anywhere, maybe we can bake some cookies.” I must be really enjoying that lobotomy.

“I’ll check my email.” “We’ll listen to the radio.” “Let me turn on that light for you, Carson.”

Let’s just say that I’m not going Amish any time soon.

Power was thankfully restored around 10:30. We may have missed storytime, but we weren’t going to miss an opportunity to break out of our prison. I showered as quickly as womanly possible, dressed, dried my hair, got the kids in coats, loaded up on snacks and bibs and drove like a bat out of hell to Chick-Fil-A where I was greeted by other humans that I don’t reside with and ate a lunch that I did not prepare.

And all was right in the world again.

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We lost power for a couple of hours and totally lost our MINDS! Ended up all in the yard, me weeding, husband fixing a bike and the kids singing made up songs…

Like hippies or something.

Thank GOD the power came back on and we were all back in front of our computers like civilized people
Kelley’s last blog post..Hmmm…. Dr Phil, super hero?

We lost power for two days during an ice storm a couple of years ago.

We now have a generator as that was a bleak time I’d need not repeat anytime soon.

AndreAnna’s last blog post..Where things stand…

We lose power a lot, since we are in the country. But 5 years ago, we had a HUGE storm and lost it for 5 DAYS! We had to pack up and stay with my parents.

You think it is bad with no TV, DVD, cell phone etc. Try living with NO toilet and NO running water whatsoever. Yup, when you have a septic, you need electric to run the pump. That is really NOT fun. Our neighbors stayed in their home during that time, they used their swimming pool water to wash up. Yuck.

Now, when we lose power, I start to panic after about 5 minutes trying not to relive that horrible time.

Irene’s last blog post..Crocus after the rain

The last time we lost power for any length of time I was about 8 months pregnant and home by myself. I was convinced I would go into labor and have the baby by myself because I had no phones. House phone obviously didn’t work and my cell phone ran out of juice. Yeah, I panicked and became all kinds of irrational. Of course I didn’t have a baby that day
Mary’s last blog post..A knock at my door………….

Power outages are the worst. No friggin’ internet.

Maria’s last blog post..Haiku.

I hate days like that. Hate them. I am sorry you missed story time, but Chick-Fil-A rocks. I love their sweet tea, YUM! Glad you got out with other humans!!

Kelly’s last blog post..Someone needs an attitude adjustment!!

I know exactly how you feel. Hanging around in your pjs is great until suddenly it’s not.

Glad you got your power and your sanity back.

Beth’s last blog post..daily photo (365/31)

hahahaha. Too funny.

Glad you got some convo and food that you didn’t have to make! Always makes the day brighter…

Devan’s last blog post..Life with boys

Oh I always hate it when the power is out - I don’t know what to do with myself!

Glad everything got back to normal pretty quickly though
Marylin’s last blog post..Too Kute!

The last time we lost power was right after dinner last fall and I almost burned the house down with a candle in the bathroom that caught some garland on fire!

We were most concerned that we were going to miss LOST!

Our kids were freaked out by the lack of light but luckily I had just purchased a bunch of those battery operated tealight candles and they were a hit! I keep those all over the house now…just in case.

Connie’s last blog post..Mommy Does Dallas!

Electricity is a beautiful thing.

MammaLoves’s last blog post..How He Became Our Son, Part II

I wouldn’t have had the electric garage door opener problems, but other than that? I start to panic when the power has been out for a while. I do well now that the boys are older. But when my oldest was a toddler and my youngest was a NEWBORN, we were without power for WEEKS due to a massive ice storm. That is something I hope to never experience again!

I’d have run for it like a bat out of hell, too!

Devilish Southern Belle’s last blog post..No more unfun person! Exciting things galore!

Our power goes out, too, and I remember that panic feeling about the car trapped in the garage. Then I noticed a red handle I could pull to open it manually. Then we were FREE! Time for the MALL!

Wendy’s last blog post..a REAL page-turner

*lol* I guess we should have warned you…power in Indiana…totally unreliable. At least in my neighborhood. We lose it so often that several of my neighbors have generators!! Yeah…gotta LOVE that.

Glad you finally got out, too!! Isn’t it nice to escape?!?!

Sadie’s last blog post..Random bits and pieces…

Whew. That was really close. I was about to don my bonnet and head your direction in my wagon for the barnraising…

HRH’s last blog post..Open oven, Insert Holly’s head…

3 hours?! Yeah, I woulda lost it too. One day it was flickering on and off for us and I thought I was going to rip my hair out. Every time I thought it was back for good, I was all excited and setting everything up on the tv and then BAM! I’m not gonna say it “made me crazy” because honestly, I’m sure I was before that, but let’s just say it didn’t help.

Yay for escaping!!! (oh and for PJs past noon! hehe)

Kelly’s last blog post..He’s here!!!!

did you know there’s this pull thing you can dis-engage the garage door opener and open the door manually? I’m giggling here. But I’m glad you finally got out!!

I hate when we lose power. We’re supposed to report outages to the power company via their web site. DUH.

One summer I lost power for an entire day. My daughter wouldn’t nurse, I couldn’t pump, and she wouldn’t drink cold bottles from the fridge. And apparently my water cooler does hot water on the fly, because I couldn’t even get warm water out of it!

jen’s last blog post..am annoying, an enumerated list

there is nothing like a good ole power outage to reignite your love of electricity!!

btw love the new header
amanda’s last blog post..giddy

I can’t wait for the US to lose power nation wide for like 3 days. Just long enough to confuse the bejezus out of us and prove we’re too tied to it. I like it when we lose power here. It’s quiet for once.

~Jef

Edge’s last blog post..Names

I’m glad it’s not just me who thinks of those sensible solutions to power outages! The brain light bulb seems to go out with the rest of ‘em!

OH, I am the SAME WAY. I’m like, “As long as the power’s out, I might as well get caught up on some email. Er. I might as well get caught up on blogging. Er. I might as well make that soup.” It’s like that Sesame Street skit where the guy orders coffee and a cinnamon roll, and Waiter Grover says they’re out of cinnamon rolls, so the guy says fine, he’ll have TEA and a cinnamon roll, and then he tries MILK and a cinnamon roll, and finally he says, “ALL RIGHT THEN. I’ll just have the cinnamon roll!”

There’s an episode of Arthur where Buster tries to go Amish, and they point out that the Amish have everything SET UP to go without the things they go without. We’re not set up for it. It’s not that we COULDN’T be, but it would be like expecting us to be set up to care for the elderly, when we’re not currently caring for anyone elderly.

Swistle’s last blog post..Picking Your Brains

Amen sister! There is no way in god earth that I am willing to part with my fully charged cell phone and laptop. God bless electricity!

Rachel’s last blog post..My husband is trying to kill me

Glad you survived and made it to Chick-fil-A! We (just us, none of our neighbors) lost power the night before my son’s baptism when, of course, we had a refrigerator full of food for his party. I reacted by lying on the floor of my baby’s room for hours, checking to make sure he did not overheat without air conditioning. My husband and my dad (in town for the baptism) took the more practical steps of securing a super long extension cord and then climbing our fence into the neighbor’s yard to plug our refrigerator into their outside outlet. After about seven hours, someone came to fix the power line at 3:30 in the morning.

mep’s last blog post..Vive La Gute!

I love that you said you showered as fast as womanly possible. tee hee!
I’m so like you about this one, too. We just don’t realize how much we rely on this stuff till it’s not there.

“Don’t know whatcha got, till it’s gooooone!”

Oh, the new header is wicked awesome, too!

Me?

I HEART that you zipped to the ‘Fila ASAP.

MizFit’s last blog post..The YouBars arrived! The YouBars arrived.

I loathe power outages. I can cope with everything but the thought of losing all the food in the freezer. It makes me hyperventilate. Not pretty. Plus resetting all the clocks when the power comes back on drives me crazy.

dani’s last blog post..Roast pork and nashi

For six months, I got my out-in-the-world dose through Swearyn.

Soon I will be relating to this place more and more as I return to the PT work-at-home mommy. Chick fil a will be THE place to go.

Heather, Queen of Shake Shake’s last blog post..Howdy Neighbor!

What Wendy said..the handle hangs down and you pull it and it lets yoiu open the garage door manually….

the last time we lost power Little Man ran aroud flippin gall the light switches saying ‘the batteries are out in this one too mama”

ourcrookedtree’s last blog post..Chemo Chronicles-Cycle One Day One

Oh I so feel this pain. The power goes out and I’m all *blink blink* huh…. Though there is an emergency lever in most garages that will allow you to get out your car in case of power outages. I think it’s on the door itself or it hangs down from that boxy thing (red string). Still blah. I’m glad your amish stint was shortlived.

Jess’s last blog post..Because love is heroic

Snort!

I could never survive without electricity or my car or my coffee maker or…

too funny! I love me some power!

CC’s last blog post..They like me, they really like me!

I must clarify.

I know that there’s a way out of the garage…the rope wasn’t attached and therefore I couldn’t reach it with the car parked in the garage…that was fixed today so I won’t be stuck at home again!

I ALWAYS do silly things like “turn” lights on when there is no power. Duh! I’m glad that you got to leave the hosue eventually. I know that cooped up feeling.

Mommy Daisy’s last blog post..E is for Energy

I so feel your pain. Hubby & I were without it for about three hours a year or so ago. We had to use the cell phone to call my mother…so she could look up the 1800 number for the electric company. I mean who keeps phone books when there’s internet available.

Anglophile Football Fanatic’s last blog post..HF: Death to the Peacock

It’s rare for our power to go out, but when it does I have the same kind of conversations with myself. I get it in my head that it’s no big deal since I do happen to love camping and do fine then, but it seems like so much less of a pain in the ass when you are actually staying in a tent without the possibility of staring at a blank tv or monitor or other mocking electricity required items. Glad you got out of the house after all that.

Maggie’s last blog post..Weekly Winners Sunday 4/6/08

Our power goes out all the time thanks to the moron power company and their stupid electrical pole in the parking lot of a beer distributor. The cops actually sit in the lot and wait to ticket drunk drivers that back into the pole, thereby cutting our power. It happens at least once a month, so you would think the power company would, I don’t know, maybe MOVE the damn power lines? But no, I think the township enjoys the profits from all the easy tickets they hand out. *sigh*

Burgh Baby’s Mom’s last blog post..Very Important Things

We lost power for a week this past winter in the ice storms that hit Oklahoma. I was Soooooo over it by bedtime the first day after cooking dinner in the fireplace and thinking up fun games to play with flashlights. We couldn’t even walk to the library or McDonald’s, because there was no power anywhere in town. I don’t know how people raised children without power, and I don’t even want to go there.

the Mom’s last blog post..Welcome!

Although I will admit to amusing myself all afternoon by telling the kids they could turn on the TV, computer, etc. whenever they asked. They gave squeaks of glee and ran over to push the power buttons while I sat on the couch and laughed. It’s a few more hours in Purgatory….but SO totally worth it.

the Mom’s last blog post..Welcome!

There are few thing that make me realize how thankful I am for living in the 21st century more than losing power for a few hours. Especially since I have a history of losing power at the most inopportune times. Like for 6 days after an ice storm. I can speak from experience, heat in the midwest in the winter is necessity. And when I was in the hospital for emergency surgery and hadn’t been able to get out of bed for 4 days - I was finally able to stand long enough to take a shower and there was NO POWER. So I did what any sane person who hadn’t had shower in 4 days would do…I marched right to the nurse’s station for one of their emergency flashlights. Because I’m pretty sure being that dirty constitutes a MAJOR emergency. Seriously.

Maggie’s last blog post..Summary Saturday Sunday: Project 365, Week 14

Anytime a storm is forecasted, I charge the cellphone up, charge the Nintendo DSes, get the car out of the garage, buy some good books, load up on groceries, etc. I’m prepared! lol Ok, not always, but that’s ideal.

Hilarious post, as usual. I just needed some visuals to go along…was the camera still working?

Rhea’s last blog post..If Gardens are a form of autobiography, then I’m in trouble

Yeah, it’s novel and fun in the beginning, and then it continues and it so not fun anymore. Our internet wasn’t working yesterday for about 5 hours and I started to feel insane. So dependent!

Beth - Total Mom Haircut’s last blog post..Letters to My Bad Neighbors, Part One

I puffy heart electricity. I cannot stand power outages–we go crazy without our modern distractions in this house
Lisa’s last blog post..Spring has sprung

We were out of power once for 3 whole days…I did not even know that that could seriously happen. When I called to report the outage and they told us it could be up to a week, I was absolutely incredulous, I just could not believe it. It was horrible. It was the middle of July, and it was really, really HOT. We had no air, of course, but no fans either, and I was an idiot constantly, and kept trying to turn things on. We live in a state capitol for goodness sakes, not the middle of the boonies. Anyway, I”m glad yours is back on.

I tagged you for a meme, I hope you don’t mind.

Mom24’s last blog post..7 Random Facts about me…

it does sound like a crazy time.

The last time we lost power, the kids were already in bed, so I lit a few candles, made a plate of cheese, crackers and olives, and had a glass of wine by candlelight. It was so nice!

tommie’s last blog post..Weekly winners, March 30- April 5, 2008

We lost our microwave for THREE FREAKING WEEKS last month. Sucked. No microwave = lots of take out.

KEEP BELIEVING

Angie’s last blog post..Our Life Contradicts, beautifully

I lost the power in just the living room for a mere hour one day last week … thanks to the hubby setting up a portable air conditioner and it overloading the electrical to that room. Anyhoo I just about lost my mind … no TV, no home phone, no computer. What in the heck was I supposed to do???? Of course I wasn’t thinking rationally at the time - I do have a cell phone, we have 2 other tv’s in the house and my son has a laptop … it was definitely the end of the world at the time though. I called my husband and screamed at him, had him call an electrician and demand they be out within the hour to fix whatever happened and then stomped around the house like a crazed woman.

Tonya’s last blog post..WILL’S 1ST BIRTHDAY

I’m always amazed to realize just how much I rely on power. Even with the battery operated stuff, eventually it’s gonna go dead. At least it wasn’t out all day!

ImpostorMom’s last blog post..Oh the sickness and the boredom

Electricity, a wonderful thing!!!! I can’t think of one thing to do without it! I have wonderful ideas, but like you they all require power.

justmylife’s last blog post..I am interrupting my facts……

You know what’s sad about living where I do in Montana? We have our own underground water pump. Guess what powers it? You can’t pee, shower or grab a glass of water from the front of the fridge. It FRICKIN sucks.

Siobhan’s last blog post..Bring Me Your Junk

oh yeah, i’ve been there.

jenica’s last blog post..let’s do lunch

Ok everyone here are the things to get the next time you make a run to WalMart/Target/Meijer/Kmart etc.

A $10 plugs-directly-into-the-wall-non-cordless phone: we have one in our basement. anytime the electricity goes, so do the cordless phones, but this one still works! It also works if you don’t have a car charger for your cell phone.

A car charger for your cell phone - you can still charge it even if you don’t have power in the house!

Battery operated lanterns.

A car plug for your laptop or you can get one of those things that can “jump start” your car and provide electricity to appliances http://www.autobarn.net/vec010c.html

Then you will be all set!

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I'm Jennifer, Mom to Carson, 3, and Ella, 1. Wife and Bossaholic to Tate. My claim to fame is that I'm the #1 search result on Google for "kids pooping in pools!!." You can follow me on Twitter, see my stumbles at StumbleUpon, view my photos on Flickr, and contact me by email.

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2008 Booklist

~~Pillars of the Earth~~ B-
~~East of Eden~~ A-
The Kite Runner
~~Memory Keeper's Daughter~~ C+
Water for Elephants
~~Nineteen Minutes~~ B-
~~HP and the Deathly Hallows~~ A++
~~Running W/ Scissors~~ A
The Rabbit Factory
Waiting for Birdy
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~~Twilight~~ C-

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