Color TV

view from our Family Room (only room that is warm)

Do to concerns with gas we have stuck close to home.  Gas has been very hard to come by these days. A few days ago the few gas stations that were open had eight mile back ups.  Since most people around here are relying on generators for their power gas has been in much demand.  However, since there isn’t power most of the gas stations are not open. Slowly gas stations have been getting generators and lines are getting shorter.

our siding and windows took a huge beating from hours of 90 mph winds

 Right after Hurricane Sandy there were people walking the streets with empty gas cans.  It was so strange to see. People just aimless not knowing where to go.  But things are getting better.

view out of our dining room

The kids have been out of school all week and it looks like the schools will be closed again all next week.  Due to lack of power, lack of gas, roads are not safe to travel on, many people have left their homes, the schools are being used as heated sleeping shelters and a bunch of other factors are keeping the schools closed.  Since there is no power the school buses have been used to block intersection since there are no traffic lights.  It is wild.

front yard

So going back to the lack of power our house is like the first house in the neighborhood that got color TV.  Thanks to the world’s greatest neighbors we have been hooked up to a natural gas generator and have had one light, one TV, Internet, and a cold mini fridge.  We have so much more than most anyone else around here (besides our smart neighbor for getting the natural gas generator).  We can cook food on our grill and on-top of our fireplace.  Also making us the cool kids on the block have been wearing fancy neck flashlights. Freddy and I wear them around our necks at night so we can walk around hands free (or without flashlights in our hands).  We also have head flashlights to make us extra cool for walking around outside to get firewood.  We have been the envy of our friends and family.

We also have hot water.  That is making us extra special.  We are the envy of our friends, which has made us feel like the luckiest people around.  We have been living out of a small area of our house.  It is the area that stays warm from the wood burning stove.  Otherwise it is so cold!  The boys have been saying we are playing hotel.  We have a pull out couch and they love showing it off to all their friends that come over. So our Family Room turns into our Bedroom at night.

I built the swing set and picnic table. I like to think I have incredible construction skills.

So we have thought we are living like kings until we ventured out today.  We went to my in-laws for a little time out of the house and a dinner I didn’t have to cook on the grill or fireplace.  They got their power back yesterday. My mother-in-law cooked us an incredibly delicious dinner and the boys got to bake cookies with her.  As we left their house full of power we wanted to get home to get the fireplace going to warm up our house.

These were not the only trees to fall on our property, but we are so glad they fell that way!

The boys wanted to stop by their cousin’s house on our way home so we decided we’d check in with them.  They got flooded and were cleaning up all their damage today and when we got there only my brother-in-law was home.  They were so sad not to see their cousin, but we headed home leaving their house that only had power by a generator.  We passed home after home, business after business with full power. Lights on everywhere! Restaurants full, shopping centers full, people and cars everywhere.  Street lights were on and life seemed to be going on as if nothing happened.  It was so surreal.  But twenty minutes down the road everything got darker and darker. No more street lights to light up the road. As we got closer to home no houses with lights on and nothing open.  Just dark.

Somewhere in there is the key to our power.

Our street lights aren’t working so it is cross the street at your own will. You kind of have to just take a leap of faith to cross intersections and hope the other drivers are going to stop.  The only lights on the road are from our own cars headlights.  Everything is just so dark.  We got home and put on our one light. The one light we were so proud of before we ventured out into the world. It is so weird to go back into a world full of life and activity and back into just dark.  Suddenly we don’t feel like the coolest kids on the block.



We aren't waiting around thinking the power is going to magically turn on. That is the power line on the front yard.



Suddenly we feel like the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

I am going to try to get around tomorrow to take pictures of the damage. I need a little photo therapy.  I think I'm going to do a Scavenger Hunt Sunday  "Hurricane Sandy" style.  The prompts are: Wild, Welcome, Adventure, Vibrant, Classic. I know most of the roads are only passable these days by boats, but I'm up for the adventure.  Since this hurricane has left me without a job why not go out and take some fun pictures. See you tomorrow!