My daughter-in-law recently wrote a blog about the October Storm that happened October 12, 2006. (
http://sabretara.blogspot.com/2009/10/3-years-ago-today.html ) The storm and it's aftermath was incredible, in both a good way and a bad way. I wrote a blog back then about the first night:
Monday, October 16, 2006 Blessings during the blackout Current mood: thankful
Thursday after work I went to the Blessed Sacrament Parish Center to set up refreshments for a concert that evening. I was treated to a mini concert by Christian singer Mitch McVicker and his band as they did a sound check. I left to hang up signs in the church and Cotter Hall directing people to the Parish Center. As I got into the van, Father Bill stuck his head out of the rectory and announced "We just lost power". The weather wasn't particularly bad and I figured it was a fluke. I went to cash my paycheck and then home to clean up where I learned that WE had lost power too.
The weather was "yucky" but I went back up to church to see what was going on with the concert. There were people waiting in cars to hear the concert so Mitch decided there would still be a concert - without electricity. Candles were brought over to light the stage. We all pulled our chairs up close to hear better. It had the feeling of sitting around a campfire singing praise to our Lord!!
It was a wonderful concert for about 50 of us who braved the weather- we sang along when we knew the words! Outside we could hear the thunder and see the different colored lightning but we were so engrossed in the music that it didn't matter. We stayed briefly for refreshments by candle light. People's cell phones started ringing urging concert goers to come home as the situation outside was quickly deteriorating. And when we went out to our cars, we could not believe what was happening all around. It was so quiet except for the sounds of branches breaking and falling. I felt at peace as I drove home through the obstacle course of fallen branches and power lines. Our God is indeed an awesome God! Poor John - he spent the first four days when we didn't have power bailing out the sump pump every two hours. If he hadn't done that, our basement would have flooded like so many others'.
I have many fond memories of that week. It was a throw back to simpler times without all the electronic devices that keep us so busy. We have an old rotary phone so I was able to call other people with rotary phones (my mother-in-law) and people who found a place to charge their cell phones. We have an older gas stove which we could light with a match so we could cook. We didn't have alot of food in our freezer but we cooked what we could and the rest went into coolers which we put in the mounds of snow in front of our house or stored in the garage. We made a huge pot of soup and family and friends came to enjoy some hot food. I think we had company for meals every day!
We listened to the battery powered radio for updates. We couldn't go to work due to the driving ban, downed trees and powerlines. Most places were closed and activities cancelled. Since we couldn't vacuum, do laundry or watch TV we found other things to do. I read (by candlelight or lantern when it got dark)and played the piano. John played records on the victrola, we played cards and board games. We visited with neighbors outside and friends stopped by to visit (and to get a thermos of hot water). And we went to bed early!!
My mother-in-law was alone at her house in Cheektowaga without power for 6 days. We wanted to bring her to our house (especially after we got our power back on day 4) but she wanted to stay in her own house. I was worried about how and what she was going to eat but she is very enterprising. She brought a little tabletop grill inside. Then she took an empty tuna fish can, put it into the little grill and put 4tea lights in it and lit them (I'm not making this up). She put a little saucepan on the grill and she said there was enough heat from those tea lights to boil water for instant coffee or to heat up soup. She is amazing!!!
Sunday came and although there was a driving ban and no power, people came to church. Members of our contemporary choir came with instruments and the congregation was instructed to sit in the front since the microphones didn't work. It was amazing to see how many people came! We were thankful for the many blessings we realized we had and the opportunity to be together.
The October Storm taught me that simpler is better and we really don't "need" all the bells and whistles. Family, friends and faith is what's important.
