May 6, 2011

• Tornado Aftermath….Day4

  
  TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

  The sun comes up and it seems like so do we.  The Beast is anxious to get the fridges cooled down from however much they have warmed up during the night.  I don’t think it’s all that much but we don’t have any way to really tell.  I just know the butter stays firm and the milk feels cold.  It’s not like we open and close it a lot.  It’s not like we have kids living here.     We tried to have the ‘lectricity on, as Chewlee calls it, when she is here so she doesn’t get scared.  She had become afraid of the dark from the days without electricity after the storms.

  Of course, we have also found ourselves going to bed a lot earlier than otherwise because of not having the lights on after dark except for two small lamps.

  I decided to do a load of wash once the Beast put the generator on.  I could use the washer but not the dryer due to the amount of energy required.  I have an umbrella stand out back that the Beast installed at the beginning of winter (I know, I told him he was nuts then, too).  It seems like several of the Beast’s ideas have paid off now, however. 

  I then cooked up a pound of bacon on the grill outside (in a pan on the burner section) and made some eggs to go with it.  I figured the bacon could be used around lunch for some bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches if the Beast turned on the generator so we could toast up some bread.  (He did, BTW).  It still seemed weird to be cooking bacon outdoors without there being a tent set up nearby.  LOL!  I’m hearing what sounds like more and more motorcycles out on the road.  They must be checking out what gas stations have power for gas they need for cars or generators.  The Beast says he saw ATV’s in the fields, moving the cows and horses from one field to another.  I told him I’ve seen that before but I guess he had never noticed when driving in the car.  I have an advantage that way because Chewlee notices EVERYTHING going on and always has to call my attention to it.

  The Beast has been using his scooter to go up to Lowe’s and to Walmart now that he knows they are open.  This really upsets Baron because he thinks that scooter is HIS.  He just doesn’t understand how the Beast could be driving it anywhere without him.  He made the most pitiful noises when the Beast drove that scooter down the driveway and down the road.  I swear, he was crying.    He whimpered for a long time after the Beast left so that you would have thought his heart was broken.

  I found myself getting upset that I couldn’t just go online to check on different things as they occurred to me during the day.  In a situation like this, you want to be able to get local news, at least.  And what do I NOT have?  A battery-operated radio.  I know, I know….I should have one but the Beast thought having the weather radio would be enough.  I think he thought it would give us local news along with the weather alerts.

  I had several friends on Pogo pop up last night when I was actually able to play a couple games before going to bed.  They were all so worried about not seeing me.  A couple of them live here in Alabama that weren’t affected by the tornaodes but they knew we were right in the thick of it.  Two of them had tornadoes touch down within 15 miles of them but they never even lost electricity.  One woman was watching our online chat and said to us, *Oh it couldn’t have been all that bad.  You still have electricity.*  I told her I was using solar power and she just said, *OH?  At night?*  I just said she obviously didn’t know anything about storing power with solar and I wasn’t going to explain it but I told her I hoped people were nice to her if it ever happens in her area instead of being snippy.  I told the girls about what we had heard about our electric not even being worked on until Wednesday and Nana said, *That’s the downside of living in the country*. 

  Tara texted me to say she was staying in Florida for a few more days since they hadn’t started on her road at all yet according to Tonto and the news from the school is that there won’t be any until Thursday.    The estimates of when everything is going to be done keeps changing.  Who knows what is going to happen or when.

  I woke up with an ankle cramp at 3:30am.  Beast and dog are both restless and dreaming.  Haven’t heard the Beast talk in his sleep in years but he’s doing it now.  Only not as plainly as he used to do….LOL.  I’m taking the opportunity to charge up my phone using the solar since it doesn’t pull a lot of power and the solar is so low.  I sure hate this trying to write by candlelight.  How awful if it was how we still have to do things the same way as the pioneers.  Bless Thomas Edison.  Beast used the new 22 inch Visio TV he picked up at Walmart.  It’s a flat screen with a great picture but it sure looks more like a computer monitor to me.  All because it uses less power (good excuse, right?) and he wanted to watch the basketball playoff games on TV.  I went to bed before he did.

  The Princess has no school until Thursday they announced, as most of the colleges in affected areas won’t either.  I know her; she will be working extra shifts at the restaurant if possible.  Don’t know how many substitute jobs will be available for her with this mess.    Of course, it’s tough to keep Chewlee entertained so she is probably praying the preschool will be back working on Monday since they will be home on Sunday some time.  Johnnycakes will probably have to be back at work since the plants will more than likely be first in line for electric.  They are biggest employer in area.

  I hope the kids have their electricity back when they get home tomorrow.  That will be nice for Chewlee.  I looked at the weather forecast for Monday and they say rain.  That won’t bode well for getting our electric back on.  Beast is really pissed at the company we ordered emergency meal supplies from.  They are kind of like those MRE’s (Meals, Ready to Eat) you hear about except these you just add hot water to.  We ordered six buckets and I think each bucket has either a week or two weeks worth of meals for four adults.  I just know they were expensive and we should have had them.  We could have used them for the variety, at least. 

  Wish we had hot water in the water heater right now but the Beast took a bath so I wouldn’t chance taking a shower right now.  Will have to do that in the morning after the Beast runs the generator.  If it does rain on Monday, we will probably need to have some for our showers then.  We are low on gas again so the Beast will be running up on the scooter to fill the smaller containers (I believe they are 2 gals. each) in the morning.  I told the Beast he wouldn’t have to run the generator so long if he would just take a solar shower (I bought one for us a few weeks back for just such a possibility) but he just laughed.

  Going to try getting a little more sleep now.  If the Beast and Baron are still restless, I may just curl up on the guest bed. 
  

  • 9:05 pm
  • Leave a comment