We camped this week without ever leaving home. On Friday night a front moved through, trees were swaying like barmaids listening to Elvis on the jukebox and soon the power went out.
Living where we live, I have Alabama power on speed dial, and our lights were back on Saturday morning just in time for morning coffee. Watching the weather guy that day, was not encouraging and though we had blue skies he said there were more storms to come. On Monday morning we were without power again for the third time in three days.
When I called, their system was on overdrive, that normal friendly Alabama power voice was tired, no oneknew when the power would be back on.
The Sunday night storms had taken power lines down everywhere. I drove to the local gas station (ten miles away) to get gas for the generator so our food wouldn’t spoil.
On Tuesday morning our landlines which depend on electricity died, so we had no power, no cable, and no phones of any kind. Jilda had headed out to work that day and she called me laughing. “ I have good news and bad news, she was howling” I waited for her to catch her breath and tell me what was so good, so bad and so funny.
“ Alabama Power is working on the lines out on the road to our house, she took a breath and then said, “ but apparently some of the crews got off the edge of the road and now our water line is broken. Water is shooting 30 feet up in the air,” she was hysterical.
Hearing her, hearing the news, well now I was laughing so hard I spewed tea all over my desk and laughed until tears came out of my eyes.
At that point, we had no power, no cable, no phones and no water. All I could tell her was to keep an eye out for locusts.
I am glad we could laugh about it, but I know weather events are not fun, for those affected, whose who work day and night to restore services and help to get everyone’s life back to normal. Once upon a time I was a lineman for Bell South, and I am grateful to all those who do those jobs. We now have power, water and phones but no cable and that is ok, we decided to do what we do when we camp, read a good book.
