June 23, 2009: Power Outage ’09 – a play by play of the action

  A big lightning storm rolled right through Paducah and Lone Oak this evening.  It wasn’t very wide but sure packed a bunch.  We had numerous lightning hits in Lone Oak.  Many close to us.  Power went on and off several times.

  Play by play details of everything that unfolded.  I warn you that this becomes quite dramatic and could cause nightmares for young children and weak adults.

11:05 pm lightning storm hits.  Frequent cloud to ground lightning.  Lot of thunder.

11:10 pm – power goes out in most of Lone Oak.  Large tree limbs fall in yard (two to be exact).  One hits Daisy’s fenced area and knocks down the fence.  Thankfully Daisy was safely inside the house.  Estimate winds at 50 mph. 

11:13 constant beeping beeping beeping of the backup power supplies telling me for some reason that the power is out (of course I already know this)  For those who don’t know I have backup power supplies and they are large boxes that keep everything working properly for at least an hour when the power goes out.

11:19 power is back on – thank goodness.  We survived another power outage.  Daisy is happy.  The beeping stops.  I can continue working on my monitoring of the weather.  That and watch some tv.

11:30 pm – power goes out again.  Grumble.  Oh well, it won’t last long.  We hope.  Hope is all you have in desperate times.

11:35 pm – Joey says he has to turn his homework in before midnight.  I ask him why he waited till the last minute.  No response. 

11:35 pm – I suggest he tell his teacher that the power went out.  He tells me they will then ask why he waited till the last minute to turn it in.

11:37 pm – now there is constant beeping of backup power supplies and it is starting to push me over the edge of sanity.  They aren’t even in unison.  I mean at least if they were in unity it would just be one loud beep.  But, noooooo they are all beeping at different times.  Sounds like a McDonald’s when all the french fry fryers finish at the same time.

11:38 pm Joey says he needs to finish his homework.  I nod.

11:39 pm – the beeping noises are driving Joey to put his headphones on. Of course this leaves me hanging with only Daisy to talk to.  Daisy just looks at me and twists her head from side to side – probably a desperate attempt to figure out what I am saying. 

11:40 pm – Joey realizes we have a Verizon Wireless Card.  Makes me go to the car and get it.  Lightning has stopped now.  Still raining.  I brave the weather and retrieve the wireless card.  Lightning flashes in the distance.  It is freakin muggy outside.  Winds are blowing at more than 3 mph now.  Brutal.

11:41 pm – Daisy keeps running in circles trying to catch the flashlight light beam.  She just can’t seem to understand the source of the light.  Yet, she realizes the bears on the tv show (with the guy who feeds the bears up in Alaska) are not real. So, why she can’t quite figure out this whole flashlight issue – well I just don’t know.

11:42 pm – Joey complains because the Verizon Internet Card is slower than molasses on a cold Vermont morning (pretty slow).  I think he should be happy he is able to connect at all.

11:43 pm – the constant beeping is starting to sound louder and louder (even though it isn’t).  Now they are in unison at least – beep beep beep.

11:43 – we mention the ice storm.  Ahhhhh yes – the sweet memories of “ice storm ‘09”  Who could ever forget being without power for days on end.  Fun times – fun times.

11:44 pm – I think I might make t-shirts that say “I SURVIVED POWER OUTAGE ‘09”

11:44 pm – Joey shoots down my idea.

11:45 pm – we discuss John (or is it Jon?) and Kate and how Jon blames everyone but himself for their problems.  Also adds that the kids come first.  We both wonder “since when”  Why are we talking about this?  Oh yeah, because it is the top story on FOX News.  WTH

11:46 pm – Daisy can’t figure out where the flashlight light beam disappeared to (I turned it off).

11:47 pm – I suggest we start eating the food in the refrigerator before it goes bad.
11:47 pm – Joey shoots down my idea.

11:47 pm – I start eating the food in the refrigerator.

11:48 pm – the strawberries have all been eaten.  Checking to see what else we have to eat.

11:48 pm – I wonder if Tommy and Dione have power.  Tony and Deena?  My dad – mom?  The world?  Who knows.  It looks dark outside.  Zombies can’t be far off.

11:49 pm – read text messages from Jennifer R at WPSD.  They have power issues, as well.  Thank goodness – we have outside communications.  At least we know someone is alive at WPSD.  We push forward and pray to the power gods that power will be returned. 

11:49 pm – Joey says he is getting his homework finished.  Power or no power we push forward.  Surviving the power outage one minute at a time.

11:50 pm – Joey says to stop opening the refrigerator.  I am looking for food.  I will not die on an empty stomach.  I will survive this disaster.  I won’t become a statistic.

11:50 pm – I remind everyone (well just Joey and Daisy) that our grandparents used to live this way.  No response.

11:54 pm – still no power.  Daisy isn’t happy.  She is making grumbling noises. 

11:55 pm – I look down the street and see that some of the neighbors in the distance have power.  There is hope!!!!  Keeping hope alive.  They will come for us!

11:56 pm – time to break out the cheese!  Joey turns down the cheese.  So, I eat a few slices.  The mixed batch kind from Wal-Mart.  You get like four different cheese types in a package.   I am a cheese fan.  Daisy – not so much.

11:58 pm – I wonder how long my backup power supply will stay on.  So far my computer is still on.  Just not online.  Too lazy right now to hook it up to the satellite internet.  I already hooked it up once to Bell South – then that went out.  That reminds me – I need to call the satellite internet people to hook up the new house.  Make a note.

11:59 pm – don’t know how much longer we can hold on.  It has been more than 30 minutes without the internet on this computer.  Errr Joey has internet with the Verizon Card.  I suppose I could hook up the Bell South to the backup power supply.  I think it is still up and running.  Then on the other hand – is there really a need?  The storm has passed.  Sounds like everyone at emergency management have gone silent.

11:59 pm – Joey turns his homework in.  Just under the deadline.  Thank goodness. 

12:00 am – Welcome to June 23, 2009!  Power Outage ’09 Continues!!!  Wow it is midnight.  Still no power.  How do people live without power????

12:01 am – Daisy is staring at my cheese. That or she is staring at me and sizing me up.  No doubt she is already contemplating her food source.

12:03 am – bugs bugs bugs.  Flying insects are invading my space.  I guess whatever flying insects were in the house have decided that my computer screen is their new home.  I am getting the hand held vacuum cleaner.  Screw PETA – I don’t care.  These bugs are being sucked up.  I am sure it will be a trip for them.  They can all be together in one place that way.

12:04 am – dang – My backup power supply has gone dead.  Now we are moving on to pen and paper. 

12:04 am – Daisy protests the use of the handheld rechargeable vacuum cleaner.  I push forward with the task at hand.  Suck up the bugs. 

12:06 am – getting warm in here.  Air condition has stopped.  Apparently the air condition will not work when the electricity goes out.  Imagine that.  I can’t sleep without a fan.  I can’t sleep without an air condition.  The silence would probably kill me.  Not to be dramatic, but these are just the facts.

12:08 am – Joey informs me that France is going to ban those burkas that women wear (Muslim women).  I approve of that message.  They treat women like slaves.  Why should women have to cover up in order to out in public.  GO FRANCE!

12:09  am – Power is still out.  I tell Joey that I am suffering through the lack of internet.  One minute at a time.  Meanwhile he continues to surf with his laptop still having a few minutes left on it.  Verizon Wireless Card appears to be working, as well.  What would we do without Verizon?  The beacon of light in every disaster. 

12:10 am – debate taking my sleeping pill.  Bringing a swift end to all of this.  Decide against it.

12:11 am – Joey wonder how long our power will be out.  No response from me.  I am not the power genie.  I have no control over this.

12:12 am – time to break out the poptarts.  I hook up the toaster to the backup power supply.  It immediately starts to rapidly beep.  Then goes dead.  45 seconds and the pop tart was warm.  Oh well, it isn’t cooked all of the way through, but close enough!!!  It’s not like there is a cookie dough recall.

12:13 am – Daisy stairs at my pop-top.

12:13 am – we are down to one last power supply unit.  At least the constant beeping has ended.

12:14 am – eating my pop-tart.  Strawberry flavor.  Give daisy a treat to keep her quiet.

12:15 am – complaining to Joey that he has internet and headphones and that Daisy and I feel left out of the entertainment. 

12:16 am – talk to Daisy about her treats.  She just looks at me.

12:17 am – Joey complains because bugs are flying around his computer screen.  I tell him this is because he has the only light source available for them to hover around.  He wants to know where the bugs come from.  Blaming me for some window not closed all the way.  I ask for evidence.

12:18 am – Daisy is chasing my flashlight again.  So dumb.  Doesn’t she understand – there is nothing to catch.  Sigh.

12:19 am – realization sets in.  We have no power and it is getting warmer and warmer inside the house.  I am writing all of this down in case we don’t make it through the night.  Someone will find my writings and know that we pushed forward.  Through all of the turmoil – through all of the darkness – and kept this diary of the events as they unfolded at our house.  Perhaps to be read one day by some history class.  How the earth ended in 2009.  The power went out.  Scary I know.  I thought this was all supposed to end in 2012??? 

12:20 am – flashbacks to ice storm ’09.

12:21 am – Joey is taking a Facebook Quiz “How Southern Are You”  I tell him that I can already answer that question for him and he doesn’t even need to take the test.  He doesn’t respond to that.  Won’t show me his answers.

12:22 am – he declares that he is a Yankee.  Uh huh

12:22 am – flashlight is going dim.  Oh no – this is how it ends.

12:23 am – break out new flashlight that Tommy and I bought after the big ice storm.  I have several dozen 6 volt batteries.  We are good to go on lights.  At least flashlights.

12:24 am – realizes that without air everything smells like Daisy.  I break out the febreeze.

12:25 am – Joey is gagging on the amount of febreeze that I am spraying around the room.

12:26 am – I ask Joey how long we can go on like this.  He says we can go on as long as his computer works and he has the internet card.  Sigh.

12:27 am – suggest finding a hotel.  No response.

12:27 am – Joey  believes we will be able to survive at least another hour with no power and is prepared to go all night.  What a trooper.

12:28 am – Daisy and I discuss packing our bags.

12:28 am – Daisy packs her bag.

12:29 am – Chair is now wet because I over-febreezed it.  Oops.

12:30 am – I realize that having poison oak everywhere is no fun.  Go search for me medicine so the scratching will stop.  It is worse when it is warm.  Scratch – itch.  Uggg

12:31 am – We finally break down and call Paducah Power. Joey googles the phone number.  I call them.  Ring 1 – ring 2 – ring 3.  A lady answers.  Very polite.  She asks me what was wrong.  I told her my power was out.  She said where – and I told her my address.  She believes they are working on it.  I don’t ask how long it will be.  I know better than that.

12:33 am – Joey discusses ear wax.  Random I know.  But none-the-less this is the conversation.

12:34 am – we discuss whether dead braincells become mucus.  Don’t ask why – I don’t know.

12:36 am – Joey suggest we drive around and look for the electric company trucks.  I give no response to that suggestion.  I think we are ok.

12:37 am – discuss birthday cards vs e-birthday cards.  Are e-cards real?  Unsure.  We are split on the decision.  Joey notes that some cards are nice to have, but he hates throwing them away.  On the other hand they build up quickly.  Deena’s friend believes that E-cards are a child of Satan.  Believes real cards are more appropriate.

12:38 am – Joey tells me that my “titties and nads” restaurant idea is a bad one.  I tell him that “show me” and “hooters” do well.  He says not the same. 

12:41 am – discuss movies coming out this week.  There are several new ones we want to see.  My Sisters Keeper looks nice.  Transformers also is coming out.  What to see what to see.  Well, I guess we will see nothing if the power stays out. 

12:42-12:59 – deep conversation about family, house building, relationship, shot budgets, house budget, how to recoup money from house budget, and a dozen other subjects from one range of the spectrum to the other.

12:59 power comes back on.  Joey looks at me and says “welp talk time is over” power is back on.  We can return to our regular lives.

1:00 am – power is still on.  House is becoming a bit cooler.

And so as quickly as it began it ends.  Darkness to light.  We HAVE SURVIVED ANOTHER PADUCAH POWER OUTAGE!!!!!!!

Beau – a recording of live events as they unfolded on Charlotte Ann Drive.