COLD

We lost power yesterday at 2:30 and had no heat or lights  until this morning at 12:30.  After an hour there was a power surge that started a fire at the juvenille facility one block from us, we lost power at 1:30 and only regained it after 4:30 this morning.

You can believe that the coffee pot is going and the kitties have been fed, the furnace and electric heaters are going full blast.  I kept my extra denim shirt and flannel lined denim coat on all night.  I was afraid this would happen and thought I had all bases covered.....NOT!    Need batteries of all sizes not just the big Ds.  Need oil for Mother's old oil lamps. And more importantly wooden matches to light the electric stove burners.

Our little town has recently hired a new young town maintenance man.  I wondered how this would work out because he had been associating with some young people of unsavory character.  I knew he was trying to help them and be a good influence.   Well, those young people had installed 3 sets of speakers in their car and had turned them up full blast.   Jack's former work on and near a runway with big planes had caused him to be especially sensitive to certain tones.  Yep,  the beat of that music would drive Jack nuts with pain.  I had an occasion to mention it to David and he talked to the young people.  It immediately improved.  I walked over several evenings ago and thanked the teens for their courtesy in keeping the music down.    They were very pleasant and understanding.

When the power went off the new maintenance man came to the house and told us what was happening and that they expected power in an hour.  But he was concerned about our trees and had a work order in on them and when he could get help with the bucket truck he would work on our trees.  He realized the branches ladden with ice were laying on our power lines.   

The old maintenance man called us last night about 3 hours in the power failure and said not to worry about our lines to the house, those could be handled if they went down, they were more concerned about getting power to the town and hoped it would be soon.  This gentleman is now on the town board.

Later the town mayor called and said she knew we had central heat and we could go to the city hall which had gas heat if we wanted.  I told her without power the garage doors would not open and without the van Jack could not be  transported.  Others called and asked if we needed anything, they had 4 wheeled drives and would get anything we needed.    Small towns take care of each other!

Peace and warmth now present at Marigold Country Home!