Power's Out

There is a reason I haven't posted this week

I didn’t hear the wind. What I did hear was the crashing down of a branch from the tree that stands beside our house. It was about eight in the morning. I looked out the window and the branch was enormous. I didn’t think much of it though as we have had branches down before. I will have to get the branch removed.

Sleepily I went into the kitchen to make coffee. Filter, coffee, water, push the button. Nothing happened. Outlet issue? I tried to turn on the overhead lights. Nothing. Slowly it dawned that the power is out. Call two of my neighbors. They have power. It is just my house. Call Eversource, our supplier of electricity. Conversation with a robot. Many people have lost power in other places. Confirm information about address and phone. You are on the list.

I go about the day’s routine without coffee. Then I decide I need coffee. Here I come Dunkin Donuts. Quick trip in case Eversource calls. I look out the window again. Now I can see the downed wires. Call Eversource again. Same routine. I let my sons know. It is about 50 degrees outside and inside. Fortunately it isn’t winter.

I am finding that electricity powers my life, not my spiritual life, but my daily living. No heat, no lights, no computer, no T.V., no hot water, and soon I am realizing that my refrigeration is off. Fortunately I have my phone and watch, both of which need to be charged. I find a power bank and hope it is charged from the last time we thought we might lose power.

This is inconvenient, but the power should be on soon. I begin to think of the thousands of people who are dealing with so much more than the inconvenience of losing power. Israel is bombing Lebanon. People are losing their lives and their homes. People who are, for the moment, safe are waiting for the next bomb to drop.

Before Lebanon there was Iran and Gaza. People in Gaza have been without homes for months, going on years. Starving. Having to move from place to place. Sick, without medical help. Trying to stay warm and dry. Babies dying. How can we forget? They must be on our minds and in our hearts.

Iranians too experiencing war. Ukrainians. Sudanese. Some of the disasters are happening because of our government’s direct action. Others with our weapons and collusion. Some because of our silence. Some have nothing to do with us.

I remember a visit from a Kenyan Pastor who lived in a whole village with no electricity. I have electric power wren if I am without it now. And I have a roof over my head and food on my shelves. And if I need medical attention, I can get it. Nonetheless, I have to address the situation at hand. Nature has wrecked far more havoc in other places. This is minor.

Tree first. It is covering the whole area. I call my neighbor for the name of her tree person. I call him, He is on his way to a graduation but very graciously comes by and moves a large trunk-like branch away from the wires so Eversource can do its work. Thank you!

He notices that the lines over the street are sagging. You had better call the police, he says. I do. Next thing you know firemen are in the yard putting up yellow tape in the yard and cones in the road.

It is getting dark and cold. I am grateful that it is spring and daylight savings time. My family is concerned about me. I assure my family that I will be fine. Tomorrow the electricity will surely be restored. One of my sons brings me dinner. My evening routine is shot. No computer, television, or lights. Even the dog is cold. But I get some flashlights going and some candles and try to relax.

My third-floor friend is away visiting his woman friend, but he will be back. He will have to wait the night out too when he gets home.

My watch tells me I have walked 4,000 steps and congratulates me. It is the first time since my son gave me the watch almost a year ago. With no electricity to power my devices, I am not sitting as much.

Sunday. Now it is day two and Sunday. Going to church in person is out because I want to be here for Eversource and going by Zoom is out for obvious reasons. Now I am fully aware that the food in the fridge will spoil. One of my sons offers to come over later to retrieve what we can and put it in his freezer. A Duncan Donuts run again. This time I treat myself to a muffin.

I am in touch with our insurance company. He offers to email me. I am missing the computer. How does one live without one? I cannot check my bank account or email, and no computer games or posting. My sister has no computer. I call her. “How do you do it, I ask.” She says that it isn’t hard. She reads, does puzzles, and gardens. She is fine without it. I admire her and remember the days when everything did not depend on communicating by email or text.

We are in trouble as a society if internet goes out! We have become so totally dependent. By afternoon Eversource has not come. I call. I am told that I am off the list. A technician was out and determined that it was not their problem. Why hadn’t they told me! If I hadn’t called, I would still be waiting for them. I find out that I need an electrician. The first one I call is out of town. The next one says they can come the next day, but it is a BIG job. Meters need to be replaced.

The arbourist is back and comes to cut up the huge tree part that is down. Bless him. I am so grateful that he came and the way is now clear for electrical repair.

One son comes over to check on me with his wife, and they offer to put me up in a hotel for the night. It is too cold for me in the house. We can find one that takes pets. I think I need to stay home to let the electricians in by 7:00 AM. Then my daughter-in-law goes to the store for some food that is not perishable along with egg salad and makes me a sandwich. Thank you! I will have more egg salad and green salad tonight.

My youngest son shows up with two large coolers. We go about filling them with freezer food. A friend calls and when she finds out about the power outage offers to store some food too. She and her husband arrive bearing two other coolers and a camping lantern. I am so blessed to have so much support!

Monday. At 7:00 A.M. the electricians arrive. We have some questions for my contractor son who lives in Maine. Everyone is helping. They work throughout the day and until 7:00 P.M. My neighbor let them use her outdoor outlet so they could do their work. When they leave, much of the power is on. There is only one light in the living room though and no internet. My granddaughter came over in the middle of the day. Great moral support and we ran some errands. Got ice cream.

My poor dog was disoriented during the whole power outage with electricians coming and going for two days. She had already discerned something was wrong at night when there were no lights or television. She is not eating and is barking her head off as the men come and go. My son offered to have me stay at his house that night, which was possible because their daughter offered to spend the night at a cousin’s house. I was very appreciative but had to say no because tomorrow will be another early day with the electricians coming at 7.

A dear friend takes me out to dinner in town. I am too tired to go anywhere else or any place fancy. Besides, I have a loose tooth that is threatening to fall out. That limits what I can eat. When it comes out, I will be in for major dental work!

Tuesday. Day four the electricians are back at 7:30. I have not mentioned the fact that I am not a morning person. Really not a morning person. I usually ease into the day. Not these last three days!

The workers finish their work by two and the electricity is on! Yay! They have worked so hard. The power is on!

When they leave, I test all the lights. I took a shower. Hot water. Now I cannot wait to turn on my computer. When I do, it says there is no internet. What! Well, I will just reboot by unplugging and replunging the modem. It does not work. I must call our internet carrier. After I dial their number, I interact with the now inevitable and universal robot, then finally talk to a person who tries to reboot the internet. It does not work. She says I need a technician. I resist but what alternative do I have? I give in.

Now I am approaching frustration. The power is on but not all power. I am not philosophical anymore. I had been thinking how good it was to be set free from my dependence on my computer on which I spend so much time! With the computer down, I had to take a break. My son fixed my battery run CD players and I could listen to music. I continued to rack up more steps. I sorted out some old cards and loved the memories that came from reading them, birthdays, Christmas, family events. There were benefits to freedom from my computer compulsion.

But now, I was not ready to give up on my computer. I talked about it with my sons and the electricians. We decided it could be a problem from outside. An indoor technician was not what we needed. We needed an outdoor person. Another call. Another two days to wait!

Here’s the truth. Dealing with my emails takes a long time every day and is mostly a waste of time. Another truth. Everything runs by email or text. How did we get here? No matter, here we are. Could we be more careful going forward about the effects of technology? All or nothing is not good.

Tonight I have a Zoom call with people in my church. Maybe I can join by phone. They are computer savvy and hook me up to the Zoom call by voice alone. It is different but it works.

I decide to do something physical while I wait for the internet technician. I will have my dog’s nails clipped. My granddaughter will go with me. She gets the time mixed up, I cancel and I am tired so somewhat relieved. We visit anyway for a little. Good to see her. Food from the pantry shelf tonight after she heads home. Tenant is hanging in but is away almost all day so he is not as bothered by the downed internet as I am.

Thursday. I am tired. Now my own power is drained. Not out but almost. Today the inspector is coming for the last thumbs up or down on the electric job. The electrician will be back. Another early morning. They come. Final approval of the electrical work is given. Power is on AND approved along with two new meters.

Tomorrow we will find out about the internet. A neighbor offers the use of her internet. Another two friends call to see how I’m doing. At least Word is working on my computer, but it is confused. It keeps wanting to send my text for storage and it cannot and I do not get its messaging questions. My tooth finally falls out.

Friday. Very early I get a call from the Internet folk and am told to push buttons for this or that on the phone. Robot of course. Sleepily I do. Then think, what if I pushed the wrong button and cancelled the fix it person. I call back and at the same time they arrive. I barely make it downstairs.

In a short while the internet is on! I, however, am barely powered on. Through all of this my phone was working. It literally was my lifeline. Of course, it takes electricity to charge it. For that I was dependent on my phone bank and that of others whose power was not out. We are so interdependent! Whether we are the ones with power or without it, we need to remember that not even heaven can help us if we are ever without our phones and our connections!

A detailed boring account for which I apologize. If you got this far, be glad I left out many steps and calls.

My conclusion is that I am a very lucky woman to have such amazing support and love. I am blessed. That is the real energy that powers life. I see life’s power in love’s presence in these family members and friends, and in the professional who eased the way and surrounded me with active care. I thank God for them. In my life, God’s ultimate power is love.

In the large scheme of things, losing power and internet was a very small matter. Above all, no one was harmed. I have learned how dependent I am and we are on electricity. I can get through without it but not for long. I am a city woman. I was exhausted by the experience.

The experience taught me some lessons besides where true power resides. some lessons got through. I sit too much because I am using my computer too much. I could cut back some. I love light, but the darkness is relaxing. My dog and I bonded more on the cold long nights. And I learned how fortunate I am to have power at all.

Sure, Eversource dropped the ball by not informing me that it was my problem to solve. Institutions can be an impersonal force. But it is humans who inhabit them along with the robots. We cannot, must not lose our humanity and ability to treat others as we want to be treated in the midst of technological dependency and its tendency to gobble up our lives. With AI on the move, this is more critical than ever. My sister, who lives without a computer, is doing just fine.

And I am back to being philosophical. I hope I can hold on to some of the life I regained through my few days of living without power and internet when the tree exerted its power. Electrical power powers many things but not our own personal power and the power of our love for one another.

Final note. The branch which took down electrical power and the internet also took down a swing set we have used and loved for several generations. My great grandchildren will miss it when they come. But it would eventually have had to go anyway. It was well used. Old and surely antique. All old things must go at some point, and we have to let go of them. But some old things like our humanity are worth hanging on to for dear life!

Still missing a front tooth. Some things can be fixed, and other things need to be replaced. And some gaps need to just be as we move on.