Day 57 in 2023

The power is back on and all of us are breathing a (warm) sigh of relief.

Day 56 in 2023

We are still without power, and Gimli is finding the outage stressful. We're not sure exactly what the cause is, or if it's a number of things together. We know he doesn't like the sound of the generators throughout the neighborhood, and I'm sure smells and sounds in general are very different. He is also not a fan of big changes in the house, like the tarps blocking out the colder air sneaking in with the extension cord that make funny noises or his food being moved to a warmer part of the house for easier access. And we already knew he hated his routine being messed with, and it's definitely a shambles right now. But he must also be pretty cold throughout the day even though we've done what we can to make him more comfortable. Whatever the various causes, he has been very wound up every day all day long, so seeing him relax and unwind so thoroughly at the end of the day is very nice.

Day 55 in 2023

Still without power and one of the coldest days this month. The house is a chilly 48 degrees, but we are fortunate enough to have a generator, space heaters, firewood, a nearby Starbucks, and adventurous spirits.

Day 54 in 2023

What I said yesterday about ice storms... more than half our small town is without power today, including us. The best estimate they will give us is that "95% of customers will have power back by Sunday". It is Thursday.

School was canceled today, but since the roads are safe that wasn't stopping the robotics team from practicing all afternoon and evening, so we didn't let something silly like a lack of power keep us from feeding them as originally promised. Making food for 16 by lantern light is an adventure I feel accomplished to have conquered.

Day 53 in 2023

Ice storms, at least as beautiful as snow, but far more problematic