h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Some of you already know but I thought I'd share in a new journal anyway.

Monday evening we had a fairly big thunderstorm in my area, and our area specifically had cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, high winds, and several funnel clouds. One lightning strike took out our power, and as of 6:45am Wednesday (now), we're still without power.

So I can only access teh interwebs from work, period, till it's back on. We're told they're working on it but it may be a few days yet.

I hope we're back on soon, because it's supposed to get really warm again early next week and I'll need the aircon (and probably my nebulizer). We've had no luck finding a battery-powered generator, so we had to toss everything in the fridge but the soda, condiments, and fresh fruit & veg. Some of the stuff from the freezer went to work with K to be stashed in the freezer there till we're sorted (I sent the most expensive stuff) and the rest is packed with bags of ice, so hopefully some of that can be salvaged.

Honestly, I think the thing we miss most, besides not being in a hot, muggy room, is making coffee. Plus I hate what my hair looks like when it's not blow-dried.

We sustained no actual property damage, as far as I know. We'd powered the computer off before the storm started and the TV and DVD player are on a pretty good surge protector. Hopefully the furnace and a/c unit are fine, too.

So right now I actually wish I did buy that laptop I was thinking about earlier this year... poor K wasn't able to play his computer game before bed last night and it was like a baby without his woobie.

Hope things sort out soon PC, and your asthma holds out.

That's my biggest worry. Fortunately, it was much cooler and less humid last night- we were even able to open a window for a light breeze, and managed about six hours' sleep, so it wasn't too uncomfortable. Not like Monday night.

As long as the humidity stays relatively low and we don't get back in the nineties, I should be OK.

Thanks for the well wishes.

I'd love to get back in the nineties!

That was an awful decade. But to each their own.

Temperature-wise, though... you wouldn't like it.

Glad I got the air con's because that is where we are for another couple of months

Sorry to hear that, PC. Hope they'll sort it soon.

Yes, Anold, it's definitely hot over by you. I am so glad that we're going to (hopefully) see a few days that aren't *that* warm. Hopefully we'll have the aircon back on before it warms up again.

Thanks, Bel. Just figured I'd let you all know, in case it's not up yet by the weekend or I miss a day of work later this week, why you haven't heard from me. I'm not going to give in to the urge to visit a net cafe or anything.

Though if the power is out this weekend still, we may be using some of our free movie passes up or going for a really long coffee-infused browse at a bookshop or something.

That bad even in urban areas? Here it's usually only in the countryside you are left without electricity more than an few hours when it gets down. Even when it has been the big power cuts, the urban areas have been back online within less than 24 hours.

Hope that you soon get the power supply back. It's amazing how dependent most of us are nowadays of electricity, running water and working plumbing.

Apparently of the nearly 300,000 customers who lost power, over 100,000 of us were in the city proper. This is the first time I've ever lost power for this long. I've had two other losses of power since I've lived in my place (6 1/2 years), one of which was less than an hour and the other was around six or eight hours.

Usually it's the outlying areas, perhaps the more remote suburbs abd unincorporated areas, that have problems.

Some of the traffic lights (including the one a block from home) aren't working, either. Those are supposedly powered by a private contractor, though.

Supposedly the electric company is bringing in additional help today, to get things working again. We shall see!

Given the choice I guess I'm glad we at least have our plumbing/water. If I couldn't flush the toilet for a few days staying at home might not be an option in this weather. Or any other weather.

Oh, last update from ComEd (electric co) is that they hope to have 90% of power back on today, with the rest by Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, it was hinted that since our outage affects so few people in such a small area (one city block so probably 40-60 people?), it's a lower priority outage. s!

Just to make you feel better, I've found some enterprising soul has uploaded the Radio 4 doco on the 77 NY blackout. I found it captivating, hope you get to appreciate it soon too

http://speechification.com/2008/07/18/archive-hour-new-york-77-blackout/

Hope things are sorted for you soon, PC

You there PC????


Hope it gets sorted out today - and keep breathing.

Yes, I caught the news the other night about Chicago! Certainly hope things sort themselves out before too long!

yep

Whoo hoo! I'm posting from home. Had to reset modem and router and I'm still running slow but it'll work itself out. Still hot as hell in here, but it's dropped 4 degrees F since we got home so we'll be fine tonight.

Thanks to all for well wishes.

Spent some time when I got home mopping up all of the melty, sticky stuff from the freezer, fridge door and the floor around the fridge. My veggie stock and apple juice cubes melted and I had to dispose of the remains.

Are you a cosco meber cuase they sell some really cheap genorators that you could have ready for next time.

Not a Costco member (we have only one in the city, it's pretty far away, and the rest are in the suburbs) but I will keep that in mind, because I may want to have a look at some inexpensive models for any future emergencies. Especially if I could find one suitable for indoor use which could handle just the fridge and an electric fan.

I'd also like to get one of those combination hand-crank lantern/NOAA weather radio/LED light/ alarm clock units. Just In Case.

Are you home from your seminar now, BeowulfShafer?