Gone Electric!

Weird, completely weird weather systems continue to plague us and last night it peaked. It was one of the worst electric and high-powered wind storms I've ever seen. I was actually frightened and ready to call, "Aunty Em!" before I hightailed it down to the basement washroom, the place I deemed the safest in our house.

I was on the computers, (yes, two at once!) and got off the upstairs machine just in time before it was "lights out" as it were! Then we raced around the house, closing some windows as the rain blew in to soak everything in its path, doing attendance and roll call for our cats, Socks and Mookie.

In our summer bedroom,which is totally open windows, we looked out fearfully towards the river in our backyard, when we heard a huge crack followed by the definite sound of a tree slowly falling. Thankfully, it wasn't one of ours but it sure propelled me from our "indoor-outdoor treehouse" to the main part of the house in a fast hurry!

Of course, we were then scrambling to find flashlights that worked once the evening progressed. Why is this always so hard?!! My husband had on his headlamp that he uses for night skiing and when he's putting up Christmas lights in the dark. It's great for the person wearing it, but whenever he looked at me, I got blinded! (Curses here!) I was madly trying to shake the cheapo new LED light that shines in an annoying blue.

Mr. Calm then went out to watch the storm, while holding a metal beer can up to toast Thor and tempt fate at the hands of the God (or Goddess?) of the Light Show! Mookie appeared at the door of the garage, pacing, crying and trying to gather courage to dart out and into the house. She hates getting wet so I had to do a rescue. As you'd expect, just as I ventured out, holding her, the loudest crack of thunder clapped and Mookie's claws responded in kind. She clutched and then scrambled out of my arms, leaving me to bleed for the next half hour! (Darn that Plavix and ASA!)

By this time, people were getting curious and were now venturing out in cars and on foot with umbrellas to survey the situation and compare notes. Some were out trying to buy flashlights (including us!) but of course, all the stores were closed. The power outage was widespread but we noticed there was some action at the local cafe, a "Cheers-like" place three doors down from us. In fact, there was a throng of locals who had been attending the Wednesday night Drum Circle. How cool! Candles, drums, guitars, and coffee! We enjoyed the impromptu happening and joined the group who had gathered outside to watch the fabulous light show.

The power came on sometime during the night and all seems back to business as usual, but it sure was an interesting deviation from the usual "nightbeat" in our small town.

And, best of all, it has chased away the heat!

Mother of Invention, thinking I'll go out to check on that tree by the river! Maybe I'll even join the Drum Circle next Wednesday!