Deja Vu All Over Again!

Yep. Another power outage! Remind me again which century this is? 🙁

This one was not wholly unexpected, and I guess I can’t complain, because it didn’t happen during my Full Moon ritual. That would have been a nuisance, because I use a cut of music that is exactly ten minutes and one second long, on repeat, to time the rituals when I want to conclude at a precise time. There was a wind advisory up, and the wind was gusting away outside, with steady wind as high as 30mph. I’d just seen a news item on the WHDH website that the wind was causing widespread outages in New Hampshire.

Sure enough, at 4:28 p.m., poof! Here we go again–the third outage in less than two weeks!

I called National Grid’s hotline, which I now have memorized, and heard a recorded message saying there were outages in numerous surrounding towns. Obviously, the power crews were having a very busy day. I decided to do what I didn’t do the last two times, and get some things ready. I got out the Coleman lantern, filled and tested it; got out extra candles and candle lanterns, most of which had glass covers or chimneys so they’d be less of a hazard to Mr. Brightest-Light-On-The-Tree-Only-When-He-Sets-His-Tail-On-Fire. I brought in the very last of the firewood, and started a fire (it was 36 degrees outside, and the wind just sucks the heat out of this house). I even found the right connector for the “PowerAll” for this computer, in case the battery ran out like last time. I figured there were two possible outcomes: either all this preparation would invoke Murphy’s Law, and I wouldn’t need it; or, the power would be off well after dark, and I’d be ready for it this time.

A little later I called the hotline again, and Pepperell was on their list, and they said power should be restored by 8:30 p.m. They usually give a much later estimate than actually turns out to be needed.

Murphy’s Law prevailed and the power went on at 6:40 p.m., just in the nick of time for my sunset attunement. I didn’t need the Coleman lantern after all! Now I have to drain the fuel and put it all away. But that’s okay. Besides–it’s still windy. The power could go off again!

I continued working on The Longer the Fall, with a somewhat uneasy feeling. The characters in the book happen to live in an old house that doesn’t have electricity (it’s 1952 in rural Maine). You don’t think there’s any possible connection between my concentration on getting this book finished, and all these power outages we’re having…do you? *faint twinkle of Twilight Zone theme…* Naaaaaaaahhhhhh….