We just spent many days keeping ourselves entertained with our windup radio and playing old-fashioned board games. It was heartwarming to hear the pouring out of support from fellow citizens to those who found themselves unprepared for such a long time without electricity.
By Saturday night we had to turn the station as more and more calls started placing blame for their ill fortune. Of course it became the electric company and the government who were at fault because they were freezing. It brought to mind stories that my elderly uncle would tell of his childhood in North Dakota before they had electricity or running water or indoor plumbing. In particular I remember how he told me he would wake up on winter mornings with a mound of ice on the wall from his breath as he slept comfortably under his mother’s quilts.
Quilting is a wonderful hobby and there is nothing more loving than giving generations a quilt to keep them warm and safe. If you don’t feel like taking up quilting here is another hint from the past. Quilts were made of old clothing of all seasons. If you find yourself cold again, go to your closets and drawers and pile the clothing all over you and yours. It doesn’t even have to fit or be the right color. It just has to form layers. They used to keep their feet warm and dry by wrapping their shoes in newspaper covered with bread wrappers and tied on with string. There again not very fashionable but they were warm enough to go out to the outhouse at 40 below back in the day. It could work for you.
Canned food keeps almost forever and cold tuna, string beans or most other veggies still taste good. Buy an extra can or two all year long.
Lastly I couldn’t help thinking that no matter how cold, or hungry or tired the callers thought that they were it was nothing to compare with the guys up on the utility poles with that wind chill factor at 3:30 in the morning when my power came back on. Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart. No matter what complaining you might hear, you are my heroes!
Sharyn Mellors lives in Coupeville.
