this past week, modern times.

day 3 and counting without power (told we have 2.5 more days to go). thank goodness we have a wood stove in living room. thank goodness for lots of things.

 

but fridge and freezer foods (meats, dairy, produce) being tossed at this point (ice supplies day-to-day available then sold out - then markets big & small closed). gas station waits for hours then stations closed altogether. schools and other public services closed for the duration. homes and apts buildings for the elderly and medical facilities without power, closed for now.

 

no hot water but what's in tank (many folks have no ability to draw water, flush toilets, can't dispose of water/waste coz their systems will flood).

 

of course no electronic connections for appliances, heat, entertainment, alarm systems (smoke detectors wired into the house), phone charging (even many land line phone services aren't happening for some reason).

 

if there *is* a fire in the night, no warning systems, no house/public lights to help with evacuation.

 

and no, not everyone can afford generators, or owns homes where they can have generators (or can get to the maybe-available fuel to power those).

 

btw, 2nd time in weeks, and both times we have had none of that predicted wind determined to be cause for this shutdown.

 

yeah, so far everyone we know is basically okay. checking on elderly or solitary neighbors and so far things are okay enough. but so many people managing feelings of powerlessness (pun absolutely appropriate), frustration, anger, fear, confusion, disorientation, concerns about imminent "next time"s, how to face this physically, financially, psychologically again and we're told again ...

 

(for you non-californians this is in re: to this state's pg&e power outages, supposedly for wildfire control. see news. )

Done