Aha. Power.
Alarms going off everywhere.

I have no idea how long we’ll be up so I’ll blog while I can.
Living in a resource based area we don’t face the hardships an urban centre does.

Less than an hour after the power went off yesterday, I heard thumping and banging and the whine of a generator. Bell Canada.
I called in to our group and kicked back.

It’s like camping from the lazy boy. Don’t miss TV, don’t miss the computer.
I miss my on-line friends. When I couldn’t raise anything on the radio, scenarios started playing out in my mind.

The call back for stand by came a few hours later.
News was pretty sparse so I picked up the phone and called some people.

Odd what goes through your head isn’t it?
Who is down? Why? What if this is a nuclear plant?

Ok. Doesn’t look like anyone is going anywhere soon.
I already know essential personnel are in place. I know emergency planning personnel are doing their jobs. I check my supplies, grab a good book and settle in.

Restlessness sets in and I wander around the neighbourhood chatting a bit.
Friends and family call, and we express gladness the phone system is working and everyone is fine.
Nobody is counting on anything to work for awhile and we decide it’s a long weekend to make the best of.

Finally, a few radio stations kick in and friends and family outside the black out area provide a few details.

A Russian tourist asks…

“Why they fight?
Why do you and your neighbours blame?
So many people in the dark…this is time to work together, no?”

How do you explain no one cares what federal politicans say on either side of the border. Their blame game is their own. How do you explain that ordinary people at ConEd or Hydro don’t have time to listen to the blaming, they are doing their jobs and trying to help their neighbours.

I’d like to tell him what our choices are.
More later I hope, I have a meeting, and some news to catch up on.

Realistically, we expect to be in brown outs or black outs all weekend.
I’ll be back.