I decided to share our experience with the winter storm that came through NWA the last week in January 2009. We were only out of power for about 5 hours Tuesday night / Wednesday morning; about an hour Wednesday at noon; Thursday afternoon for about 5 hours. What we didn't realize when falling in love with our neighborhood was that we may be on the same electric grid as NWA Regional Hospital, the fire station, and another ambulance service. What we knew we liked about the house was the friendly neighbors, the ranch style, the gas log fireplace, the backyard, and the mature trees.
The biggest blessing we found last week was our neighbors. When one yard was cleaned up or had a crew working we all moved to another yard. Those who were able had saws going or carried limbs. Those who were not able brought out cupcakes and bottled water. At one point we laid out our picnic blanket for several of us to watch a large pine tree cut down. When a big chunk would fall the kids and the ladies would clap and the guy with the saw (who spoke no english) would smile really big and give a "thumbs up." On Sunday, the sermon at church was about how we have experienced community through the crisis and how we should strive to make every day that way. I almost cried because our little corner of the world in the little cul-de-sac is very much like that every day. I am very thankful for that.
The gas logs worked like a charm, at least while we slept in the living room on the hide-a-bed. Our living area never dropped below 55 degrees with the logs cranked up. I asked Nathan if we could sleep in the living room Tuesday (before the power was out) because the pine trees were leaning towards our bedroom and the outside wall our bed is on. I called it a "one-dog-night" because that is all we had so we would have to make due either way. We turned the logs on early in the morning because we woke up cold to realize the power was off. We turned them on again Thursday and lit a lot of candles after work until we were tired and the electricity came back on before we fell asleep.
I wish we could have done more for the less fortunate. We offered our house to people we knew could get out of their houses but didn't have electricity. I was definitely upset by the loss of the trees, not only in our neighborhood, but everywhere we went. It is a hard lesson in taking care of our property by trimming and thinning out where needed. I hope I never hear "it looks like a war zone" about something like this again. As we walked home from work with the limbs popping and falling near us; trees uprooted or broken in half laying across the road, and I knew that emergency vehicles couldn't reach us if something happened, I felt helpless and scared. That's when I thought of people who really live in war torn areas. When I looked around I didn't see the dying or hear screams or sobs like I remember in reports of war. I have a new appreciation for what I think of as hoplessness in a very secure life and what I can't imagine life is like where there is no security.
I haven't had a serious post like this in a while, but it feels good to get off my chest. I have lots of pictures to share because they can speak louder than words sometimes. Then I think I can move on to happier things like who is turning the big 0-3 next week?
