Return of Power Outage

Yesterday had it's good moment--I finished my short fiction project. It was pretty much downhill from there, culminating in a massive windstorm that brought hurricane like rains and 68 mph winds to the capitol region. The wind speed was double that on top of Mount Washington, and up-state they got snow instead of rain.

Our power flickered for hours and we lost it at about 10.30 p.m. We are among the 300,000 NH residents without electricity. We are also among the permanently scarred '08 Ice Storm veterans who decided to install a generator.

Therefore, the Lodge has light, heat, hot water, flushing loos, several major appliances, satellite tv and internet.

I didn't sleep particularly well--not so much because of the generator's constant hum, but because it's not very restful when 70 mph. winds are battering your house. Sort of terrifying, actually.

Power company estimate: this outage could continue for at least a couple of days, possibly more. We have no downed trees or limbs, just twigs. First thing this morning we knew our private road was passable because our newspapers were delivered as usual. This is not the case elsewhere in the state...many roads are blocked by fallen trees. Hundreds of them.

I'm feeling truly blessed but am concerned for the many who are inconvenienced by the storm. And that includes the states to our south which received the storm in blizzard form.

A great deal of snow got washed away...and we still have plenty left on the ground.

On a morning like this, the sight of a couple of snowdrops in the front garden is a rare and wonderful and timely gift.