Survival In All Things

The Ice Storm of 2008 (because I hope there will not be any others in 2008) has been and gone. Left is the detritus of the storm's wallop. Broken tree limbs and the sawdust from the chainsaws used to cut them down. We survived, as everyone else did, and learned a little in the process.

The power went out at 1:15 on Friday morning. The oldest son woke up almost immediately, his body sensing the complete absence of light from his room. On top of it, he must have heard the shearing of the wind, the pounding of the rain, and the explosion of tree trunks and limbs as they gave way to the weight of ice. For a while, it sounded like World War I out there. And we were at Verdun.

By morning, we had descended below 60 degrees in the kitchen, and though the children were growing accustomed to the lack of television and light (and had not yet realized the implications of an ever chilling house), my wife was still trying to get to work. But her way out of the neighborhood to get to any major road was blocked by downed trees. Eventually, her boss texted her to stay home.

Late in the morning, we went to Nashua to our gym -- a workout and, more importantly, a hot shower. Then a hot meal. Then back home. The kitchen was 56 degrees.

Stay tuned for Part II.