The night the lights (and heat) went out...

I awoke to the sensation a freezing nose. I glanced over to the clock and realized that the power had gone out. DAMN!!! I went to the window and saw that across the street, mocking my pain, the neighbors had power. They were FLAUNTING their electricity. Not only could I see the porch lights I could see the flashing and twinkling of Christmas lights on the trees. They were winking at me! Here, my family and I were freezing to death and they were WASTING their electricity. OK, the power had only been out for like two hours and we were hardly freezing to death but COME ON!! It was like eating a Dagwood sandwich in front of a starving man.

Anyhoo, J. was trapped in Oklahoma, so it was the kids and I left to our own devices. It was 7:00am and there had to be someone to call. I called the electric company but couldn't get through. I called J. to let him know that I was mad. He was in no mood to hear my complaints, seeing as he had been in the airport for two days.

We made it to a friend's house and waited out the morning. To say I obsessed with calling the electric company was an understatement. I think I called every ten minutes. At one point my very dear and direct friend told me she was going to shove the phone up my butt if I called one more time. Perhaps after only a brief three hours I was wearing out my welcome.

After it became obvious that the power could not be telepathically willed on, I resigned myself to the nomadic life. We would stay just long enough to eat, shower and win Texas Hold em, and move to the next station.

Eventually our power came on and we were able to return home. Although I deeply appreciate the kindness of our friends and family, it was AWESOME to return to my house, where we could be LOUD and messy and chaotic, where I could yell at my children in peace, take my hat off and not be ridiculed for my Heat Miseresque hairdo and finally poop. (You know that was going to come up)

The funny thing is that Friday, as I was wandering from home to home in the cold, I got my electric bill.