Stumbled across this story today, and thought it would be a good one to share. Always good to remember that even when we don't have electricity and all of the modern conveniences it supplies, life does go on...
Here's the link, or read the story below:
The power of a power outage
How one mom turned a simple power outage into a time to reconnect as a family
By Julie Friedman
Having lived in our mountain-top home for 16 years, weathering many storms (evacuated twice due to fires and trapped by road closures), I'm used to the unpredictability of natural disasters. Then torrential rains and lightening on Jan. 21 snapped a power line over our pepper trees. With a flick of the switch (so to speak) the next eight hours was a gift from the heavens.
What a novel experience to be without the tools of modern life -- no phone, television, computer or washer and dryer. Before the daylight dwindled, I caught up on my photo albums, organized my dresser drawers, cleared my desk and relaxed by reading the newspaper.
But the true gift came later in the day after picking up my twin boys from school. We bought pizza, came home, lit candles and ate dinner. With ringside seats by the kitchen window, we watched in amazement as electrical crews worked in the dark, rainy night -- the sounds of thunder providing a musical background.
Many times have I seen these tireless workers ascend to great heights to replace power lines. This time however, with the running commentary of my 12-year-old twins it was fueled with excitement.
My husband and I quizzed our boys on their spelling words, lingering longer than usual in making up sentences for each word. One of my boys even serenaded the electrical workers with his accordion, practicing in the dark by the window where they were outside working. Abandoning the usual nighttime routine of watching television, my husband and I sat with the boys as they got into bed and told stories instead.
Families (ours included) tend to waste hard-earned money on movies, events and other outings, when just being together without an activity can be equally satisfying. The days of families gathering around listening to the radio offered homespun fun. This power outage offered an interlude that harkens back to those days. It gave me a moment to reconnect with family in ways lost due to the gadgets and gizmos that occupy our time and minds.
As if it was all synchronized, the power came on right as it was "lights-off" time for my boys. And what could have been just another uneventful school night turned into a true family adventure that will add to our collection of memories for years to come.
Copyright © 2010, Tribune Interactive
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
In case you didn't know, Alabama has a football game Thursday night
We've had a few people ask "what is the co-op doing to prepare for the weather (ultra cold temperatures and snow) predicted for Thursday?"
What they are really trying to say is "what is the co-op doing to make sure the power doesn't go out while I'm watching Alabama play Texas in the BCS national championship game?"
Well, there is good news and bad news.
The good news — most weather forecasts we've been following are calling for anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of snow. That's not a problem. Snow by itself really poses no major threat to the power distribution system (power lines). If all we get is a few inches of snow, then people should be able to go outside after the game and celebrate Alabama's victory by making snow angels in the front yard.
The bad news — the well-below-freezing temperatures pose a potential threat. When it gets Minnesota cold in Alabama, everyone tends to crank up the heater and/or plug in space heaters. When everyone is using more electricity than they normally would, that could cause circuits to overload, and that could result in a power outage.
Cullman EC's construction and engineering staff monitor our electrical system throughout the year in an effort to prevent just these type of problems. But sometimes Mother Nature takes over and there is nothing we can do except deal with the consequences as quickly — and safely — as possible.
So, to answer the question: Yes, we are prepared for the cold weather. We've done everything we can to make sure you can watch the big game while staying warm inside your home. And if Mother Nature causes problems, you can be assured Cullman EC's linemen will be working to fix the problems ASAP.
What they are really trying to say is "what is the co-op doing to make sure the power doesn't go out while I'm watching Alabama play Texas in the BCS national championship game?"
Well, there is good news and bad news.
The good news — most weather forecasts we've been following are calling for anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of snow. That's not a problem. Snow by itself really poses no major threat to the power distribution system (power lines). If all we get is a few inches of snow, then people should be able to go outside after the game and celebrate Alabama's victory by making snow angels in the front yard.
The bad news — the well-below-freezing temperatures pose a potential threat. When it gets Minnesota cold in Alabama, everyone tends to crank up the heater and/or plug in space heaters. When everyone is using more electricity than they normally would, that could cause circuits to overload, and that could result in a power outage.
Cullman EC's construction and engineering staff monitor our electrical system throughout the year in an effort to prevent just these type of problems. But sometimes Mother Nature takes over and there is nothing we can do except deal with the consequences as quickly — and safely — as possible.
So, to answer the question: Yes, we are prepared for the cold weather. We've done everything we can to make sure you can watch the big game while staying warm inside your home. And if Mother Nature causes problems, you can be assured Cullman EC's linemen will be working to fix the problems ASAP.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
You think it's cold outside right now...
Just wait. The National Weather Service is calling for a high temperature of 29 on Friday and 25 degrees on Saturday after a cold front moves through on Thursday.
(On a personal note, I would like to state my objection to Mother Nature. There is a reason many of us choose to live in the South, and part of it includes our dislike of bitterly cold weather. We do not appreciate this type of erratic behavior on your part.)
Here are some energy saving tips you can use at home to combat the cold weather:
• Take a quick inventory of your home, and see what you might be able to turn off or unplug – cell phone chargers, TVs, lights when you leave a room.
• Set the thermostat no higher than 68 degrees or to the lowest comfortable temperature. Moving the thermostat down one degree means as much as a three-percent reduction in your electric bill. Wear a sweater or sweatshirt inside the house and you can move the thermostat down another degree or two.
• Keep heating system filters clean.
• Keep air vents clear of obstructions.
• Open blinds/drapes on the sunny side of the house during the day and let the sun naturally heat your home, but close them at night.
• Compact fluorescent lamps can replace bulbs in most table lamps and will save up to 75 percent in lighting energy, produce more light and last up to 10 times longer.
• Wash full loads of clothes in the coolest water possible. Rinse clothes in cold water.
• Keep the temperature between 36 degrees and 40 degrees in the refrigerator and 0 degrees and 5 degrees in the freezer. Use a refrigerator/freezer thermometer to check the settings.
• Stop the dryer as soon as clothes are dry, or use the moisture sensor control to automatically shut off the dryer. Overdrying wastes energy and sets in wrinkles.
• Dry loads one right after another. You'll use less energy because the dryer is already heated.
• Use electricity for work (such as laundry, running the dishwasher, ironing, cleaning, etc.) during non-peak hours. Peak hours are between 5-7 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.
• Avoid using the oven during peak hours. A microwave is much more energy efficient.
• Take your showers at night before you go to bed rather than in the morning during peak times.
• Unplug unnecessary electric appliances and equipment.
• Don't have every TV and light on in your home — learn to turn out lights when you leave a room.
• Turn off indoor and outdoor decorative lighting.
• Reduce exterior door openings and closings — weatherstrip and caulk.
(On a personal note, I would like to state my objection to Mother Nature. There is a reason many of us choose to live in the South, and part of it includes our dislike of bitterly cold weather. We do not appreciate this type of erratic behavior on your part.)
Here are some energy saving tips you can use at home to combat the cold weather:
• Take a quick inventory of your home, and see what you might be able to turn off or unplug – cell phone chargers, TVs, lights when you leave a room.
• Set the thermostat no higher than 68 degrees or to the lowest comfortable temperature. Moving the thermostat down one degree means as much as a three-percent reduction in your electric bill. Wear a sweater or sweatshirt inside the house and you can move the thermostat down another degree or two.
• Keep heating system filters clean.
• Keep air vents clear of obstructions.
• Open blinds/drapes on the sunny side of the house during the day and let the sun naturally heat your home, but close them at night.
• Compact fluorescent lamps can replace bulbs in most table lamps and will save up to 75 percent in lighting energy, produce more light and last up to 10 times longer.
• Wash full loads of clothes in the coolest water possible. Rinse clothes in cold water.
• Keep the temperature between 36 degrees and 40 degrees in the refrigerator and 0 degrees and 5 degrees in the freezer. Use a refrigerator/freezer thermometer to check the settings.
• Stop the dryer as soon as clothes are dry, or use the moisture sensor control to automatically shut off the dryer. Overdrying wastes energy and sets in wrinkles.
• Dry loads one right after another. You'll use less energy because the dryer is already heated.
• Use electricity for work (such as laundry, running the dishwasher, ironing, cleaning, etc.) during non-peak hours. Peak hours are between 5-7 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.
• Avoid using the oven during peak hours. A microwave is much more energy efficient.
• Take your showers at night before you go to bed rather than in the morning during peak times.
• Unplug unnecessary electric appliances and equipment.
• Don't have every TV and light on in your home — learn to turn out lights when you leave a room.
• Turn off indoor and outdoor decorative lighting.
• Reduce exterior door openings and closings — weatherstrip and caulk.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
