tuesday
Tuesday morning was dark and damp. We had only light rain, but it was rain and our island needs rainfall if the Cedars are to get through our Summer drought. It was weird to have lights on. We all had a slumber party in the morning. After I lit the fire, I went back to bed for a while.
We didn’t take our morning walk until shortly past 10:00, and when we walked, it was a short one. Then we came home and I had my first chance to read in three days. Oh, the chaise, and oh, the warm woolen blanket, and oh, oh, oh, the fire on a day that made it okay to be indoors.
It was heavenly to have the entire day to myself. I read, of course, I was dying to get back to my book, but I also researched Ibogaine, the drug that was so incredibly beneficial to the PTSD sufferers in the movie I watched on Netflix (On Waves and War). It was my plan to ask Dr. Shoja about it, but I am no longer interested in taking it.
For one thing, its primary use is to help people addicted to opiates. That’s why it was legalized by prescription in Canada. However, it also is risky for patients with heart conditions, and I’ve had three heart attacks, and it often comes with a short and severe bout of depression after the drug wears off. I never had any interest in hallucinogens during the 70s and 80s, and I’m still not interested in them, but I had hopes of this drug helping me. But no more.
I also did something remarkable. I called my accountant firm without using the referral service, and I was able to tell them about $2,100 in deductions that I forgot to include with my submission to them. It was a relief to be able to get the deductions and to have successfully talked on the phone. It wasn’t easy. I apologized a couple of times, initially when I spoke to Pedro, and again when I had a long block. But what a victory for me!
I chatted with Dr. Shoja at 14:00, and when we were done, it was walkies time for Her Highness and I, and luckily, the rain had stopped and the sun was blazing through my windows so we were able to enjoy a decent healthy long walk. It was toasty warm, too! But then, the winds came, and boy did they come!
When we came home for the evening, the power was out. Thinking I had Tezspire in the fridge—rather, not thinking, I thought I had Tezspire in the fridge, but I didn’t. However, thinking I did, I immediately got the generator going, and I prayed that the Internet would work so that I could watch a movie.
I should have kept the countertop burner I sold last week. If I had it, I could have made myself a hot dinner. Instead, I plugged in my toaster and made toast to have something warm after my nightly salad. My barbeque needed to be cleaned after a Winter outdoors, so it was not an option.
I called Dwight. He said there was a sea of red outages on the Hydro map. Mu house is in a double zone. That’s to say, I am in an area affected by two different trees down. I knew I’d be going to bed before power was restored and possibly waking up to no power. Thank God I didn’t have any Tezspire here. I’m not going to bed with the generator going!
I through the evening and went to bed early.
wednesday
I woke up at 2:30 and couldn’t go back to sleep. I get stressed when the power goes out, and when I discovered at 2:30 that I still had no power, it disturbed my broken brain. But I stayed in bed where I was warm and comfortable, and then, fed up with tossing and turning, I got up at 3:45.
The pets, I could tell, were confused by all the changes in our pattern and the extension cords snaking through the house. I went out and started the generator, happy to ensure that my food would be kept in good form, and then I lit the fire, chopping the wood while holding a flashlight in my mouth that triggered gagging.
I fed everybody, had toast for breakfast, and lamented not being able to have a shower. I got on the chaise; I had good lighting thanks to my trusty generator and finished reading my book. Sheba comforted me, lying beside me with her head on my lap. She is such a wonderful partner.
It was light out by 7:00. The sky was clear. I resolved to take our morning walk early and to walk at Ricki Ave. trail where I thought I might be able to get cell service to see if I could get onto the Hydro website and glean some information about the repair situation. I also wanted to text Aidan in case our planned Zoom meeting could not happen if the power was not restored.
Just before leaving for our walk, I noticed how low the power was on my watch and phone, so I hooked them up to the charger—my God, I love my little generator—and I dawdled until my devices were charged and then we went searching for bars on my phone.
I had to go into the village to get bars. I passed two wires down on the way in, and when I got onto the Hydro outages map, I discovered that there were seventeen lines down on Gabriola. Many had “crew assigned” notices, but not all, and I didn’t know which three wires down affected me. I knew, though, that three outages must be repaired for me to get power.
I texted Aidan to advise him that I probably would not be able to chat with him today. It seems highly unlikely. But I was relieved to get word to him. And I hooked up my CD player so that I could watch a movie tonight. I have a large collection of CDs to choose from.
Most of the day, I read. I began my third Kate Atkinson crime novel about P.I. Jackson Brodie. I love these books. Yes, there is murder, and Jackson is, of course, a P.I., but these are novels about people, about families and relationships for more than they are about crime.
In the afternoon, the sun came out. Our second walk of the day was dry and brighter than the morning walk in light rain. And we walked via the village so that I could revisit the Hydro website hoping I might get a boost in hope. But no, my impression was to conclude that I’d be waiting until today for power. I accepted the inevitability because I filled two jerrycans of gasoline to keep the generator going.
At 17:00, I heard a ping. I didn’t know what it was. I thought it was my computer, but when I got up to walk around, I noticed the lights on my air fryer were on. Even then, I didn’t realize what it meant until I immediately looked at the ceiling fans and saw them going. Oh, it felt good to have power back! Hot water! Flushing toilets! Chopping wood this morning without a flashlight in my mouth making me gag.
Today is going to be a day of indulgence. It feels so, so good to be back to normal. I can do dishes and have a shower. It’s cold out there, but that’s because it was clear all night and today will be bright and sunny. Power and sunshine! What joy I feel!
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| Light pillars, Finland. |
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