Weather records of 2001 for British Columbia, will undoubtedly include a week of windstorms in December that cost hydro 3 million dollars in line repairs, tree removals, and left one hundred and fifty thousand homes in the dark. Mine was one of them.

We recently installed an energy efficient gas fireplace, which not only gave us light, but much needed heat when our power went out for thirty-one hours.

When I was in my early teens, my family relocated from the city of Vancouver to the municipality of Aldergrove, a small spot on the map about 40 miles from the big city.

The tar-papered shack we built and called home had no running water or electricity. One gas lantern that hissed out its rays and two stinky coal oil lamps cast an array of shadows throughout the two by fours we called walls.

Sitting in the dark, fifty years later watching the flame dance in our new gas fireplace brought back many memories of those by-gone days. I remember a number of events from that era, the shack out back etched forever in my mind, but for some reason the light or lack of remains locked away in the dark recesses of my psyche. The smell, sound and welcome lantern in the window on those shadowy walks home from school, evoke warm memories. However, that’s it. I suppose without power, folks just went to bed soon after supper and got up when the sun peeked across the horizon.

So many things have changed over time. We light candles now, to set a mood, rather than as a necessity. Lanterns fetch a hefty fee at garage sales as memorabilia and electricity is taken for granted. The odd time when there are surges or outages most folks complain about all the clocks in the house that need re-setting more than the loss of light.

Barbeques appear out of storage for cooking, along with Coleman stoves and gas lanterns for those short-term inconveniences. But…when the lights go out for thirty-one hours and there is no microwave, no clocks, no television, and no heat unless you have a fireplace, no hot water for a cuppa coffee or washing dishes…no dishwasher, and the list goes on. 

Things were much simpler back then when you just lit your own candle and crawled under the old wool quilt that Granny passed down.

Yes, fifty years makes a big difference. Some of the things I learned during our recent windstorm are:

-Making small talk in the dark ain't easy.
-Candlelight does nothing for seniors.
-Yesterday's Cold coffee sucks.
-A cold cheese sandwich makes a lousy breakfast.
-Fireplaces warm ONE room.
-Eiderdowns are wonderful.
-One really does have to SEE to know what they're doing.
-Instant coffee is not the way to start your day.
-BBQ's lose their magic in the pouring rain with 100 k winds.
-Freezers start to thaw after 24 hours.
-Puddles on the kitchen floor are from the fridge, not the cat.
-Wendy's food does not taste any better in a storm.
-Peeing icicles is in the realm of possibility
-I don’t like going to bed at nine o’clock.
-I can still read by candlelight.
-Touch lights are great!
-Modern houses don’t retain heat.
-I’m too old for cold sponge baths.
-Cats make good lap warmers.
-Battery radios squawk.
-I’m addicted to my computer.

I know there are more, but the lights are flickering…best shut down my computer before a surge wipes it clean. 

Here kitty kitty.

---

Dee would love to hear from you. Email her: deew74@shaw.ca

---