Just got my electric and internet back after a week

Glad you got your power back on. Being cold is the worst and boy it's been cold. I can relate to your post. I'm 56 and I've never seen it snow before halloween. It's more like December weather right now...

Thanks.

When you are in the middle of something like this you realize just how bad it would be if and when the grid goes down for a long time, or permanently. Many, many will not survive, or even want to survive. We are not used to it and a lot of people will never be able to adjust to it.

NOW HERE COMES SUN DOOM TO KNOW IT BACK OUT

KNOCK IS BACK OUT I MEAN... obviously ... glad I live in a warm climate ....

exactly, not sure how people in a cold climate to cope with such a thing... I guess everyone would be trying to get down to Florida or something since it is never very cold down here from central florida south and on the coasts near the water...

It sure would be a long walk though

After living in eastern CT for +23 years (and being raised in central MA for 18 years) what has happened is the cost of cutting back trees is so high, that through retirement attrition, tree crews for PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE were never replaced. This has saved the utilities untold millions. It's cheaper to pay repair crews overtime for a week than to keep on twice as many people 40 hours a week.

You don't think these people didn't run the numbers?

Because of this intentional decision the only ones to suffer is the customer. Then shift the blame on to too low of energy costs and go for a raise in rates. A win-win for the electric companies and lose-lose for the common customer. All planned out and being executed to perfection.

welcome back, come-on in the water is fine.

Great !! We are ever more grateful for these gifts after a time without...... For this you get your first + karma.....

no kidding. you sure do seem chipper to have just gone thru a week of it! maybe you are giddy with relief!

Lost our power Saturday morning, was back on Tuesday night. But we have a gas generator, so not that big of a deal.

The hardest part was finding a gas station with power where we could actually get gas.

We are so very relieved to start to get our homes back to normal. What a big mess, though. My poor husband is outside with the chain saw cutting up downed limbs and taking down parts of broken trees. It will take weeks if not months. I need to go out and help him haul, between doing the 10 loads of laundry that has backed up in the house. Not a clean towel to be had. Because we had hot water we gave out a lot of showers to those who did not during the long past week.

We have a generator so we were able to have water, hot and cold, for washing up and toilet flushing, keep the food in the freezer from spoiling, and a camp stove set up outside for simple meals and hot drinks. Many did not have even that. I am pressing heavily for a wood stove. I always had one in the past but I have only lived in my husband's house for a few years. He never thought to get one. Here it is a necessity.

Gas stations were scary. Desperate people tying to cut in line, tensions running high. One local supermarket was open with generators but by Tuesday had empty shelves. Six miles from my house there is a shopping center that was closed most of the week. Traffic lights were out and getting through major intersections was taking your life in your hands.

And the roads! Downed trees, downed poles and power lines. Many were reduced to one line and you could not see the hazards until you were right on top of them. National Guard has come in but their work has not even made a dent in the debris. There are not enough wood chippers in the world to clean up this mess any time soon.

Yeah, it's been pretty nuts. I only went out once for gas, on Monday. Swerving around trees and down wires. Driving under trees hanging off the power lines was creepy as hell.

The families down the road from us still don't have power, the lines came down along the whole thing. The lines are just laying in the road still. They won't have it back for a while.

Weird thing that happened, our cable came back on before the power. How they managed that, I have no idea.

My internet was right there when the power came back. I too was surprised.

Our internet and phone stayed on the whole time. Felt kind of weird running my computer off the generator, like I was doing something bad. Maybe I felt guilty I guess, everyone else's houses were dark. It was a bizarre weekend for sure.

doesn't your local authorities have some shelters for you to go stay and be warm and dry, get some hot food, access to phone lines etc? is that too socialist? seems like basic courtesy to me, especially if people are dying.

Hey OP: congrats!



Last Edited by LakeXeno on 11/05/2011 12:34 PM

Of course there are local shelters. But generally speaking, unless there is no other choice, people here like to be self reliant. And old folks, are stubborn as hell, at least where I'm from.

Lucky you, OP. In NJ and still NO POWER. Guess I am now prepared for solar doom when we get knocked back to the 1800's. I know I am preaching to the choir here, but, prepare everyone!!

yes I do understand that and would of course prefer it myself to stay home but if facing death i would accept the help no question.

One elderly woman who froze this week would not go to her children's warm home or to a shelter. She was found dead wrapped in a blanket. People want to be in their homes above all else. I spent a couple of days at my daughter's home when her heat came back on Wednesday. My little dog is still there and I have to go and get him. The dog had a tough time of it, even with a doggie hoodie and his parka. And we have cats. People cannot bring pets to the shelters and often that is why they choose to stay in their own homes. And many here are just not that social. We would prefer our own quiet space rather than an open shelter full of cots. I personally do not think I could handle a shelter. I have a hard time being around that many people.

Are they giving you any estimate as to when it will be back?

They said today, but, they said on wed it would be thur. Then on thurs they said no later than friday. And here we are, saturday. Taking it with a grain of salt.

I hope it is very soon for you, and all the others without power. Today is cooler and tonight will be in the 20's.

It beats me why all the power lines are above ground on poles in the US? even here in Spain and all over Europe, all the services are underground, very rarely get a power cut...

With the US being a rich nation one would think their infrastructure would be first class??

We're not rich, we are broke. Our infrastructure is over 60 years old, most it built in the 50's. It was only designed to last 50 years.

We can't even afford to maintain our old failing infrastructure, let alone put in new stuff. We just patch and pray.

Solution:

Vote Ron Paul!......easy!

One man can't fix the mess we're in. The President is powerless without the support of congress(except in starting wars). However, his ideas are more powerful than one man, and if they take hold, we may be able to change things many years down the road. It's not the man that matters, it's the message.