Too Much
I’ve been having one of those times when my heart and mind have been saying *too much* lately. Too much happening. Too much to comprehend. Too much to handle. Too many tears …. at the same time as many blessings …. so your heart and brain begins to feel a bit schizophrenic/torn between grief and happiness. It stopped me from blogging, stopped me from many of my favorite activities, and led me to more prayer and Bible study …. and leaning on our Heavenly Father. I’ve come to appreciate, even more, my husband, family, and dear friends.
We had the joy of helping our daughter and dear son-in-love move back to central Oklahoma and get settled in their new home.
I turned 52 (11-19), the day before the 1 yr. anniversary of the tragic death of my sweet grandmother (11-20). (She was electively euthanized by a terminal sedation protocol at a hospice in IL. Her own daughter (who had a power of attorney) in IL decided her quality of life wasn’t worthy of living and she required too much time and effort. She was still awake and alert, still eating, but occasionally confused and lost bladder control twice. That led my aunt to her hideous decision which we were powerless to stop!).
We had Thanksgiving at our home and I so enjoyed cooking a feast for our family and having so very much to be thankful for as my husband said grace over the meal.
I continue to work on dealing with a painful past and the weaknesses that have resulted which leave me limping in my heart and mind … where other people can run in life.
And now, we’ve had an ice storm and are on Day 6 of living without electricity or running water.
See, a bit too much for me.
However, even though I haven’t been blogging or keeping up with my normal activities, I’ve become closer to my friends, my family, my dear, dear husband, and my precious Heavenly Father.
Here’s a recent Sky before our ice storm arrived:
Wants or Needs
I’ve been becoming acutely aware of seeing wants vs. needs in my life … and wishing to share this with others. When I go giving in to my wants, I become depressed. The satisfaction is very short lived and does not result in *Joy*. It results in *short term* happiness followed rapidly with dissappointment and/or guilt … and all the newness of the item or experience wears off and needs to be rapidly resupplied with another empty want. However, saving and really fulfilling a need for yourself or someone else is the true key to being at peace with your finances and restful, financial peace in your heart …. and frees you from the life-sucking addiction to needing a constant string of *wants* to attempt to be *happy*. Short-term happiness with *wants* does not lead to Joy!
I will care for the needs of my family, my friends, others I don’t know but that are in need, and even myself …. and rest easy and experience that financial peace and joy that has previously seemed elusive … and that I can see eluding others that I care about. I will not rejoin the legions of those caught up in fulfilling wants over needs to seek happiness. It is guaranteed depression, guilt, and defeat.
ICE … or… Day 6 WITHOUT POWER
Some pictures:
Frozen Area Near Front Pond …
Frozen Trees …
Frozen Grass…
Frozen Cottoneaster Shrub:
Frozen Pond and Back Pasture View …
What we’ve learned:
We’re getting this *back to nature* living figured out….but, it’s still not easy. As a matter of fact, it’s quite miserable in many ways. ; ) I’m really missing running water most of all now.
I’m feeling the need to compile a comprehensive post about what supplies are needed and activities to do in order to live *off the grid* in an emergency. I actually think it would be good to have items in storage for *just in case*. We thought we had most on hand, but we had planned for a tornado or severe storm event….not a continuing power outage like this.
Keep all emergency numbers handy and ***keep checking on others***! Thankfully, Kim’s mom has kept power the entire time! She’s in her mid 90’s.
Here’s my list of supplies needed:
1.) Water ….. gallons and gallons of drinking water.
The individual water bottles don’t contain enough water and quickly accumulate empty bottles. For drinking, the gallons of drinking water found at Wal-Mart or grocery stores are working well for us. Water for household use we get from our local convenience stores that don’t mind us using their water faucet to fill our 5 gallon water containers.
2.) Heat source and Kerosene …. we are using a safe and very efficient kerosene heater. We have this heater:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100045793
It is very easy and safe to light … no matches or flame required. Just open a little door, turn a knob all the way to the right and push a lever down. That’s it. And, to turn it off, just push a button.
You need several gallons of Kerosene (1-K Kerosene is the type needed). We are using just over a gallon per day. It is available in individual metal gallon cans at home improvement centers and most lumber yards. Some places have kerosene in bulk to fill your 5 gal. kerosene container. It has ranged in price from $4.99 - $8.97 per gallon.
3.) Batteries…..way more than you think you could possibly ever need! These ran out extremely quickly and were in short supply in town for the first few days. So, have plenty. We have used them for flashlights, battery powered radio, and even a battery powered small TV.
4.) Oil lamps and several bottles of lamp oil…. the old fashioned type that were also called hurricane lamps. These are much more efficient than candles for long term use. Have at least 2 on hand …. they couldn’t be found for love or money for several days at the local stores once the power outage hit. They give out more light than candles and the flame source is more protected by the glass chimney. This makes it a bit safer. Also, you might keep a couple of extra chimneys available since they can be broken quite easily.
5.) Carbon Monoxide Detectors! … Everyone should have these regardless of power outages! It is good to have at least two of them….one battery powered and one of the plug-in type. The battery powered one may save your life in the event of a power outage (make sure to keep batteries fresh!). The plug-in type is great if you should ever forget to change the batteries in the battery powered type if you don’t have a power outage.
6.) Generator - It doesn’t have to be a big one. Just one big enough to power some electrical items is fine! It isn’t necessary to attempt to power the entire house, only what is necessary. These can be dangerous, so read all instructions carefully. They supply a limited amount of power and if you try to power more than they are designed for, you will burn out your generator. Also, turn off your electrical breakers when using a generator….the electrical backfeed to the power lines can be hazardous to the linemen attempting to restore power to your area! Also, keep them a good distance away from your house and out of the rain/snow/sleet. We have ours out on the outer edge of our deck with a homemade tarp tent over it to keep it dry, but still allow adequate ventilation to it.
Our generator is a 4,000 Watt Briggs & Stratton that we got at Home Depot for $359.00. It is sufficient to run some household lights, our TV, and our internet! At night we switch it over to run our bedroom needs….Kim’s(hubby’s) breathing machine, a small bedroom TV, and lights. We have never attempted to maximize the power of the generator…we don’t want to risk burning it out. Kim met a man at Home Depot that had a huge generator and he was running his entire house on it….until his heater kicked on and burned out the generator. He was at Home Depot shopping for a new smaller generator, or several smaller generators so that if one was burned out, there were others to run the necessities.
Also, the generator came with a list of the power requirements that most household appliances require. Who knew that a coffee maker required more than our TV, internet, and lights combined!
Our generator runs almost 12 hrs. on 4 gallons of unleaded gasoline. So, we’re using 8 gallons of gasoline daily to power the generator.
7.) FIRE Extinguisher!!! At least one working fire extinguisher is necessary. Keep it handy and know how to use it! We have ours in the living room within reach.
8.) Large Ice Chest and nearby, reliable source of ice if possible ….. This will be for your refrigerator items.
9.) Food …. The items you will need may be impacted by access to running water…or not. Without water, you can’t cook much…even if you have a cooking source like a gas stove. You can’t wash any dishes unless you use your precious drinking water. We have had the luxury of eating out some, but when we eat at home it has been sandwiches (canned meats or meat from the ice chest). Canned soup is nice, but since we can’t wash our pans very easily, we only have that on special occasions. ; ) Peanut butter is good….good protein, no refrigeration needed.
10.) Medication and First Aid supplies. Have sufficient prescription medication that may be needed for long term. Have plenty of first aid supplies available.
11.) Extension Cords!
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=extension+cord&onlineStore=true&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&marketID=401&locStoreNum=8125
Have medium and some heavy duty extension cords (get them long enough to run from the generator and throughout the house to the appliances you want to supply with power). You still need them to run from your generator to your power strip or appliances. These sold out almost immediately.…so it is best to have them in advance! You will need more than you think and ones that have the multiple plugs on the end. Err on the side of safety and don’t overload any!
12.) Warm clothes and blankets. No explanation needed.
13.) Containers for fuel and water!!!
Gasoline containers (red plastic) are needed to contain gasoline fuel for your generator. We are using a large 5 gal. gasoline container and a few single gallon containers. (The 5 gal. container is HEAVY when full!).
Plastic Kerosene containers (blue). We are using the 5 gal. size to utilize for bulk Kerosene purchase, transport, and storage.
Plastic Water containers. We are using the 5 gallon size to transport water for household use, but not for drinking! We fill them at our local convenience stores with their permission. This water is used for toilets and safety purposes. Some cleaning is done with this water….like the floor if necessary…but I wouldn’t use it for dishes or anything like that.
Buckets!!! You can never have too many plastic buckets filled with water.
14.) Care for PETS! Don’t forget the pets/animals that depend on you. They need heat, water, and food, too. Not only do they need heat, but a cat or dog on your lap is an incredible source of heat, too!
Horses can’t be kept in the barn when you can’t fill water buckets. They are doing fine in the pasture. We’re keeping them well fed and they have access to run-in shed.
15.) Waterless anti-bacterial hand cleaner. Have several containers. It should help keep you healthy and keep you from being all creeped out that you can’t wash in the methods that you are used to doing!
16.) Have plenty of extra animal food on hand!
Since we can no longer fill our horses water troughs, they are out to pasture and we are breaking ice on the ponds for their water source twice daily when the ponds are frozen over. Pond water is less than an ideal water source for horses, but hopefully the bacteria and bad bug count is reduced from the cold temps! We generally keep clean water in their clean and heated water troughs for them in winter….but not just now. : (
17.) Paper plates, plastic silverware, & paper towels. These are wasteful, but necessary! When you can’t wash dishes, these are perfect. Also, you won’t want to use any of your towels or cloths for any fuel drips or spills (like lamp oil). Use paper towels and take them OUT of the house when finished. Use some of the household water and a bit of soap to clean any drips or spills. DO NOT just wipe! Clean thoroughly and completely any spills so they won’t flame up when you light anything!
TIPS we’ve learned…..
1. Charge cell phones (or ipod for audiobooks) in the car/truck (until you have a generator)!
2. ALWAYS err on the side of caution! Safety should ALWAYS be first and foremost on your mind.
3. Kerosene must be siphoned into the heater…not poured! The heater came with a small siphon with a hand pump.
4. Oil lamp flames should be about 3/4 of an inch in height and the wick should be a bit *below* the metal mechanism when burning. If the wick is above the metal mechanism top it causes smoking and the flame is too high. READ the directions on the back of the lamp oil container!
5. Scented candles should not be relied upon for help in an emergency. While they supply a bit of light, the scent will drive you out of the house eventually and make you sick or give you a tremendous headache (especially if you light several at once)!
6. Drink WATER! Don’t conserve so much that you don’t drink adequate water and don’t rely on other drinks for good hydration. Many flavored drinks actually cause dehydration.
7. Knitting in inadequate light stinks. It is non-productive to a great degree, frustrating, and will cause headaches. Maybe you could get used to it….but I prefer audiobooks on my mp3 player to keep me from boredom or keep my mind occupied while working so that I don’t get depressed. Before we got the generator (they were all sold out when we first tried to locate one), the audiobooks on my ipod kept me from going over the edge!
8. Keep a positive attitude! Encourage each other! Realize that we are blessed to have so much and be thankful for those that are helping others in far worse circumstances and for those that are working to restore power. Look at it as an adventure and challenge to be met! : ) We count our blessings every day…..sometimes several times a day.
9. Let many things go. Don’t try to keep the same level of expectations on yourself and your environment that you would usually have in normal circumstances. It’s OK if you haven’t been able to vacuum for almost a week!!! Or more! : )
10. Organize much more than usual. (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve lost my glasses!0 Make a place for every essential and when not in use, always keep them in the same place. It will be dark again when the generator needs refueling. Prepare in advance! Have the lamps lit and know how long your generator will last with your chosen appliances powered. You can figure this out after a day or two. The more appliances you power, the less time before refueling is needed for your generator.
11. Have a UPS between your power source and your electronics that you have running!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply
This will give you about a minute, or more, from the time your generator is off until you lose power to your electronic devices. It also protects your electronics from power surges! Additionally, when you do get power back, it will protect your electronics from a power surge from the power company!
These range in price from inexpensive to quite expensive. Any good quality, inexpensive one works fine.
12. UNPLUG any appliances that are not powered by the generator. This will protect them from ruin if you get a power surge when your power is restored by the power company.
13. Don’t rely on outside temps to keep frozen food frozen. If the temp isn’t really cold, this just doesn’t work. However, the local raccoons and birds may appreciate the handouts.
14. Keep trash managed. It’s amazing how quickly trash can build up. Keep it outside in containers, rather than adding to any possible combustible materials from building up in the house…or bacterial sources.
15. Be sure to turn the kerosene heater OFF when you sleep. It should never be left burning while unattended. The house holds enough heat so that it isn’t too terribly cold when we wake. It has always stayed above 55 overnight.
16. READ all manuals cover to cover on the new supplies and energy sources you are now using! Heed all warnings and safety info.
17. By pouring a gallon or two of the *household water* (not your drinking water) into the toilet bowl, you can flush when necessary! (This one helps keep me happy!) Be frugal with toilet paper. Don’t underuse, but don’t overuse either.
18. Share what you’ve learned and what works with others.
19. Don’t forget to take any prescription medications you should be taking! Put that on your organization list.
20. Always fill the kerosene heater outdoors!
Things we will CHANGE when this is over:
1) We will have an electrical plug installed to our water pump so that it may be powered by a generator if necessary. Currently it is hardwired to our household electric, thus making it unable to power with the generator. Never again!
2) We will have a light bulb fixture installed on the “outside” side of our breakers so that we will know immediately when power is restored since our breakers are currently flipped off to prevent backfeed from our generator to the lines and harming any power workers.
3) We’ll never take electricity for granted again and will always be prepared for a power outage.
The Cavalry
The electrical cavalry has arrived! These wonderful linemen are from Ft. Worth, TX and are here to help us and others. Linemen have come from all over the country to help. Our Thanks seem inadequate to express how very thankful we are!
Pictures of our electrical heroes:
Prayer
Please go to Susan F’s blog ….. http://www.susinok.com …..they are facing something much more daunting than a power outage. We’ve got your back, Susan. Please keep Susan F. and her husband in your prayers and thoughts.
I hope and pray that everyone else without power or facing challenges is doing well! I’m praying for each of you … earnestly and daily.
Your Friend,
Shelly
P.S. (added later) We now have electricity! Please keep Kim and I in your thoughts as we try not to fight over who gets use of the hot water FIRST! ; )
NIV
Job 11:18
You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.
Psalm 4:8
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 37:3
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
1 Timothy 6:8
But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
