The Night Without Lights

Friday afternoon, around 5:10 or so, the power went out.

Before that, it blinked a few times. I looked outside and realized a big storm was upon us, and I was racing around trying to turn off computers and TVs when the electricity gave up the ghost.

A glance out the bedroom window told me we were having a major weather event. It was raining so hard and furiously that I could not see the fence, which is about 30 yards away. The wind was sending leaves and tree branches in my general direction.

I decided the best thing I could do was sit in the car until the weather calmed. At least if lightning struck, the tires were rubber.

Fortunately, our damage was minimal;  a few trees down in the little forest in front of the house and others on the farm, but nothing across the fences. The generator for the water pump for the cattle watering troughs kicked on and worked as it should, so I didn't have to worry about the cows. 

Without electricity, though, I had to find something to do besides keep my eyeballs on this silly screen at my computer.

I opted to read in the natural light, sitting close to a window. My house, as it turns out, is rather dark. We could have used a few more windows but didn't realize that until after we built. Oh well.

Any way, I finished up my book club book. The power did not return. I had the windows up - a rarity for me because of my asthma and allergies. My husband had mowed the night before and I wasn't sure I was going to be able to stand the grass smell. Ultimately, I could not, so I closed the windows in the bedroom and opened a few others in the far side of the house.

It grew dark around 8:30, and I went to bed. I didn't want to read by flashlight.

Fortunately, it was not a hot night. I slept fitfully, waking about every two hours. I know I dreamed and talked in my sleep; not an unusual occurrence for me. I rose at 6 a.m., long before the Man of the House came in from work. He brought me a very greasy ham biscuit from BoJangles for breakfast (something I requested he not do again). Then he fired up a generator, giving me lights, water, and a fan, but we'd already lost the contents of the refrigerator, most of which I had purchased on Thursday.

We had no phones except our cell phones, which do not work well in the house anyway, and I couldn't do laundry. I took a medium hot shower (there was still hot water in the hot water heater, fortunately), and then sat in the car and recharged my phone while I listened to a book on tape.

After that, I washed all the dishes by hand by heating water with my electric tea kettle and pouring it into a big pan. I folded whatever clothing I hadn't finished up the day before. Then I settled in to a chore I had long put off - tearing articles out of newspapers.

Tearing up a newspaper is a bit like ripping a little shred from my heart, but I have piles of paper. When you write for a newspaper and you keep the stories with your byline, you end up with a lot of newspaper piles. And if you keep all the stories on a local subject that you've been following with interest, even if you didn't write the articles, then you have even more paper. 

I made a significant impact on the pile, and then the phone rang. That was a surprise. After thanking the salesperson for letting me know I had a phone, I hung up on them, and then promptly plugged in my internet connection to see if I could get online with my tablet. I could, and then I couldn't. It was sporadic, but I was able to get my fix. Yes, I am addicted to the Internet. I am addicted to blogs, and reading blogs, and to reading the news, and to Facebook, and to receiving email from friends. Even so, I have thus far refused a smartphone simply because I know I will remain glued to the thing from sun up to sun down, and I don't want that.

I want to keep some autonomy, after all. And I rather like it when I go for a drive and no one can get me because only a select few have my cell number. But I didn't like it when I couldn't access things when I wanted.

The lights came back on around 1:30 p.m., and that was the end of that. I stripped the bed, washed the linens, made the bed back up, and put the dishes I had hand-washed in the dishwasher just because. I fretted over the food in the freezer and the refrigerator. I looked online for guidelines as to how long food would be safe without power. The freezer food was probably okay. The refrigerator stuff - no way. Out it went.

Sunday I rose early to head to the supermarket. Halfway through my shopping trip, I realized I had forgotten my wallet. I put everything back, came back home, and went back after it. This is no small feat given that the shopping around here is a 15 minute drive away (10 if you go fast). What should have taken me an hour and 15 minutes took two hours or better, and I arrived home in time to give my husband a ham sandwich for lunch.

So that was our eventful weekend.

And I learned something I already knew but had refused to deal with - the Internet sucks up a lot of my time. I think it is time I place some limits on it, even if it is my major method of socialization these days. That means less Facebook and video games, mostly. Anything to do with writing doesn't count - to me, that's still what I do, write. Even if I'm not doing it professionally at the moment.

Sunday Stealing: Movie Nut's Meme

Sunday Stealing: The Movie Nut's Meme

What was you first movie-going experience without your parents?

A. Grease, as best I recall.

Do you still buy DVDs or Blu Rays (or do you just stream them)?

A. I still buy them. I have just started learning how to stream stuff. I'm 53 years old and haven't got a teenager around to show me the new methods. I have to be brave and figure it out all on my own.

What is your guilty pleasure movie? What about it works for you?

A. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (yes, all 13+ hours of it). But I will also rewatch Under the Tuscan Sun, Dirty Dancing, Secretariat, Finding Nemo, a Shrek movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Independence Day, Star Wars, most Star Trek movies, and Grease (imagine that) if they happen to be on when I'm channel surfing.

You have compiled a list of your top 100 movies. Which movies do you like, but would not make the list?

A. That is a very long list. I would not add the Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey, Jr. to the list, though I will watch the movies with my husband on occasion.

Which movie(s) do you compulsively watch over and over again? What makes it so great?

A. The Lord of the Rings trilogy. (Yes, I know, you know that.) It is great because it has good versus evil, brotherly love, a quest (I love quests), and some really good looking eye candy for girls, as well as a couple of strong female characters. And what can beat a wizard and a giant spider?

Classic(s) you're embarrassed to admit you haven't seen yet?

A. Almost all of them. That one where somebody says, "Play it again, Sam," for one.

Do you have any movie posters hanging on your wall? If yes, which ones and why?

A. I have a Lord of the Rings calendar on my wall. I suspect that counts. For July the pictures on it are of Arwen, a she-elf who was in love with Lord Aragorn, also known as Stryder and the King of Gondor.

Tell us about a movie that you are passionate about.

A. Well, I don't want to be repetitive, so I will try to think of something besides Lord of the Rings. Let's see. I liked the movie Momma Mia because it was fun and silly, and it was a hoot to watch Pierce Brosnan try to sing. I own it so I must have been a little passionate about it, because I only buy movies I really like or expect to want to watch again.

What is a movie you vow to never watch? Why?

A. I don't watch porn, horror, or 50 Shades of Gray. I think the last movie falls into the first two categories, anyway, though I suspect folks would argue that it isn't horror. However, blatant misogynistic behavior is a horror as far as I am concerned.

Tell us about a movie that literally left you speechless.

A. The Rose. It left me sobbing.

What’s a movie that you always recommend?

A. Besides Lord of the Rings? Let's go with something really different: The Replacements. It's a Kenau Reeves movie about a group of substitute football players who are hired when the pros go on strike.

Who is an actor you always watch, no matter how crappy the movie?

A. I really don't have one I follow that religiously.

Who is an actor you don't get the appeal for? Why don’t you like them?

A. George Clooney. (Yes, I am ducking, I know a few of you SSer's love him.) I find him pretentious. He over acts. The only movie I ever liked him in was O Brother Where Art Thou.

Who is an actor, living or dead, you'd love to meet? Why do they intrigue you?

A. Kate Jackson, because she was the original brainy Charlie's Angel. I always thought she was a good actress, lots of facial expressions. She also played in Dark Shadows, which I loved as a kid, and I was following her career up through The Rookies and then Charlie's Angels without actually realizing that was what I was doing. I would like to know why she left Charlie's Angels when she did, and I would like to know how she dealt with breast cancer, and how friendly she was with her co-stars. I would also like to know how she found her passion for her career.

Sexiest actor/actress you've seen. (Picture required!)

A. Well, here we go again:

Lord Aragorn

OK, you are casting a movie, pick four or five actors you’d hire to be in it and why we’d love them together.

A. Meryl Streep, Rosie O'Donnell, Julia Roberts, and Meg Ryan. We'd love them together because, well, we just would.

Who are your favorite actor pairing of all time?

A. Probably Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.

Have you ever watched movies from a decade that was before you were born? If so, which decade is your favorite?

A. My favorite movie from before I was born is The Wizard of Oz. So whatever decade that is.

If you were to be in a movie would you rather play the hero, villain or anti-hero? Why?

A. I would be the side-kick. I would be the Robin to Batman, the Gabrielle to Xena, the Legolas to Aragorn, the Lois Lane to Superman, the Willow to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I am not strong enough to be a hero, either mentally or physically, and I am not mean enough to be a villain, and I simply don't like anti-heroes in stories. I am, however, a very good support person.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Hotel California

Saturday 9: Hotel California (1977)

. . . Because Country Dew (that's me!) suggested it. Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Composer Don Henley says this song is about the "journey from innocence to experience." Where do find yourself on that journey? Are you more innocent, or experienced?

A. Since I am more than 1/2 a century old, I would lean toward experience; however, I tend to want to think the best of people, and believe in goodness and kindness, which I fear is an innocence that means I am always overly sensitive and constantly patching my heart.

2) The lyrics refers to the "warm smell of colitas." Do you know what it is that the Eagles noticed in the air?

A. I always hoped it was flowers and not a bout of colitis. :-) After a bit of searching on the 'net, though, I believe it to be the smell of marijuana.

3) The girl in the song had her head turned by luxury, including jewelry from Tiffany's and Mercedes Benz autos. Do you consider yourself materialistic?

A. I try very hard not to be. I don't own a lot of jewelry, and nothing expensive. I don't buy expensive cars (I have a Camry). That said, I do like to be comfortable. I want my house clean and if not expensively furnished, then comfortably so. I like a warm bed, and air conditioning. I think I am more into comfort than materialism, but I suspect that is a fine line.

4) This recording has been lauded by music publications for for its long guitar solo. Are you good on the guitar?

A. I used to be, though I never played the solo on this song. I have and can still play the singing part (lots of minor chords in it) but I have always been a rhythm guitarist. I've never wanted to make her cry or sing.

5) There's an error in the lyrics and Don Henley can get a bit testy when interviewers bring it to his attention. Here's the lyric: "So I called up the captain and said, 'Please bring me your wine.' He said, 'We haven't had that spirit here since 1969.'" Do you know what's wrong with it?

A. I think wine is not a "spirit" in the world of alcohol. But this song is so weird that I have always thought of "ghost" when I hear that line, and interpreted it as, "Sorry, pal, the ghost that used to serve the wine left us in 1969."

6) Known as the Eagles' drummer, Henley now spends less time at his drum kit. Sitting at that angle for an extended period of time hurts his back. Sam believes this proves all those warnings she heard from her parents about good posture are true. Do you pay attention to your posture?

A. I did not and now try to but fear it is too late. I am paying for it in spades. In my defense, it was not something my mother frequently mentioned or emphasized.

7) Joe Walsh is considered the wild man of the Eagles. Think of your circle of friends. Who is the most unpredictable?

A. I suspect it is . . . me.

8) In 1977, Star Wars premiered. How many Star Wars movies have you seen?

A. I have seen them all. The wonderful first three originals and the not-so-wonderful prequels, and the most recent one, which was acceptable.

9) Random question: "nosocomephobia" is the fear of hospitals. Are you nosocomephobic?

A. I think I am now. I have always had a problem with the elevator at the hospital (I once got off on a high floor and passed out on the tile on the way to visit a friend), but since my last adventure with surgery, I think a hospital is the last place I have any desire to be.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.

A Fungus Among Us

For two years, we have had no sign a fungus around our oak tree in the back yard. The fungus, which looks like a very large mushroom of some sort, first turned up in 2014.

We didn't see it last year, but recent wet weather has apparently caused the fungi to return.

One of the fungi at my foot (size 7).

I think this is called Armillaria root fungus of some kind, though a friend thinks it might be this kind of fungus: http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/trametes-gibbosa.php.

It really doesn't matter which it is; both mean the tree is stressed. There does not seem to be a cure for either kind of fungus, that I can find.

Fungi on the other side of the oak tree.

Supposedly, it can take years for the fungus to kill a tree, but sometimes it happens quickly.

I sure would hate to lose this old oak.

Thursday 13 #455

1. Hey Nineteen, by Steely Dan

2. Touch of Gray, by Grateful Dead

3. Against the Wind, by Bob Seger

4. End of the Line, by the Traveling Wilburys

5. 100 Years, by Five for Fighting

6. Glory Days, by Bruce Springsteen

7. Time in a Bottle, by Jim Croce

8. Hip to Be Square, by Huey Lewis & the News

9. New Kid in Town, by the Eagles

10. Still Crazy After All These Years, by Paul Simon

11. The Long and Winding Road, by the Beatles

12. Time, by the Alan Parsons Project

13. You Wear It Well, by Rod Stewart


Can you guess my theme for Thursday 13 today?

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 455th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. 

We May Not Have Tomatoes

Our tomato plants look terrible because we have horn worms. Every time we spray or dust for pests, it rains and washes it off.



The tomatoes have been damaged by a bug. Note the lack of leaves.

It is a good thing we do not garden for a living, for we would surely be failures at it.

We are not that kind of farmer. We grow good grass and have nice cattle, but we are not very good at keeping the vegetable crop going. Either the deer eat it or the beetles get it.

That's why this year we only have tomato plants. But if we don't get the beetles/worms/whatever stopped, we won't even have those.

This year, we are growing leafless tomato stalks in our garden.

A long time ago, when we were young, we had a large garden. We grew cucumbers, squash, and corn. We harvested green beans and peas. It was (and is) backbreaking work that I am no longer able to do, and my husband hasn't the time to do.

Our garden grew smaller as we aged. For a few years, we had no garden at all, but we missed having a few fresh veggies (especially tomatoes). So we planted a small garden around the side of the house where we used to have a C-Band satellite. Its removal left a large space of dirt, which we enlarged a bit and fenced off to keep the deer out.

At various times that small garden has been quite bountiful, offering up squash, beans, peas, tomatoes, and even corn. But in the last few years, squash beetles have killed every plant, seemingly overnight, and this year we just didn't fool with anything but tomatoes.

Now it seems we can't even get those to grow.

But we are excelling at tomato stalks.



In 2008, we grew corn.

We May Have Blackberries

If the sun ever shines for a long period, and the rain stops making everything moldy and damp, we may have blackberries.



Blackberries - not ripe



A few ripening blackberries.

These blackberries do not look all that appealing, frankly. I don't think they had enough of whatever they need at the right time. They are not plump and juicy looking, but instead seem a bit weak and pitiful.

They will probably taste seedy.

What To Do on a Gray Afternoon

My brother gave me an Erector set for my birthday earlier in June. I had mentioned how envious I had been of his when he was younger, so he sent me one.



Supposedly the best set out there.

Yesterday was a gray day. It rained off and on. My husband was inside with a cold that we've been passing back and forth since early June. I am finally getting over it after four weeks; he is on his second round.

So we decided to find something to do, and opened the Erector set.

Two and a half hours later, we had built a dune buggy.

I placed it on the fireplace hearth, for now. It seemed a shame to build it and then take it apart right away.

Those nuts and bolts are very small. Next time I think we need one of those magnetic screwdrivers/wrenches to make sure we don't drop tiny pieces.

We both agreed this set was not like the ones either of us remembered from childhood. There are more plastic pieces now, and fewer metal ones.

But it certainly made for an interesting afternoon, and at least we weren't watching TV or playing on social media.

Sunday Stealing: Controversy

From Sunday Stealing

Controversy!

1. Would you try a recreational drug if all were legalized?

A. I might. It would depend on how well it mixed with my blood pressure and pain medications. I would have to do some research first and maybe consult with my doctor. Now, if I were 30 years younger, the answer to that question would simply be yes.

2. Are you happy that the U.S. Supreme Court once again upheld a woman’s right to abortion?

A. Yes. Even though I was not able to have children myself, and wanted them, I do not think anyone other than the woman has the right to make a decision about her body. I do not believe a zygote is a person. People need to stop forcing their own beliefs and opinions on others and manage their own lives and mind their own business.

3. Would our country cope any differently with a woman president?

A. I guess we will find out.

4. Do you believe in the death penalty?

A. No.

5. Do you wish marijuana would be legalized already?

A. It already is in some places. If it becomes legal in Virginia, we might grow it. It could be a good cash crop for the farm. One never knows.

6. Do you believe in God?

A. I believe in a higher power.

7. How do you feel now that same-sex marriage is legalized?

A. I doesn't affect me one way or the other, and I think everyone should have the same civil rights as I do. So I am in favor of it. I also think people should be able to pee wherever they want, as they have for like, forever, until people started minding other people's business to the point that now peeing is a topic of discussion.

8. Do you think it’s wrong that so many Hispanics are moving to the USA?

A. They have to live somewhere. It's not like my ancestors are Native Americans. They came from Scotland, Ireland, and Germany. So no, it is not wrong. We have allowances in numbers and rules in place, and so long as the laws are followed, I have no problem with it. Illegal immigration is another matter.

9. A 12-year-old girl has a baby . . . should she keep it?

A. That depends upon the circumstances. In any event, she shouldn't be forced to have it if she doesn't want it.

10. Should the alcohol age be lowered to 18?

A. If you're old enough to go into the Armed Forces, then you're old enough to drink. However, I did look up the question and it appears that each state saves somewhere between 800 and 1000 young lives because of the higher drinking age, based on some study. If that is the case, then perhaps we need to raise the draft age to 21.

11. Should the wars in the Middle East be called off?

A. That's a pretty uninformed question. One does not simply "call off" a war. If you mean, should the United States withdraw completely, that's something else entirely. I am a pacifist and believe war is waged solely for the power and prestige of others, so it would be nice if we could "call them off." However, it doesn't work that way. I may like Tolkien, but I live in the real world.

12. Do you believe in spanking your children?

A. I don't have children. What other people do to their kids, so long as it is lawful, is none of my business. Now if they were beating the kids and leaving bruises, which I think is not legal, then it becomes my business and I would call the police.

13. A mother is declared innocent after murdering her 5 children in a temporary insanity case… what do you think?

A. That she should not have had children in the first place, and I hope she is spending time in a mental institution receiving the help she needs to come to terms with what she has done.

14. Would you want to prosecute someone for burning their country’s flag as a method of protest?

A. No.

15. It’s between you and a person who is being kept alive (with NO hope) by life support machines… one has to die? Who?

A. Well, if the other person has no hope of recovery anyway, there is no point in my dying, too. But if my dying would let the other person live, then that would require a different line of thinking. I might give up my life for someone else under different circumstances.

16. Are you afraid others will judge you from reading some of your answers?

A. I'm 53 years old. I am no longer in the career I was in where I had to stay neutral on various matters (when I was in journalism). If people don't like my opinions, they don't have to read my blog. If you have been reading a long time now and any of these answers surprise you, then you haven't been paying attention.

Also, I answered these while I was feeling kind of punchy and irritable. I wonder if it showed.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.