To Be a Pioneer

You don't have to push a handcart,
Leave your fam'ly dear,
Or walk a thousand miles or more
To be a pioneer!
(LDS Children's Songbook, pg. 218)

..... You just have to live in Farmington, where winds & rain will knock off your power for 3 hours and 45 minutes!

This was our story last night. The power went out at 5:55p.m. Just at the moment I was about to reconcile a customer's account who I was on the phone with for work. Just in time [NOT] to fix dinner. Just in time [NOT] to use the computer to type up school papers. Just in time [NOT to be able to open the garage door] to drive my son to baseball practice.

Ryan had homework he HAD to do, however. So, he spent a "Little House on the Prarie-ish" evening in the garage doing it by [propane] lantern light. As the evening progressed, the temperature in the garage dropped (we had to keep the side door open for ventilation with the gas), so he donned a hoodie later.

Poor Brookelle wanted to "watch a movie" all evening. And she thought we were cruel for trading in her WARM milk for COOL milk at bedtime.

Having the power go out REALLY throws you for a loop! Just about everything I thought of to do required electricity. Sidenote: That reminds me of a story. My friend told me she had a baby 9 months after they'd once experienced a 3-day power outage where she lived! ;) haha. Even though we all KNEW the power was out, we still [habitually] flipped the light switch on every time we entered a room. (with NO results!) Kyle & Haylee eventually fell asleep on the Living Room chairs/couches sitting in the dark looking at the candle that was lit up on the mantle.

I did go to the grocery store (and ALL the groceries got in safely this time, thanks to ME) 3 miles away and they weren't affected by the power outage. I spent a good amount of time there because:
#1) I quite enjoy light and heat
#2) I didn't want to walk back outside and be pelted/frozen by the sideways rain again.

The power came back on just in time for me to catch a clip of the 10 o' clock NEWS on TV where they showed Vice President Biden asleep [for 20 minutes] during President Obama's speech yesterday! What d'ya think of THAT?!? :) I thought it was AWESOME.