Wednesday, July 4, 2012

"Derecho Hits", Without Power for 5 1/2 days!

  We sure wasn't 100% prepared! Ten months ago our generator was stolen and just a week prior to this awesome storm, Dana and I were talking about needing to by another one. Something called a "Derecho" hit us, (Click here for a definition)! Well as my nephew said, "When Jesus sneezed, He blew everything down." So we were not prepared, at all!! The few gas stations that were open had up to 3 hour waits in line at some of them. Ice was like liquid gold, you couldn't find a generator any where! Temperatures were at a record high at 104 degrees and my spoiled self didn't like not having any A/C! We tried to make it through one night of it but my wife and daughter were to miserable and so was I! They packed up and went to my moms in North Carolina, while I stayed here and worked. The Toyota Plant that I work at had power and was cool, had a shower room, and a cafe', so I had everything I needed. As of yesterday July 3rd, we finally have power, after 5 1/2 days with none (Some people will not have theirs on for many more days). My family should be back today and I can't wait, I missed them!
  We did learn a few things we need for these type of emergencies and plant to start preparing for emergency type situations. I will NEVER be caught with my pants down around my ankles again, lol! 
   I think this would be a great opportunity for us all to help each other realize the things we may need in case of these types of emergencies. So feel free to leave your suggestions that you have! Well off to clean up the yard and other areas.
   Oh, my garden believe it or not came through this whole thing unhurt! I really couldn't believe it, because there where power poles and trees as big around as 55 gallon drums that were just snapped in half. God's power was shown but His mercy was as well! God bless you all!

26 comments:

  1. We had one of those types of storms about 10 years ago here in Memphis -- in June with searing temps of course -- most people were without power for 2 weeks (we were out about a week). They called it Hurricane Elvis. I don't think we got as much hoopla on the media, since we're not the east coast, lol. I feel for you. It's been in the 100's here for about 2 weeks and it's awful even with ac!

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    1. 2 WEEKS! Oh my, guess we all need to be prepared, lol!

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  2. I am sorry you all had to go through that.

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    1. It has been a learning experience alone with everything else!

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  3. Wow. Glad you're well and can get back to normal. Always good to have a plan.

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  4. Reading blogs across the country makes me realize how lucky I am, I just finished reading "Go West" Feral Woman, about the fires and what they have went thru in Montana. Hope life gets back to normal for you soon. We all need to remember to be prepared.

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  5. since we bought our generator 5 yrs ago we have rested easy with bad storms, of course we have had very little power loss now that we are prepared. Oh well

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    1. I would say that we will be the same way now, thats usually how it goes, lol!

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  6. I hope you recover quickly. I like solar power garden lights to add indoor lighting when the power is out. When a storm is coming, I turn the refrigerator and freezer to the super freeze/cold setting and get the cooler chest out. Bags of ice cubes go into the freezer. If they are melted when the power goes back on, I know the food is bad but if it's set low and isn't open ever my fridge has lasted 6 days. When it's really hot, we pitch the tent and sleep outside.

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    1. Thank you for those tips, we will have to do that! And I almost pitched a tent, lol!

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  7. I've been wondering where you'd gone. So glad to hear that you and the family are OK!

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    1. With this and everything else it has been CRAAAZZY!

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  8. Hi Clint, glad you made it through. Both of my daughters were without power for maybe 10 hours. Luckily for us, the storm was worse down state. It is scary how dependent most of us are on electricity and gas for our cars.

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    1. I am glad they got theirs back on! It took forever to get gas around here.

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  9. Clint, I'm so sorry you had to go through this. George (commenter above) is absolutely right.

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    1. Thank you so much! There are still people as of today 8 days latter without power! We all need to pray daily for them, temps in 104 degree range.

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  10. Hi I am new here. We in the world are really incredibly pounded by a lot of unusual disasters. Even your advance country is not spared, we thought before that only countries like us suffer a lot, but no, nothing is spared. Somehow, i feel that what's happening with our world is not the effect anymore of man-made destructions. It can be happening with our own solar system, or the effect of our sun! Maybe! So God bless and take care. At least in your case it is only 5.5 days w/o power, we experience more!

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    1. Thank you so much Kalantikan for stopping in and sharing! I think we all are very spoiled when it comes to luxury's and when things like happen,we don't know how to handle them, lol! May God Bless you as well!

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  11. I've read of so many of my blog friends who lost power for days and many trees down and property damage. I'm so glad you all remained safe!

    Thank you for sharing at Rural Thursdays this week. xo

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  12. Wow. So glad you're okay. We have water and non-perishables saved in our basement. It's not enough to get us through weeks and weeks without, but it will do for a short amount of time. This is an important reminder for me to pursue getting a generator. My thought are with the other families still waiting for their power.

    Happy seeing beautiful!
    http://seeabeautifulworld.blogspot.com/

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    1. We are starting a list of things we need to be more prepared! Thank you so much for stopping in and sharing!

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  13. Glad you and your family are ok!

    We were without power from June 29-July 7. Since we have a well, we were also without water, and I only had a few days worth of water stored. My husband was able to hook a generator up to the well after a few days, so it was wonderful to have running water again. I think I could live without electricity, but I have to have water. This was a learning experience, and I want to be better prepared.

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