Unprecedented Power Outage! Lights Out San Diego!

During our years in Upland, we lost power due to the wind a handful of times, usually leaving us in the dark a few hours. Yesterday our power was out for seven hours, a new record for us. All in all, it was a positive learning experience.

One of the reasons we moved here was the milder climate, but the last few days have been in the nineties, so when everything electric sighed into silence, I went over to check on my neighbor. She is a very lively gal in many ways, but needs a walker or her motorized cart to get around. Her air conditioner had gone off so I opened her windows and checked on her flashlight batteries. Although she wears a battery operated device to alert the police if she needs help, since the power was out, it wasn’t working on their end. She promised she’d yell really loud if she needed me. Then I looked in on one other neighbor while Don visited one a few doors up. Moving into a senior community has opened some ways to help others when needed. This was one of those times!

While listening to the car radio and later our portable, we heard updates, possible causes of the outage, and tips for safety after dark. During this time, I tried to call our daughter on my cell phone, but that irritating little message “Searching for reception” kept appearing on the screen. Of course my laptop wouldn’t work either. Disappointing, because in a series of books I’d read once about the end of civilization as we know it, the good guys had kept in touch with email and cell phones.

Since I had already thawed out some meat, and even though it was growing darker in the kitchen, I started dinner. The stove burners were missing that tiny spark to ignite the gas, so my candle lighter came in handy to do that job. Don had just that morning bought some solar lights for our backyard garden, so he brought them in to softly illuminate the corners of the living room and bathrooms. I employed a small flashlight to see what was cooking, and in no time we enjoyed a candlelight dinner. No dishwasher or disposal though, so cleanup reminded me of the olden-days when we washed dishes by hand.  Nice! Really.

As we sat in relative darkness inside our home, we had time to reflect on how long we might be without power. The radio guy was saying to prepare for days. That didn’t bother me too much, and in fact the darkness was growing on me.

We went outside where the moon brightened the landscape, and the stars were more visible than usual without all the city lights. It was so quiet as the traffic was lessening and the airplanes weren’t coming in over us in their regular flight pattern.  In the homes across our ravine, an occasional flashlight or car headlight would show. Not at all a usual night!

All was calm except I still wondered if our kids had gotten home safely. Last report we’d heard about the freeway our daughter takes from work sounded chaotic. Still no phone, so we got in the car like any neurotic parent would do, and drove the mile to check on them at 8:30. Home safe, candles burning brightly in every room, they were tucking in for a cozy night. Happy and satisfied, we drove back to our home and enjoyed two more hours of darkness.

Thoughts about causes intruded now and then since this is the weekend of 9/11, but we had heard the cause was simply employee error. Hard to believe millions of people could be without power because of one person, but at least not terrorism at the hands of a malevolent person.

Then at 10:23, the electricity came back on bringing  with it sighs of relief but also some sadness for the passing of seven uncomplicated hours during which we reconnected with a more simple life.