General Practice Updates
13 years 11 months ago #1808
by Ona Kiser
Replied by Ona Kiser on topic General Practice Updates
I am having quite the adventure. On Saturday went to a very interesting talk by Jay Garfield, which was held at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. That was an all-day talk, absolutely fascinating, focusing on Nagarjuna. We were going to leave in the early afternoon to get home before the predicted storm, but the storm arrived suddenly and seriously just around then, so we spent the night at BCBS along with about 8 other people who couldn't go home. (It's a great place, btw).
After spending hours digging out from under 20 inches of snow in the morning, and waiting for the driveway to be plowed, we drove back to Connecticut. The minor roads were a disaster of downed trees and power lines. There was no gas, no power, etc. Halfway along the interstate we passed a rest stop where they were running a generator to pump gas. We stopped in the long line and topped off the tank, in case there was no gas back in our region either. Good decision.
In our area we passed through a town where all the power was on and everything was normal, so stopped for groceries and lunch. But as we approached our town again the trees were splintered everywhere and power lines down all along the roads. When we got home - no power, no heat, no water (well pump is electric, so we just had the 40 gallons in the storage tank). We packed some stuff and drove to a friend's house in New York, who had power.
So now we are camping out at a friend's house for who knows how long. The internet is flaky, though, so we are running off a cellphone for
internet, which is for light-weight use only (no video etc.) We stopped in the town center today and heard all the towns within 30 miles that had power are now out of fuel and other supplies. We stocked up on more groceries from our local store, which was giving away milk and meat, and running a generator to operate one cash register. They were donating all the leftover perishable stuff to the fire station, which is serving as an emergency shelter.
What is interesting is how for over a year now there has been this trend in my life of no fixed place to stay - working overseas for unpredictable periods of time, living out of suitcases in temporary apartments, moving from one place to another, staying in hotels. Now here we are back in our "real home" for a month and half the time has been spent in hotels while traveling for work, and finally we were going to have a few weeks in our actual house but this storm forces us to pack again and keep moving.
It's a fascinating trend, and really emphasizes the fact that I have no idea what the next moment holds, and that there is nothing to cling to. I'm kind of enjoying it, really. I'd expected to find it stressful, but it's really rather interesting and brings up a curiosity. Where the hell is this all going? Who knows?
It also reminds me that even my grandparents and parents (when they were young) did not rely so much on electricity. Things were bought locally, made locally, made by hand, delivered by horse cart and so on. The old people here almost have smiles on their faces, relishing their old habits of storing away food for the winter and heating their houses with wood stoves, while the younger folks tear out their hair because they can't use Facebook or the microwave.
Next up: zombie apocalypse!!!
After spending hours digging out from under 20 inches of snow in the morning, and waiting for the driveway to be plowed, we drove back to Connecticut. The minor roads were a disaster of downed trees and power lines. There was no gas, no power, etc. Halfway along the interstate we passed a rest stop where they were running a generator to pump gas. We stopped in the long line and topped off the tank, in case there was no gas back in our region either. Good decision.
In our area we passed through a town where all the power was on and everything was normal, so stopped for groceries and lunch. But as we approached our town again the trees were splintered everywhere and power lines down all along the roads. When we got home - no power, no heat, no water (well pump is electric, so we just had the 40 gallons in the storage tank). We packed some stuff and drove to a friend's house in New York, who had power.
So now we are camping out at a friend's house for who knows how long. The internet is flaky, though, so we are running off a cellphone for
internet, which is for light-weight use only (no video etc.) We stopped in the town center today and heard all the towns within 30 miles that had power are now out of fuel and other supplies. We stocked up on more groceries from our local store, which was giving away milk and meat, and running a generator to operate one cash register. They were donating all the leftover perishable stuff to the fire station, which is serving as an emergency shelter.
What is interesting is how for over a year now there has been this trend in my life of no fixed place to stay - working overseas for unpredictable periods of time, living out of suitcases in temporary apartments, moving from one place to another, staying in hotels. Now here we are back in our "real home" for a month and half the time has been spent in hotels while traveling for work, and finally we were going to have a few weeks in our actual house but this storm forces us to pack again and keep moving.
It's a fascinating trend, and really emphasizes the fact that I have no idea what the next moment holds, and that there is nothing to cling to. I'm kind of enjoying it, really. I'd expected to find it stressful, but it's really rather interesting and brings up a curiosity. Where the hell is this all going? Who knows?
It also reminds me that even my grandparents and parents (when they were young) did not rely so much on electricity. Things were bought locally, made locally, made by hand, delivered by horse cart and so on. The old people here almost have smiles on their faces, relishing their old habits of storing away food for the winter and heating their houses with wood stoves, while the younger folks tear out their hair because they can't use Facebook or the microwave.
Next up: zombie apocalypse!!!
13 years 11 months ago #1812
by Kate Gowen
Replied by Kate Gowen on topic General Practice Updates
We of the lotus-eaters' coast will content ourselves with haiku-like postings from the weather impacted.
13 years 11 months ago #1813
by Ona Kiser
Laugh now, you may. Tremble in fear when your turn comes, you will. At least we don't have earthquakes, volcanos, tsunamis, or hippies playing terrible folk music at our farmer's markets.
Replied by Ona Kiser on topic General Practice Updates
We of the lotus-eaters' coast will content ourselves with haiku-like postings from the weather impacted.
[image]
-kategowen
Laugh now, you may. Tremble in fear when your turn comes, you will. At least we don't have earthquakes, volcanos, tsunamis, or hippies playing terrible folk music at our farmer's markets.
13 years 11 months ago #1814
by Dharma Comarade
Replied by Dharma Comarade on topic General Practice Updates
"Terrible folk music" - no such thing in any region
13 years 11 months ago #1815
by Ona Kiser
ROFL! I actually love folk music in general, but I have heard the occasional bad performance.
Replied by Ona Kiser on topic General Practice Updates
"Terrible folk music" - no such thing in any region
-michaelmonson
ROFL! I actually love folk music in general, but I have heard the occasional bad performance.