Umbrella to the Picnic Theory

I love thunderstorms and we had a dramatic one Sunday night. I wasn’t sure how Grace would react. The last time it frightened her. This time she laid on her favorite couch on her back looking out the window.

Every once in a while she would ask if it was raining. It was. The lightening was nearly constant. The thunder drove the border collie into hiding. There were sirens that I hadn’t heard before or at least didn’t remember. My neighbor stuck his head out the door too with the same reaction.

We woke the next morning to no power. My personal crisis was where would I plug in the blow dryer. My larger crisis was managing Grace's food for the day. I got ready for my day.

Everytime I went into the bathroom, my brain remembered the lack of power, my hands did not and hit every light switch. My brain thinks my hands are very dumb.

Grace: “Are the lights out?”

The garage door, of course, didn’t work so I got the key for the door. We never tested this after it was built last summer and much to my pleasure the knob and deadbolt were keyed differently. No key for the dead bolt. Back inside I go

Grace: “Are the lights out?”

I went to the grocery store to get milk and bags of ice for a cooler. I also dried my hair in the bathroom there. Yeah, that’s me. I did my hair at the grocery store. Doesn't everyone? At home, I took the essentials out for the day… Ensure, Ice cream, milk, cottage cheese (she doesn’t chew) and put it in cooler with the bags of ice in front of the refrigerator. I then put a sign on the frig reminding the caregiver to use the cooler.

Grace: “Are the lights out?”

I got out a lighter for the stove since the electric start wouldn’t work, left her a cell phone and called the agency explaining that she would be unable to use our house phone to clock in.

Grace: “Are the lights out?”

I waited for the caregiver to arrive and went out to greet her. I told her that we had no power. She asked if the outlets worked. I had to ask her to repeat that question to make sure I heard it correctly.

Grace: “Are the lights out?”

As we walked in, I explained what I had set up, showed her the cell phone, and so on and just as I finished showing her how to light the stove, the power came on.