Saturday, November 07, 2015

Power Failure

I went to the grocery store today after a long nap, that felt so wonderful!  On the way home I noticed the light was dead at the intersection of Geary and Queen, which happens sometimes.  Drivers were being polite and going one at a time.

But driving along the street home, I began to notice no lights in any windows.  Power was out.  The cul de sac was dark and the street was blocked half block up.  Firetrucks guarded the intersection a half block from my place.  I walked up in the rain to gawk, with others.   The line had come down and was dangling on the far side of the street.  Some people could not get home, unless walked by that line with a fireman.  I guess maybe it was still hot.  I asked what brought that down and someone said a transformer blew.

That's a downed electric line drooping on either side of the street sign.
The power was out about four hours in all.  The intersection was lit up by huge lights from the power company as they worked to replace the downed line.  

Working on the power line

It was no big deal.  I got out my camp lantern for light.   And my sterno stove to make a hot drink, and finally, supper.  And then about 8:00 p.m., with a jolt, on came the power.


7 comments:

  1. We get all tho used to the convenience of power at the flick of a switch don't we? And water at the turn of a tap. Luxuries for so many that we take for granted...

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    Replies
    1. We sure do get used to conveniences.

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  2. Anonymous3:10 AM

    I grew up in a rural area where the weather often knocked out the power. We would always turn on record player and sit the stylus on a record and laugh ourselves silly when it started up. We made sure the volume was up loud and my mother used to be cross at us when the 1970 mega mix started blasting from the speakers.

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    Replies
    1. That's a very funny image Andrew. Cracks me up.

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  3. One time we came home and a firetruck was blocking our cul de sac because our neighbor's house was on fire. That was a scary time but no one was home, so no one was hurt. The fire was big and the fire fighters stayed for hours making sure the fire was truly out. I was very impressed with how they did their work.

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    Replies
    1. Oh no, what happened to your neighbors then, where did they go? Did they rebuild? That would be scary.

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    2. They rebuilt. In the meantime, they rented an apartment in the area. It was a single father with two young sons, and he wanted to keep them in the same school and close to their friends. One of the other neighbors was a hero and rushed over and turned off their gas so there wouldn't be an explosion.

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