Post-Derecho

Until a few days ago...I didn't know that "derecho" was anything other than the Spanish word for "straight," meaning, go "straight ahead."  Turns out a "derecho" is also a very devastating kind of storm.  Which roared through Lewisburg on Friday night, felling trees, power lines, and whatever else it came across.  I just happened to be ordering dinner at a sushi restaurant when the power went out. Lucky me, I got my food anyway, because you don't need power to make sushi.

I missed the flying kiddie-pools while waiting out the storm in the restaurant...but I saw them strewn across the parking lot when the 90+ mph winds had died down enough to make going home possible. I did watch some rather spectacular lightning for the next few hours though.

   The power went out around 8 PM on Friday evening, right as the storm started raging.  On Saturday, still power-less, we learned that the water would be shut off at midnight.  Lucky me, it was back on by the time I woke up Sunday morning.  But now, 5 days later, some people are still without water.  I got my power back early Monday morning.  I happen to live on the same grid as the hospital, lucky lucky me.  People on other grids...not so lucky.  Some people are still waiting.  Did I mention it's been about 90 degrees out every day? I didn't want to use the A/C because it just didn't seem fair to all those power-less people. And since the grocery stores didn't have power, I didn't have access to any real food. At least one grocery store was open, but I really didn't want to live on canned food. Yuck.

  I had to clean out my fridge and freezer on Sunday night.  I did manage to eat the fish that I had in the freezer, thanks to some friends with a grill.  Everything else had to go, other than some condiments. And I kept the unopened orange juice...I'm assuming it's still edible?  And some carrots.  They should be fine. 

A very sad sight:

so empty...it's going to cost a lot of money to restock my fridge and freezer.  ugh.

and I suppose I should stock up on some non-perishables as well, so if this ever happens again I will actually have something to eat

I spent all morning Monday debating whether or not to leave town.  On Sunday, I had decided that if I didn't have power on Monday, I would leave.  Well, I had power on Monday.  I was really excited to be able to COOK my lunch.  But...there wasn't much to cook.  I knew pasta was possible.  So I boiled some pasta, and then scavenged the cupboard for something to eat with the pasta.  I found a can of crab meat that I was saving for crab cakes.  And I found a can of green beans that had been left by my roommate who moved out...a year and a half ago.  Lucky me, it was a whole month until their expiration date.  So I made a meal of pasta, crab, and green beans. 

It would have actually been a tasty meal...if it hadn't tasted so strongly of canned green beans.  I've been spoiled rotten by all the fresh green beans I've been eating lately. 

crab, mustard, alfredo sauce

add some pesto

add some fresh basil and oregano

(love that I have these plants!)

ewwwwww it looks like worms

I just kept telling myself that canned veggie was better than no veggie

lunch?

After eating this edible but not tasty meal, I decided no way was I going to live like this until the grocery stores were back up and running.  So I fled town and headed to Pittsburgh to spend time with family and eat real food. 

I only had to drive about 3 hours before I found a gas station that was A) open, and B) didn't have a 2+ hr wait

So this has been my derecho experience.  May you never have one.

On a happier note...check out the gorgeous sunflowers in the garden at school that survived the storm!

these flowers are over 5 ft tall but somehow did not get flattened by the wind