Restored
December 11th, 2007
I have internet again! How sweet it is to type with all fingers and not just my thumb. I think I have iPhoneinitus in my thumb, but I’m still grateful I had that little sucker for the on-again off-again excruciatingly slow dial-up internet it provided me after the storm and being able to text with Pam - whoo whoo… I love you Apple! I didn’t realize how much my life was computerized, until we went 6 days without power and 9 days without internet. We heart you Mountain Power of Idaho! We heart EVERYONE who came to help… The US Coast Guard, Oregon National Guard, OR Senator Betsy Johnson, US Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith, Congressman David Wu, Astoria Mayor Willis Van Dusen, Clatsop County Sherrif Tom Bergin, Dean Perez, Pacific Power, Utah Power, Portland General Electric, Charter, Qwest, Trees Inc. and SOOOO many more. Rockstars. Heroes. Knights in shining armor.
And to the TV media in Portland, Oregon… You suck.
You suck, you suck, and you suck.
One more time… you suck!
And once our phone lines did work again… I couldn’t even call Kath or Paula - because where was the bulk of my phone numbers??? I was so happy Kath called me, and I could communicate with Paula via comments and know they were ok too. Blogging - not just for crafting! I’m so going to get me an old fashioned write-in phone book (hoping a certain someone with her fabo new job designs one soon).
We’ve been cleaning, clearing, sawing, sweeping, chopping, blah, blah, blah. And soooo much more left to do. Double the houses, double the fun. What I wouldn’t give to sit at my sewing machine and sew right now. And who knew that I’d long to wash clothes/do laundry and vacuum - certainly not me. Oh how I love you electrical appliances! I love you electricity!
That goes for spell check too (something I couldn’t do when I blogged via my iPhone). DS2 has already tackled the tree that landed behind our house. The tree above is now firewood. Our neighbors watched in horror as it went down, not knowing where it was going to land. Thank you St. Joe-Joe!
Gimme about a week on my glorious restored electricity high… and I just may light candles again. For now… I don’t want to see any flashlights or candles! My fantasy life of living like a pioneer, dressed in a Little House on The Prairie dress and Doc Martin boots is on permanent hold.
I’ve got some before & after pics:
If I haven’t put anyone to sleep with my ramblings about The Storm and you want to see more pics, I’ve got more storm pics on a flickr set here.
Even though I just got my internet back and would so love to bloghop and visit, our life is jam packed with fixing, dealing with the insurance, repairpeeps and cleaning. Not just one house… but two. Our for-sale house is now being rented to my neighbors who’s house was destroyed in The Storm - and we really want to get that house fixed/cleaned even faster now. Oh St. Joe-Joe… I KNEW you were working all along. Anyhoo… I’ll be taking a little blogging break for a few weeks, and then it’s back to fun and quilting (and some bring-me-to-tears wonderful Mailbox Love from Louise, Laurie, and Nanna Jamma that I can’t wait to show!)! I have a ton of emails to still go through and I’m getting to them soon (as well as the Jingle Jolly gallery - OMG you guys kick quilt butt!). Thank you all again for your beautiful words of comfort and caring and I hope you all in the midwest make it through your ice storm as well as we did here. I’m thinking of you all!
PS… As busy as Mother Nature was with The Storm, she still found the time and energy to leave me some raunchy good humor amidst the fallen trees and roof shingles. Mother Nature… you are Mother Naughty.
Posted in I Heart Oregon |
Farting around with needle & thread and then blogging about it.
You know, my mind is so sparkly clean that I would NEVER have seen that nastiness in that innocent little branch until YOU pointed it out ~ (teeheehee)
December 11th, 2007Aren’t they wonderful, all those people you mentioned. Without them we’d still be in the dark. Awesome! and yes, Portland news does SUCK! We were in a tither to get Kevin called and let him know that we were safe and sound ~ being right in Portland we thought he would be beside himself. Nope. He had no idea that anything had even happened. Riff’s mother ship (corporate) is based in Lake Oswego and they were all up in arms because they didn’t know why nobody was answering the phone in the three coast offices all week. It’s incredible…enough of that..
Cleaning up and moving on. I’m waving at you through the gap in the trees…
Welcome back! What an ordeal, and I know how it goes when the big city can’t see beyond its borders… we always play third or fourth fiddle to L.A. I’m glad all the right people were there to help you guys. Catch your breath, and stay safe. Good to know your humor is intact… a life saver in times like these.
December 11th, 2007Oh My! I almost barfed looking at those pictures. I’m so sorry you have to spend time cleaning up after the dumb Storm, instead of sewing, designing patterns, just driving to the store! I wish I could be there to help, but I’m glad you all are safe and healthy. Big giant hugs to you and the fam! :)
December 11th, 2007I swear, only you would see the naughty in nature following the storm! Glad y’all are back up and connected.
December 11th, 2007Wow, those before and after photos are shocking. I am happy to hear you are all alive and well and back home again. Enjoy the glow of those incandesant light bulbs!
December 11th, 2007I’m sending you great big hugs and lots of love as you wade through this horrible mess…I’m so glad you and your family weren’t hurt, or worse.
December 11th, 2007Monica,
December 11th, 2007I hope everything gets back to normal real soon. But i have to tell you, the candles look soooooooo homey!! I LOVE IT!! But then I haven’t been living like a pioneer. LOL
Hugs
Sharon
Monica
December 11th, 2007Oh I am sooooo thankful that you and your family are safe. I’m happy you are not having to beat your laundry out on the rocks in the river. I am happy that you had the peace and calm of candlelight. I think you need a treadle sewing machine. I am happy that a lil’ branch had the balls pinecones to make you smile.
Take care my Friend!
Lotsa BIG Hugs,
~ Robyn
HAPPY HAPPY THAT ALL MY PEOPLES ARE SAFE!! I am headed to look at all the photos and am so happy you’re back up and running! xo
December 11th, 2007Hooray!! You have entered civilization once again! I know exactly what you mean about flashlights and candles! Our power goes out several times each winter for many days at a time, and the loss of water and electricity makes me long for running water to flush toilets, wash clothes and run the dishwasher. Your photos are amazing - I love the sunrise before and after the storm. Your home looks extremely cozy with the candlelight which I KNOW you are sick of!!
December 11th, 2007I am so very pleased you and your family are well and life is almost back to normal. I can’t even imagine all the work you have to do to clean up the mess. I’m so sorry!!
You know, I’ve heard of “twig and berries”, but never “twig and cones” - Mother Nature has a sense of humor, does she not? Take care and keep smiling, my friend!
I heart you!
YIKES !!! WHAT a MESS !!! But glad to hear you at least have electricity again ( we went through that a few years ago with a storm that started on Christmas morning — so that year there was no Roast Beast — just like in Whoville) — Here’s wishing you a speedy clean up and back to normalness really FAST !!!
December 11th, 2007Wow — it sure looks like you’ve been through it — so glad you’re ok and things are returning to normal. Sure puts a new perspective on priorities in the Christmas rush, no? And what a crack-up you are. A very naughty crack-up!!!
December 11th, 2007I’m just glad you’re all ok.
December 11th, 2007I wish you, your family, and everyone who suffered through this storm all the best.
December 12th, 2007I am thankful that you and you’re loved ones are okay. Big Hugs! Ch.
December 12th, 2007I’m so glad you’re OK! Enjoy your break and Merry Christmas!
December 12th, 2007So glad to hear you have your power back. Here’s hoping the insurance folks are good (and quick), the repairs are minimal, and the rest of the clean up goes quickly. And that somewhere in there you can enjoy the holiday season! See you when you get back!!!
December 12th, 2007Oh my goodness. I am so glad to hear that you are ok. What an expereince, wow. I am glad that you have power and internet back. I wish you, your family and your home a quick recovery from this ordeal. Hope things get back to normal soon.
December 12th, 2007Oh, you funny thing! Leave it to you to find something naughty after a ginormous storm! HA! Have a great few weeks off, thanks for the heads up so we don’t worry about you! So glad you’re safe! Eventually you’ll be able to burn candles again, and when you do, I recommend this one:
December 12th, 2007I am so happy you have your power back on!! So did you have to boil water on the fireplace to take hot baths?
That’s so awful for your neighbors to have lost their house but great that you still had yours for them to move into. If I was them I would buy your house and not rebuild theirs so that they could have a lot twice the size they did before! But seriously, I hope they had good insurance and are taken good care of. I’ve lived through disasters and it is so scary and uncomfortable.
I’m so happy that you and your new house were undamaged!
December 13th, 2007Here I am, looking at this lovely picture of pinecones and thinking, “what a lovely picture,” and then I fully read the text–yowza! Then I about fell off my chair laughing. I’m glad you’re all well and finally have your modern corn-veniences back again! I hope all the fixing/cleaning/etc., goes smoothly!
~Angela :-)
December 13th, 2007I was so worried after I heard your street mentioned on the radio… and was going crazy that your phone number was still trapped in the computer! I was so happy to hear you were all doing fine, and the house did so well… what a storm… I’ll never forget this one!
It sure did zap my energy…
& Good thing even mother nature can sometimes give us a little comedy relief! Too funny!
December 15th, 2007