The temperature is -18C and there's an alert for a severe winter storm that is to arrive tomorrow. There are reports that there may be a lot of ice that could damage the wires, cutting power. I guess we'll just have to hope for the best if that happens. We'll huddle in one room with lots of blankets if there's no power. We have a gas fireplace but it's controlled by an electrical switch. The only source of heat would be our outdoor BBQ and that's really of little use when it's very cold. Candles might help.
Years ago, when bad storms came cutting our hydro, we just made a fire in the wood burning fireplace. But they are rare now. Many have been converted to gas or electricity because it was to be the best way to save a carbon print. Lately I'm not so sure that we have made the right choice. It seems that hydro is beginning to control everything we use. Although some have backup generators I wonder what would happen in a huge city if the power went out for hours, days in the middle of a deep freeze?
Very recently one large condo complex was without power for many hours during a deep freeze. The tenants had to be moved to temporary shelters. Imagine a city going without power. Where would six million people head for shelter?
Did we really have a choice when everything was quickly converted to hydro? Did we exercise our democratic right to choose the energy means that would support us best? Can we sustain the way we're heading? Hydro One seems to be a monopoly that has me worried.
I hear you. I live in an apartment that is totally electric. Without power, I am at the mercy of the weather. Fortunately for this part of the country, we don't get such terribly cold temperatures, but still... who wants to huddle under a blanket all day long?
ReplyDeleteWe have an all electric home, should have back-up, but don't. It does have me worried somewhat, with this new cold front on the way, temps are going to dive.
ReplyDeleteIt would be dreadful to be at the mercy of the cold. I hope your supplies hold out. I often wonder how they managed to survive these weathers one hundred years ago.
ReplyDeleteyou have touched on a thing we have discussed lately. how much every facet of our lives depends on electricty. every thing, even our grocery stores, no power, the world shuts down, no traffic signals, no water pumped to our houses to bathe and drink, and shudder NO computer, no coffee maker, no fridge, no heat/ac, no TV, we are totaly dependent on power. and in those monster cities? you are right what do they do, no elevators, and 30 floors of stairs.
ReplyDeleteI for one am not happy about our over reliance on electricity. I too have a gas fireplace that can only be switched on my an electrical switch. We don't get as cold as you are getting in Vancouver but it gets cold enough to notice when the chill hits the coast. I do hope and pray that you and your family will be warm enough through the storm. God bless.
ReplyDeleteWe're covered in ice here in Ohio. Starting to get dark, it's almost 4pm. They say more ice and some snow is coming. Myself, I think we have enough ice, please Dear Lord, don't give us more. We don't want to lose our power. W do have a kerosene heater we can burn on and off if we have to, but I doubt it will warm the place up much. We will need to try to stay in one room and shut the other off, if the electric goes out, since that's what makes our furnace kick on. I'm not even sure our hot water tank, which is also gas, will burn when the water gets cold without electric to snap the pilot light on. Guess we will find out, if it should happen. I was due to go in for a mammogram tomorrow morning, i called and canceled and scheduled for Friday morning. Hopefully this will all have melted by then. Hope you haven't been hit too hard if any. Keep warm. Thinking of you.
ReplyDeleteKind of makes you wonder how people survived in the 19th century with no electric power at all.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have not spent the day huddled under a blanket and that all is well.
ReplyDeleteWe sometimes have power cuts in the our rural area because trees damage the power cables. The last major one was for 30 hours. In winter. Not nice at all.
Ah yes, this brings back memories of the famous ice storm of 1998. (before hubby's illness, thank goodness).
ReplyDeleteWe were without power for almost 3 weeks. Luckily, my daughter had power (she lived in a small apartment, but we all fit in quite well). Lots of people were moved out of their houses. Shelters were set up in and around Montreal. We moved my parents into a hotel. My sister and her family went next door to a neighbour, who had a wood stove. My brother went to mexico with his family. My other brother stayed around to look after my parents in the hotel. My mother had suffered a stroke 2 years previously, so she was very frail and her memory compromised. My dad was 84 and frail too.
Somehow we all survived. But I often wonder, like some of your other commenters, how people survived before electricity was invented.
Forgot to mention, we have a storm predicted for tomorrow and if we do lose power, I will be glad that dear hubby is not here. It would mean an emergency ambulance ride to the nearest hospital - very stressful, and to stay there probably out in the corridor until the power comes back on.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope we don't get too bad of a storm.
The little cottage we moved to in October has gas heat. The temps get to minus five or ten degrees Fahrenheit sometimes but it is always cold. Not in the house though. Stay warm and stay happy and healthy.
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ReplyDeleteThe ice did not come, only snow and a snow day has been declared. The downtown was harder hit than our place but ther's a lot to shovel...
We have been having a lot of wet snow here.Our utilities are going up and we have no say, this is because they have a monopoly in our small town. There is no say when it comes to utilities raising their prices.
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