~ Edgar Allan Poe
My only light during the hurricane.
The past week has been long. Too long for a supposed minor hurricane. With all the preparing we do it still turns our lives upside down.
4 full days without power in the Louisiana heat. To me this is living primal…I got to live like a cavewoman for 4 days. Even though I had a few modern necessities like texting (although I had to charge the phone in the car) and a flushing toilet, I took my Paleo lifestyle to a new level.
I prepared my Paleo survival food and cooked like mad before the storm came…it was coming a half day earlier than expected. Burgers, beef jerky, cut up vegetables, bacon, Paleo pancakes sweet potatoes, pork roast and lots of water. Got the food cold knowing power would go off. I guess our hunter gatherer ancestors would have prepared what they could or consumed what food they could knowing they would be without for a few days.
Survival mode sets in. The hurricane came by overnight. Howling winds shaking the house. Up all night I tried to see the rain and watch the streets. Watching for flood…calling our tugboats on the Mississippi River to see how much it’s rising. It’s a little unnerving. Katrina didn’t hit us direct so what would Isaac do? He stalled and moved North. Thankfully. On Tuesday evening, when the wind barely started, the power went out. Flashlight broke so I lit a few candles. Total darkness and I mean the scary boogeyman type of darkness. Alone with the dogs and cats in the dark. One time at night I sat in the car charging the phone and getting some air with the dogs and a knock at the window by a neighbor, drunk and scaring the shit out of me. I felt very alone. Note for next time: Get a gun.
Rain and wind continued until the next day then it stopped. Then no breeze and the sun came out. Then the heat set in. Topping 100 degrees and extreme humidity. It was too hot to even go upstairs in the house. I can barley function. I tried to exercise in the house but too hot. Walking the dogs was all I could do other than picking up debris and tree branches outside. This is just what you do. Ice was melting quick; so I stand in long lines to get ice. Throw out food going back and eat what I could. I still had to work…Grace had power, she took us in to her nice cool home to work for a few hours, then Ken did the same. I worried about the dogs and cats in the heat, and I would rush back to my hot home. It’s still home so I don’t want to be away long.
And sleep, boy did I sleep. I slept as soon as the sun went down. Too dark and hot to stay awake. It was a little scary. I wait for a comforting voice to call. And after I would sleep more.
By Saturday with the sun and heat, although unbearable, it almost seemed normal and hoping this new ”normal” would end. Sweat is just pouring down me; standing under a cool shower feels wonderful.
And just as the sun is setting and the Michigan football game begins, the power comes on! Glorious air conditioning…close the windows and make it cold! Sprawl out on the couch and celebrate. Just in time.
Out of cavewoman mode to recovery mode. Work, clean, work. The stress experienced after almost makes you want a little of that primal life…just without the scary parts.
Filed under: Balanced Life, New Orleans Tagged: caveman, cavewoman, darkness, fear, fearless, heat, hurricane, Hurricane Isaac, Louisiana, New Orleans, Paleo, powerless, primal, storm, summer, survival, weather
