Word Count: 373
The morning hums of generators, those who have singing out to those who have not. The dark is expansive, extending to all edges of vision. Water, heat, but no lights. The odd storm of deep snow in October has taken down trees, branches held up by power lines threatening to let go their grasp. They’ve already lost power.
We slept under blankets so heavy neither one of us moved in the bed. My body is sore from the weight. Clinging to body heat to keep warm. The spooning we so often start out with but move away from during the night as being too uncomfortably hot becomes the position we find ourselves in in the morning, unwilling to let go and move on to the day.
Ten hours of sleep because there’s nothing much else to do. I wake to use the bathroom, already having learned not to flush until necessary. Gallon wine jugs are lined up on the floor, ready to refill the tank. In summer storms, we used pool water to replenish the jugs. This is much better, an unlimited amount of fresh snowfall I’ve gotten so efficient at collecting and boiling. Still surprised at how much snow is needed to melt down into a gallon.
We have no heat, but a gas stove for cooking, an old style percolator for coffee and tea. And soup. So many odd soups from the combination of food from the freezer that we’ll need to use up.
My husband is grumbly. Cleaning the driveway with the help of a neighbor since his own snowblower refused to start. His disdain of computers is starting to mellow when he finds that the world so close to one’s fingertips is suddenly cut off. Our phone works but few that we call can answer; their cell phones and rechargeable land lines aren’t working.
It’s strange seeing the trees standing tall with bright yellow leaves once they have shaken the snow from their hair. Some haven’t made it and branches stick up like toothpicks out of the ground.
It’s a once in a lifetime storm. Different than anything else we’ve experienced. Something to talk about years up ahead. And I will remember the warmth of his body against mine.
