I Am On Vacation. Without Electricity

by Marinka on August 29, 2011

So the short story is that Hurricane Irene came and took away our power and my will to live.

The good news is that we are on vacation at my parents’ dacha in the Catskills and every one is safe.

The bad news is that we have no electricity and also for reasons that I don’t understand, when you’re at the dacha, you need electricity to have running water for fun things like taking a shower, doing the dishes and flushing the toilet.

OMFG.

So we’ve been without electricity without two days and things are going as well as can be expected.

We have a fireplace and have been heating up Chef Boyardee there. Like savages with a sodium imbalance.

I called Mama (who’s in Queens, enjoying all the luxury that electricity has to offer) and she said “pretend you’re a pioneer! It could be fun.”

Yes, Mama said that because she knows that the local bridges in the Catskills have washed out so I can’t drive over to kill her.

But we’re managing.

Tonight at dinner Husbandrinka said, “it certainly will be nice to take a shower some day. And do the dishes.”

He was almost wistful.

Which I think means that he has agreed to do dishes for the duration of our marriage, if the good Lord blesses us with electricity someday.

Here’s hoping.

One year ago ...

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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }

Peajaye
Twitter:
August 29, 2011 at 9:31 pm

Where is Anderson Cooper when you need him? I mean, when he’s not in Pilates class.

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suburbancorrespondent
Twitter:
August 29, 2011 at 9:41 pm

I can’t live without electricity for 2 minutes. Seriously. The last time we lost power (and with it the air conditioning), I told Larry, “Well, I guess we’ll just have to use the fans.” And he looked at me with a look that said, “Ivy League educations just aren’t what they used to be.”

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Cheryl
Twitter:
August 29, 2011 at 9:43 pm

I had to read that twice before it sunk in. Holy shit, I’m tired.

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Cheryl
Twitter:
August 29, 2011 at 9:41 pm

I have family up there. My mother drove over today. Between she & her sister, they’ll make your mother look like a queen among mothers. If you need directions to hell, shoot me an email. Hell, they’ve got power, what more do you want? Fun?

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kimberly August 29, 2011 at 10:53 pm

There is this thing they sell in the New World called a Generator.

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anna see August 29, 2011 at 11:08 pm

Oh my. How is the deoderant supply holding out?

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annie August 30, 2011 at 12:54 am

But can you find your wine in the dark, because really, what else matters?

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deborah l quinn
Twitter:
August 30, 2011 at 1:10 am

Maybe he meant he was going to hire you a maid. They don’t need electricity, just occasional food and a little water.

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Stephanie Smirnov
Twitter:
August 30, 2011 at 1:27 am

Am so glad to hear dacha is okay. Still trying to get full story on how our house fared over in West Kill. Heard Xenia was underwater. Stay safe!

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Alison@Mama Wants This
Twitter:
August 30, 2011 at 3:38 am

Now I want to know what super powers you have that you can write and post this blog without electricity.

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Penbleth
Twitter:
August 30, 2011 at 4:01 am

Hold him to it. An offer to wash dishes is worth its weight in – well, unwashed dishes going putrid and causing some sort of nasty illness. Enjoy your holiday.

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Stasha
Twitter:
August 30, 2011 at 5:58 am

Hang in there. If your battery starts failing put the phone out on the porch. Think wind and solar power…

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Tea
Twitter:
August 30, 2011 at 8:05 am

I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what he was saying. I’d hold him to it.

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Lady Jennie August 30, 2011 at 10:18 am

Your mom didn’t have a comment about how they didn’t have electricity or running water ever (or something like that) growing up? Plus pioneers at least had the outhouses already dug out.

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Marta
Twitter:
August 30, 2011 at 5:25 pm

Agree that you will shower only when he starts doing the dishes. See who wins.

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dusty earth mother August 30, 2011 at 9:32 pm

Savages with a sodium imbalance. Finally, someone has explained my children’s mysterious love of Chef Boyardee.

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Kasey September 29, 2011 at 3:38 am

OMG I about killed myself laughing, how would any of y’all survive down here in the south when a hurricane hits and power is out for two weeks at minimum? Y’all northerners are a hoot!!!

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