Oh Yea, We Had A Wind Storm

"All I wanted was the simple things. A simple kind of life"
Gwen Stefani

"You're doing a heck of a job Brownie"
George W. Bush

"Where the heck is Brownie"
Steven J. Barer after 48 hours with no electricity or heat

Just as our lives were starting to return to some normalcy. We had a wind storm.

Growing up in Walla Walla I have experienced some prodigious wind storms. The old house on Palouse Street had several old trees that made quite a ruckus when strong winds blew through. Occasionally you would hear a creak and you would wonder if one of those big limbs was about to fall on you. The next day you would drive/ride around and see branches and limbs down here and there.(Palouse street was hit very hard by the wind storm as was the Walla Walla country club)

Friday January 4th we had a wind storm unlike any I have experienced before.

The front door at work opens and closes on it's own when we have brisk winds. Around 9:00 am on Friday the door started to gently open and close on it's own. Soon it started opening and closing more violently. Finally we had to lock the front door to keep it from slamming shut. Meanwhile the lights flickered on and off eventually going off for good.

By 11:00 the winds subsided and it was time for me to go to lunch. With all the stop lights out I was focused on the road. The reality of the situation set in when I arrived home to find the pine tree across the street uprooted and laying perilously
across the power line.

I Headed back to work at 12:00 only to be sent home at 2:30 due to us shutting down for the day. I spent Friday night with Dawn in a cold dark house.

Early Saturday morning I took the dogs for long walk. Every block had at least one big tree down some resting against power lines others crushing porches and a few smashing cars. It looked like a war zone.

Monday I went back to work. My coworkers were discussing what time on Friday they got electricity back. I chimed in that we got our power back at 5:30 last night(meaning Sunday) they all looked at me and said "you mean Saturday" no Sunday night.

Despite my whining and our long cold dark weekend, we were very very lucky.