What happened in Florida ?

RM · 02-27-2008, 01:26 AM

I was watching the news tonight and heard about a wide-spread power outage in The Sunshine State. This occurred only 2-3 days after a group of Lightfoot fans had visited, roamed, and then departed. Coincidence ?

charlene · 02-27-2008, 10:45 AM

I think not...

02-27-2008, 10:50 AM

hmmmm sounds like these folk were taxing the grid system -and it held together at least until after they left.

charlene · 02-27-2008, 11:23 AM

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/27/flo...wer/index.html

Yuri · 02-27-2008, 11:42 AM

'Sundreme' lives in Miami. Perhaps Erkie can post her experiences.

Patti · 02-27-2008, 02:52 PM

I'm sure it was awful down there, but once here around a month ago there was a power outage at night. It was so cold outside. I was covered up with a ton of blankets, but when I started to get really cold, the power came back on. We are too dependant on gas, electricity... This planet needs some help.

Patti · 02-28-2008, 01:43 AM

Hi pondunklander, you might like reading Confessions of a Econimic Hit Man, by John Perkins.

Sundreme · 03-01-2008, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yuri

'Sundreme' lives in Miami. Perhaps Erkie can post her experiences.

There really isn't that much to tell.
I was at work and around 1 pm, the lights dimmed and then came back on.
There was a ruckus as everyone wondered what happened, but since we have automatic generators at work, the power interruption wasn't even long enough to shut our computers down.

Then some folks were saying that they'd heard that the the power was off all over Miami-Dade County.

I googled the news and read that there was indeed a massive power failure in South Florida, so I called my father at home and he said that the lights had flickered but came right back on.

By the time I got out of work later that night, it was all over, so I never actually got to experience the blackout of '08.

Nightingale · 03-02-2008, 01:58 AM

Glad you didn't have to experience the power outage...not much fun.

Several years ago we had an ice storm here. The downed tree limbs and ice took down everything...all the power lines and even the poles were down from the weight of the ice.

I always thought I wanted to live during the pioneer times or at least during the sixties in a commune with other hippies and "live off the land". Let me tell you, after three days without water(we have a well so we lose it without electricity) heat, lights and trying to run a household despite that fact, I was cryin' like a baby!
We couldn't leave because of all the animals that I have and all the relatives that we have around here were in the same boat.
We were without power for two weeks and some of our friends were without for a month...yes, that's right, I said a month!
I never want to live without electricity again...lol.

I guess we learn all kinds of truths about ourselves when our back is to the wall.
I learned from that experience that I am spoiled and I like it that way!

03-02-2008, 11:56 AM

Wow Nightingale! I don't believe I've ever had to live without electricity for a full day during my adult life. Maybe the longest when we were kids was a day or two...but my mother made it fun for us!

Nightingale · 03-03-2008, 02:06 AM

You must have had a great mom, podunklander...lol
It was fun for awhile but it sure wore off. I would heat a pan of water on the wood stove(thank goodness we had that!) and would then have to decide what I wanted to do with it as it was such a rare treasure.

We do take so much for granted these days. I try to recycle, drive a small car, grow a garden and "go green" in all kinds of ways but I don't fool myself much about my efforts.
We still have an awful long way to go when it comes to undoing the damage we have done to our home planet. I am spoiled and use way more than I need to but it's awfully hard to go without once you have had all the perks that make our lives so easy these days.
We have a generator now so we will never have to go without the basics for long...lol. My face still turns white when the weatherman mentions an ice storm.

Sundreme · 03-03-2008, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightingale

Glad you didn't have to experience the power outage...not much fun.

Several years ago we had an ice storm here. The downed tree limbs and ice took down everything...all the power lines and even the poles were down from the weight of the ice.

I always thought I wanted to live during the pioneer times or at least during the sixties in a commune with other hippies and "live off the land". Let me tell you, after three days without water(we have a well so we lose it without electricity) heat, lights and trying to run a household despite that fact, I was cryin' like a baby!
We couldn't leave because of all the animals that I have and all the relatives that we have around here were in the same boat.
We were without power for two weeks and some of our friends were without for a month...yes, that's right, I said a month!
I never want to live without electricity again...lol.

Sounds like what happened to us when Hurricane Wilma hit South Florida in October of 2005. The storm was so violent that she knocked down power poles and the poles that were left standing had the lines ripped right out of them.

I still remember how scary it was seeing the lines tearing apart while still live. The sparks flew across our backyard and we could hear that loud Pop..pop...pop from the electricity.

After the storm, our entire screened-in patio enclosure had been destroyed and the electrical lines were so damaged that we were 17 days without power.

I still have photos from the damage. One day I'm going to have my friend scan them so I can post them.

It was a scary time, but now that its passed (till next hurricane season??!!) I think some folks might find it interesting.

Nightingale · 03-05-2008, 01:32 AM

Tracy Ullman's big roll of tin foil...lol.
Oh my gosh, I do remember that. I loved her comedy skits!

I think you are right about our parents and grandparents having a much different attitude about frugality than we do. My mother-in-law- used to drive me crazy by washing the plastic dinnerwear when we would have family picnics. Kind of negates the whole point of using them but she wouldn't listen to me....lol. My grandfather saved EVERYTHING and I was the family member that took care of him and cleaned his house for him. Let me tell you, if you threw something away he knew it and always claimed he had a use for whatever it was.

Good for you about the chickens.
I think I should be a vegan but I am not...sigh...
I grew up on meat and I suppose it's like everything else in life, it's kind of what you get used to.
I was not a country girl when I moved here years ago so it was hard for me to understand the farmers and their attitudes towards animals. My in-laws thought I was a real wimp for refusing to help slaughter chickens but they finally realized that it was something I wouldn't budge on.
We have farm ground but my husband and I don't raise any cows, chickens or anything that has to be sent to slaughter. It works out best for us that way...lol.

Maybe I can get some good vegetarian recipes from you sometime.

Nightingale · 03-05-2008, 01:54 AM

Hi Sundreme,
Sounds like the hurricane was a real scary experience. I have been through a few tornadoes but they happen very quickly and then it's over. We were lucky and only had minor damage but it was scary when it happened.

Seventeen days without power is a long time especially when you have so much damage to contend with. That must have been horrible for you and your family.
I hope that the hurricanes bypass you in the future and your little patch of heaven stays safe and sound.

Yes, that would be really interesting to see your pictures. Hope you can get your friend to scan them soon so you can post them for us.

brink- · 03-05-2008, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlene

I think not...

Okay, I can't take it anymore. In an effort to be a little more conscious of the earth, ecology, global warming.....I shut off the lights when I left the room...er...Florida

Nightingale · 03-11-2008, 02:14 AM

Those are great stories...I love it that you brought the rabbit home. We used to have neighbors that raised rabbits for meat and it really got to me.

Your family sounds really interesting and I bet you had a great time growing up despite the meat that was served...lol.

I have lived in the country for thirty years now and I still get weepy during hunting season. I hate it when I see a deer that's been injured and left to suffer.
We don't allow hunting on any of our property but they sometimes do it anyway so it's a constant battle.

17 kids...oh my gosh, I have no words...lol.
That's so funny about your grandparents sending the dead chickens to your mom. I can only imagine the smell...nothing worse than that chicken smell even when they are alive....lol.


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