On August 14 2003 at 4:10pm the lights went out in much of the eastern US and Ontario

The question that was only beginning was How Long??

Driving home with no traffic lights was a challenge everywhere and I was sure glad to get to my powerless house and just have a swim

We all enjoyed a quiet evening of listing to the radio for updates and went to bed in the hopes of having power by morning.

No luck on the power. At 6:30am we all work up in a nice hot ans sweaty house.

Well some of us just brought our bed stuff to the deck to try to continue sleeping at that early hour.

Surely in an hour or so there will be power, won't there?

   Here is a special advantage to not having power. We actually caught Vanessa reading a book. We took these pictures to prove to her Mom and Dad that she can actually read something other than Email.

No air conditioning?

No problem!

We had a wonderful time with our neighbours in the pool for the afternoon.

When times are difficult we are always ready to rise to the occaision.

Here we are making a great pot of Timmy's coffee on the BBQ. It turned out PERFECT!

Kenny had to stay in the very hot house to be near the phone. Gotta keep the business running and keep it ready for customers with power.

Hello Sandra

Time to BBQ that chicken since it thawed out anyway.

Hour 22, still no power

Still hanging out in the pool. I am beginning to think that in another few hours these kids may grow gills.

Another meal on the deck. We have cool water, food, coffee, light and lots of good company.

Who needs power anyway?

  Let there be light!

4:20pm August 15

Steve and Leeanne stepped inside the front door and the power came on.

I think this is what is called the Power of Love.

Candace, Yolande and friends dropped by to see what fun we were having and just to check on good friends.

Mackenna was with them and she is just a cutie.

I bet she will be surprised when she is older to find that, at the young agee of 5 months, she weathered the great blackout of 2003.

Just because the power is on there is no reason to stop the party yet.

Mary and Randy escaped their still dark house for some pool fun and then Kenny and Steve enjoyed their Victory Dance!

And of course, Ruby was all tired out from all of this no power stuff (or from chasing cats) and it was time for some (more) pampering.

The great blackout of 2003 seems to have subsided for now.

It was an adventurous 24 hours. We had help from Chris' friend with a generator to get us some morning coffee.

We learned how to make toast and coffee on a BBQ

We had friends and family around all day and got to meet Sandra and Jennifer, our neighbours.

I hope we see more of them in the light as well.

On to more fun this evening. Check out Doug and Lou's Corn Roast pictures for how we spent this Saturday evening.

Remember:

Each and every crisis in our lives brings with it, new talents, new friends and a stronger and wiser you!

Lucky me. I found so many people to light up my life when the lights when out!

Thanks to all

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