Summertime related Poll

[ramanth]

If there is still daylight, I'll read. It hurts my eyes to read by candlelight, so if the power goes out and it's already dark, I just go to bed early.

[kuhio98]

As far as I know, the summer has never been hot enough in Anchorage, Alaska to lose power. And if we did lose power....since the sun doesn't set in the summer.... we'd carry on as normal.

But, we do lose power in the winter. When that happens, we light a fire, light some candles and cuddle up with kitties.

[Karen]

As far as I know, the summer has never been hot enough in Anchorage, Alaska to lose power. And if we did lose power....since the sun doesn't set in the summer.... we'd carry on as normal.

But, we do lose power in the winter. When that happens, we light a fire, light some candles and cuddle up with kitties.

Do you get thunderstorms ever? Just curious! That's usually the only reason the power goes out around here, besides car accidents and the like - this was unusual.

[sasvermont]

I usually wander around for a few minutes, collecting candles, matches etc. then settle in with a good book. I LOVE how quiet it gets. No noise from the refrigerator, freezer, etc. Totally quiet! I used to love it in the office when the power went out (except all the serge protectors beeped)! I have surge protectors here at the house too, but the beep for only a couple of minutes.

I can usually take a shower etc. within a few hours. Then the water turns ice cold. I do have water though. People with wells and electric pumps are out of luck in that area. The phone well, I usually call a friend to see if it is a town problem or local (on my street).

I once lived in my house for a week without electricity or heat! I borrowed a kerrocene (sp) portable heater and ate sandwiches and drank beer. I began to feel like an ice fishing person.

I like power outages.

[kuhio98]

Do you get thunderstorms ever? Just curious! That's usually the only reason the power goes out around here, besides car accidents and the like - this was unusual.

Funny you should ask. Just 2 weeks ago -- for maybe the 4th time since I've lived in Anchorage -- we heard thunder. The poor cats freaked. They had never heard it in their lifetimes. Willy hid under the bed. Pepper went running towards the windows to get closer to the "danger".

It almost never gets warm enough in Anchorage for the heat to build up for a thunderstorm. We usually having a misting kind of rain.

But, in interior Alaska (like Fairbanks) it gets up into the 90's in the summer and lightning strikes cause fires every year.

[Karen]

Poor kitties! They must have thought some cat-eating monster was coming!

[cassiesmom]

I am doing a happy dance because it's raining and we need the rain sooooo much! Yesterday it rained for about a minute. I hope it rains harder today. It's still really hot and muggy out, though. Mother Nature, please, just one good soaking rain today. Please.

[Karen]

Hope you get just enough rain! Lots of people seem to have either too much or none at all, we're about at a happy medium here, thankfully.

[Felicia's Mom]

I would use my computer as long as the batteries lasted. After that, I would either read or go to bed early.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

If the power out was due to a storm, I usually start filling up pitchers and everything else I can find with water. I have several battery operated candles that come on when lights go out at night so I can see to move around. Our towns water pump has gone down twice during storms and we have been without water for almost 2 days at a time several times.

[Karen]

Oh, I did want to mention a couple things that, as the daughter of a stationery engineer, I was taught as a kid.

1. Do not open and close the refrigerator too much when the power goes out, as every time you do, you are letting room-temperature air in, and things will spoil/melt faster. Just open the freezer once to get the ice cream out and call it good!

2. If the power is out for a long enough time that you know everything in the fridge that is perishable has perished (depends on what time of year/ambient temp., etc.) but over 12 hours, you can unplug the refrigerator, and make sure as many things are turned off - light switches, etc., as possible, so there is not an overwhelming spike in demand when the power comes back on, and it will immediately have so much demand that it bumps back off.

[cassiesmom]

From our park district Web site: "You'll want to get to Walker Park at dust to settle in for an annual tradition - our spectacular fireworks display!" (I added the italics)

Yepper... Walker Park is very dusty and dry because we've had so little rain! It's a good thing the fire station is right next door!