When we awoke to find our power out this morning, it took a few minutes to sort out what we could and couldn't do.
In the Could category: We could use our iPhone to call the power company and check out where things stood. Our laptop still had some juice left in the battery, and the Personal Telco connection a couple of blocks away was still functioning for internet connectivity, so nothing was missing there. We could use the gas stove, but we had to use a match to light it. There was enough daylight in between rain showers to read by.
In the Couldn't category: We couldn't watch football on the telly. We couldn't make coffee, because we grind our own beans and the grinder is electric. We'd have to wait to run the dishwasher, and it was time. Lounging around in light clothing was not feasible, because it was 60 degrees in the house. Not having any electric clocks other than the digital variety, we couldn't tell precisely when the power had gone out. We'd have to postpone the leisurely shower, and ration out the door openings on the refrigerator.
Since one of the kids was away at a sleepover, we wanted to make sure our telephone land line was functioning, but our cordless household phones require AC power. Have no fear -- we dusted off our early-'80s model telephone out of storage, and it functions fine on the tiny amount of power that comes through the phone line off the telephone pole:
The computerized call system at Pacific Power was pretty impressive. It asked us for the phone number on our account, confirmed the house number, and then told us that there were about 3000 other customers around our neighborhood in the same boat with us. The source of the problem: "Trees." The system predicted that power would be restored by 10:00, and it asked us for a number that it could call back to confirm that everything was o.k.
The power came back on at 9:59, and the robot callback came at 10:06. Not bad.
Comments (18)
9:59? Not bad? Considering the football telecasts start at 10, I'd say that was damn good.
In addition to UPS units on each of the computers and network devices, I invested in a generator a few years back after a multi-day power failure due to a pretty bad ice storm. We were one of the last to have power restored.
Ever since the generator purchase, it hasn't been needed! Only need to fire it up on occasion to make sure it is ready just in case the big blackout happens again.
Alas, there have been a few short term outages since the major one, but never more than a few minutes, and the UPS units took care of things without a hitch.
Very strange. If I hadn't seen it on the news or heard about it here I wouldn't have known anything happened. I think the entire thing gave the downtown area a pass.
Storm prep includes a little home ground coffee in the freezer. We have a gas stove and a French Press - nothing like hot coffee after a wind storm or ice storm. We have even been known to tote teapots of hot water to the neighbors. Luckily, missed any power outages this time around.
One street here only w/o power from 2:30 AM, in SE Portland near Mall 205. This street is always the first one to go for some reason. Power not on yet.
I purchased a DC to AC inverter for the car. Can grind my own beans, charge the cell phone, but not much else.
I have a propane and several white gas appliances with which to cook. But I do have power.
Of course the power companies could have buried your power lines years ago like they have done virtually everywhere since the 1980s. But expecting them to actually upgrade an antiquated power grid would require that someone at the Oregon PUC do more than cater to the utility companies and the sorry pols that appointed them.
Dave A., there are a lot of other things that need fixing in Portland as well, like not running train tracks (freight) at street level and disrupting car traffic during peek times (esp. SE Division area and on South of Powell). But that's no one's pet project and as long as no developers or kiddie policy wonks care, it will continue to be ignored.
The Safeway on Ave. A in Lake Oswego lost all of their refrigerated and frozen inventory because they compressor and generator were blown. We went to pick up milk and waffles last night, but there were none to be had there. But Albertson's sure was busy.
You have a fireplace! When our power goes out(generally during ice storms, we use ours. There are enough trees on our little lot to keep us in a decent supply of dry wood from the periodic trimmings. As we do a bit of camping, we have stoves (our kitchen one is, sadly, electric - and the only appliance we've not got around to updating as yet).
Nothing like a warm fire, a good book, and hot coffee/tea/chocolate.
If you follow Mark Nelson's Channel 12 weather blog (and/or attended the weather geek pizza gathering Saturday afternoon), you would have known a windstorm was a possibility overnight.
I didn't prepare for this storm, but when it looks like an ice storm is in the forecast, I'll put a couple of thermos' of coffee or hot water together, just in case. Probably even more critical for an ice storm, since one might not be able to get to the neighborhood store or Starbucks.
Why do I love the idea that there is a weather geek pizza gathering in town somewhere?
What is the difference between a Climatologist and a Meterologist?
It seems that a Climatologist is one engaged in the meteorological study of climates and their phenomena.
Meteorology is the earth science dealing with phenomena of the atmosphere (especially weather) and most sources define a meteorologist as a specialist who studies processes in the earth's atmosphere that cause weather conditions
I asked myself, does that mean that Climatology is a study area that falls under the general major category of Meteorology, confined to weather prognistication?
There are Bachelors Degree programs offered in Atmospheric Science and Meteorology at various universities and colleges. However, you can get a Climatology degree online and until VERY recently universities did not teach "climate" as a stand-alone degree, so now most folks claiming to be climatologists have degrees in other types of Earth sciences.
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt
Road Work
Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (18)
9:59? Not bad? Considering the football telecasts start at 10, I'd say that was damn good.
Posted by Bill McDonald | November 22, 2009 1:55 PM
It didn't help my underdog pick.
Posted by Jack Bog | November 22, 2009 2:07 PM
How to deal with power failures?
In addition to UPS units on each of the computers and network devices, I invested in a generator a few years back after a multi-day power failure due to a pretty bad ice storm. We were one of the last to have power restored.
Ever since the generator purchase, it hasn't been needed! Only need to fire it up on occasion to make sure it is ready just in case the big blackout happens again.
Alas, there have been a few short term outages since the major one, but never more than a few minutes, and the UPS units took care of things without a hitch.
Posted by Mike M | November 22, 2009 3:19 PM
This AM KGW TV reported that somewhere a power pole fell taking several trees with it.
Posted by Abe | November 22, 2009 4:22 PM
You are welcome. Now ask yourself why you aren't sharing your internet connection as well.
Posted by Russell Senior | November 22, 2009 5:58 PM
Btw, we has a couple 5-second outages here (two blocks east of you) around 3 a.m. or so. I am guessing that's what took you out.
Posted by Russell Senior | November 22, 2009 6:16 PM
Now ask yourself why you aren't sharing your internet connection as well.
How about "Because it would be illegal"?
Posted by Jack Bog | November 22, 2009 6:33 PM
Very strange. If I hadn't seen it on the news or heard about it here I wouldn't have known anything happened. I think the entire thing gave the downtown area a pass.
Posted by NW Portlander | November 22, 2009 6:36 PM
No trees, no problem.
Posted by Jack Bog | November 22, 2009 6:37 PM
Storm prep includes a little home ground coffee in the freezer. We have a gas stove and a French Press - nothing like hot coffee after a wind storm or ice storm. We have even been known to tote teapots of hot water to the neighbors. Luckily, missed any power outages this time around.
Posted by SD | November 22, 2009 6:56 PM
One street here only w/o power from 2:30 AM, in SE Portland near Mall 205. This street is always the first one to go for some reason. Power not on yet.
I purchased a DC to AC inverter for the car. Can grind my own beans, charge the cell phone, but not much else.
I have a propane and several white gas appliances with which to cook. But I do have power.
Posted by Lawrence | November 22, 2009 7:15 PM
I keep a rotary phone on tap just in case
Posted by Stan | November 22, 2009 7:22 PM
Of course the power companies could have buried your power lines years ago like they have done virtually everywhere since the 1980s. But expecting them to actually upgrade an antiquated power grid would require that someone at the Oregon PUC do more than cater to the utility companies and the sorry pols that appointed them.
Posted by Dave A. | November 23, 2009 9:01 AM
Dave A., there are a lot of other things that need fixing in Portland as well, like not running train tracks (freight) at street level and disrupting car traffic during peek times (esp. SE Division area and on South of Powell). But that's no one's pet project and as long as no developers or kiddie policy wonks care, it will continue to be ignored.
Posted by LucsAdvo | November 23, 2009 12:07 PM
The Safeway on Ave. A in Lake Oswego lost all of their refrigerated and frozen inventory because they compressor and generator were blown. We went to pick up milk and waffles last night, but there were none to be had there. But Albertson's sure was busy.
Posted by Linda Kruschke | November 23, 2009 5:05 PM
You have a fireplace! When our power goes out(generally during ice storms, we use ours. There are enough trees on our little lot to keep us in a decent supply of dry wood from the periodic trimmings. As we do a bit of camping, we have stoves (our kitchen one is, sadly, electric - and the only appliance we've not got around to updating as yet).
Nothing like a warm fire, a good book, and hot coffee/tea/chocolate.
Posted by Max | November 23, 2009 5:07 PM
If you follow Mark Nelson's Channel 12 weather blog (and/or attended the weather geek pizza gathering Saturday afternoon), you would have known a windstorm was a possibility overnight.
I didn't prepare for this storm, but when it looks like an ice storm is in the forecast, I'll put a couple of thermos' of coffee or hot water together, just in case. Probably even more critical for an ice storm, since one might not be able to get to the neighborhood store or Starbucks.
Posted by umpire | November 23, 2009 5:54 PM
Why do I love the idea that there is a weather geek pizza gathering in town somewhere?
What is the difference between a Climatologist and a Meterologist?
It seems that a Climatologist is one engaged in the meteorological study of climates and their phenomena.
Meteorology is the earth science dealing with phenomena of the atmosphere (especially weather) and most sources define a meteorologist as a specialist who studies processes in the earth's atmosphere that cause weather conditions
I asked myself, does that mean that Climatology is a study area that falls under the general major category of Meteorology, confined to weather prognistication?
There are Bachelors Degree programs offered in Atmospheric Science and Meteorology at various universities and colleges. However, you can get a Climatology degree online and until VERY recently universities did not teach "climate" as a stand-alone degree, so now most folks claiming to be climatologists have degrees in other types of Earth sciences.
Pretty fascinating.
Posted by NW Portlander | November 24, 2009 3:20 PM