merry covid xmas and all that

[cddexter]

Power outage for 35 hours mon/tues, sure makes me realize how dependent we are on modern technology. No phone (no cell service here so no point in having a cell phone), no computer, no car (garage doors only work on clicker and man door blocked so can't get inside to pull the cord which releases the door), no water (well hardwired), no heat. Fireplace working overtime, gas stove with oven door open helping out, bailing water from the pond, too far to walk in hard crusty snow to find out if the local garage has power where I can call out.  Friends were sending me emails saying your phone isn't working are you okay?  Can't get those either.  And then there's health warnings about PLEASE don't gather, PLEASE wash, mask, distance.  We are pretty lucky being on an island as it greatly controls/reduces the number of cases locally. 

And a merry xmas to all from the tide pools of Vancouver Island.

[jamshundred]

I have power lines that run through an area of old white pine riddled with pine beetles, and ash trees dying off also from bug infestation.  Every time the wind blows there is a tree or large branch fall  that takes down the power line.  I do not know why they will not bury the line.  I was out of power on the coldest day in a few weeks.  But, I have a wood stove that provides some warmth, and the ability to cook or warm food and water.

i am surprised you did not install alternative heating living in the north.  Even down here in temperate climate I would have a wood stove.  It offers life-saving alternative in a winter weather crisis.  Maybe consider an insert where both the doors open you can enjoy the same ambiance as a fireplace.  

Merry Christmas.

[cddexter]

thx, Jude.

Up here in the North, as you say, my climate is virtually identical to Seattle, or San Francisco except for a few days, and little fog.  Not so north, actually, as we are south of the 49th parallel and being on the Pacific have the benefit of ocean water keeping our temps reasonable.  Winter here is usually around 40-50 degrees with some colder nights.  I still remember someone from the US coming to Victoria with skis on the roof of the car, in July, because he figured there was a 20 foot high wall of snow that stopped at the border, cold north, reasonable south.  You need to travel more. 

I have two wood stoves stored in the garage, as I had a Rumford fireplace built when I designed this new house.  Produces 4x the heat of a regular fireplace, and a legged trivet allows me to cook, too.  Thinking I should have built in a crane, as I still have several of my old cast iron pots.  The cream of the jest is that I used the propane stove in the kitchen to provide extra heat, and now have run out of propane because I forgot to have the big 420 lb tank filled, so now have power and water, but not hot water or stove.  Fireplace and microwave doing just fine.  The stove is older than I am, and still providing excellent service, just like me.

Have a great Christmas, and it's nice to look forward to a quiet four years of governance done with integrity and dignity.

cheers, c.

[lakeportfarms]

What? No solar or wind power to keep the lights on for you Carol?
At least you haven't put in your polluting wood burning stove to keep you warm, and your car is stuck in the garage and no spewing carbon emissions to warm the planet.
I'm less convinced we'll have 4 years of of integrity and dignity, especially now that it appears that the Democrats are going to take control of the Senate. Hello statehood for P.R. and D.C., goodbye filibuster and a 9 member Supreme Court. There will be a lot of pressure on the Harris/Obama/Biden administration to get their wish list underway, and she'll be more than happy to oblige.
When I heard that Jennifer Granholm was Biden's pick for energy secretary, I immediately purchased as many used fuel storage tanks as I could find, and started creating my own "Strategic Petroleum Reserve". We have a lot of experience with that woman here in Michigan, and she is hated as much if not more than our current Governor half-Whitmer and there is no doubt that you should start to get used to power outages and not being able to afford to drive your car.

If we have a power outage here, I'm just going to go start up my 35KW diesel generator with the full tank of 350 gallons and maybe use it as an excuse to sit down for a bit and watch some Amazon Prime shows over the internet with the 70" flat screen TV :-D

Happy New Year!

[cddexter]

What, Hans? Not painting your face, picking up your Trump flag, and taking part in an insurrection?   No matter how you cut it, that was a failed coup.  c.

[lakeportfarms]

Oh geez Carol.   Why do you put so much faith in elected officials and media to tell you what to think and do?  I would think you were smarter than that.  Why don't you see it for what it really was, which was a legitimate protest against the unwillingness to review any of the irregularities in the 2020 election, and a very small minority of people got a bit carried away.  Probably more than a few infiltrating from YOUR side or Antifa, BLM, etc. as a false flag type of operation.   You must not have been paying attention this summer with all of the "peaceful protests" of the left, or two years ago the "peaceful protesters" storming the Hart Senate building during the Cavanaugh confirmation hearings.  That is what YOUR side does, after all.  We're too busy working and supporting their asses.  Your side got all the investigation you wanted with Russia, Ukraine, and any number of other "scandals" that you thought Trump was guilty of.  And they found nothing.  I suppose you think they just didn't look hard enough?

Read this guy's short article for a bit more clarity.

www.steynonline.com/10914/this-is-not-who-we-are

[cddexter]

All election officials of both parties, and republican elected and trump supported government officials, and multiple judges ditto, and the Supreme Court with its Republican majority and three judges personally appointed by trump, AND Bill Barr, ALL say there was no fraud, and over 60 lawsuits have been dumped. Only one person is saying there was fraud--and only in the districts he lost, all other districts are just fine thank you, because he won them under identical rules may I point out--plus his few paid minions and a couple of people who want trumps supporters to vote for them next election. The world is appalled. You think it's still all conspiracy. I won't change your opinions, they are too much a part of what makes you tick, and at this point I think your ego can't afford to be wrong. I've never spent a lot of time sitting around whining about being a victim, but if it suits you, go for it.