After Tomas

November blew in surreptitiously amid angst and listlessness.  After Tropical Storm/Hurricane Tomas gusted through 13ºN, knocking down grown trees all over the place and therefore obliterating power lines and sending us all into darkness, I found myself utterly dejected and morose.  No electricity does that to a person...especially one used to the modern conveniences being 'electrified' offers.

But, I had to be grateful that we were spared the full and uncensored wrath of what a hurricane can do...no lives were lost, the majority of houses were intact, give or take a few shingles and Permaclad roofing sheets.  Our house stood up to the test of 70mph winds - even our DirecTV dish held up, if not a little wobbly on the hinges.  Though, I fear that if the dish blew, then it would've taken most of the roof with it.

However, gratefulness aside, the five days of no electricity was a bitch!

We lost the majority of our frozen foods, fresh produce, and my favourite orange juice.  But, there's always a bright side.  It gave me a chance to clear out and clean out my fridge.  It needed it in the worst way.  For a new fridge, it had somehow managed to accumulate a horrendous amount of absolute junk!  Pressed up in the corners, flattened out under other food items, were odds and ends of bits and pieces of leftovers foods, meats, and mysterious greenish-black objects that I dared not guess what they could've been.

Two garbage bags later, my fridge had returned to it's original self.  But it somehow couldn't shake that sour, rotting meat smell no matter how hard I tried to find the source.  Four Arm and Hammer bicarbonate of soda containers later, a generous dousing of spray disinfectant under the fridge...it's back to it's normal self and stocked with all our favourite contents.

Then the power came back on and the air-conditioner died.  I nearly had an apoplectic fit.

Now, we have a brand, spanking new AC unit and life is good again.

And I've even got the urge to write again.  Funny how you get motivation after a crisis.  Not only did I come up with a new story, I feel the need to complete the Grosjean Chronicles that sort of fizzled and stalled at the beginning of chapter 2.  So, I've got a notebook in hand, scratching away at ideas and plot lines, ruminating and organizing thoughts, etc.

On another note, I hosted my first ever book giveaway over at Tami's blog.  Congrats to Linda who won via the eenie meenie miney moe routine.  I hope she enjoys the book!  And funny how she just happened to be another Champagne Books author.  To quote her words exactly, "Champagne authors rock!!"

I'd like to think so.

Back to my scribbles now....