It turns out that my earlier purchase of a fancy flashlight was a good investment. Winter is always a bit of a windy season here, but this time the storm hit hard. I ended up having no power for two days and two nights. I shared this interesting experience with 1.5 million others. Given that WA has about 6 million inhabitants, I ask myself, why I'm always part of the fourth that ends up without power.

Anyway, I turns out that my electricity is produced on a dam somewhere on the Columbia River. From there the horsemen of the Pony Express carry it across the mountains. Some trees were knocked over so they got stuck and it took the lumberjacks a bit to clear up the road.

I've learned a few things during the last two days:

• The Internet doesn't work if you don't have electricity.
• Cold showers may be healthy but ain't fun.
• Old IVAR side parts burn pretty well.
• The battery gauge of my MP3 player is non-linear.
• The National Public Radio has some interesting stuff going on. (I may consider them in the next Giving campaign.)
• 0.7 cubic feet of seasoned firewood ($3.99 + tax) are just about enough to get you through two cold nights.
• The cellphone operator must have a different electricity supplier.
• You need about six candles to read a paperback with 10pt font size comfortably.
• If pumpkin pie tastes like it smells (disgusting), you shouldn't eat it.
• If this keeps happening I should investigate buying a generator.

The only candles they had left in the supermarket were pumkin pie scented candles. This raises a few questions:

• Why is there no law against scented candles?
• Why is there no law against pumpkin pie (or pumpkins for that matter)?
• Who on earth buys pumpkin pie scented candles if not in an emergency?
• How long will it take to get that smell out of my bathroom?