NO Power!

[Buttercup]

Just wanted to let everyone know that our power at home is off.. So what computer time I get is either at my sister's or my neighbors. So I'll still be able to check in most everyday. Living off the grid has been interesting to say the least! DH did start the genny today so I could vaccum! That was great! We are getting some really good practice in! If I get the chance I'll check back in tomorrow! Anyone have any advice? Take care!

 

Dawn

[Mother]

Great practice BC. Lets see, you have the stove to cook on and for heat. YOu have lanterns. Hmmmm. Pumping water been a problem? I'd say you could pretty much handle it just fine.

 

Instead of advise from us, why not chronicle it and let US know how you handle things. We can all learn from it that way.

 

 

 

[cookiejar]

I'm with Mother! I want the Chronicles of Buttercups Adventure!

 

Seriously, I know it's annoying but I know you'll glide on through.

 

[Buttercup]

We haven't pumped water just yet he's going to rewire the pump tomorrow so we can plug it into the generator. We can put buckets down the well to get water that way. We have been filling them down at the neighbors house so far. We have all kinds of oil lamps, oil lanterns, candles, solar lanterns and rechargable ones. We have a battery powered weather radio and a windup one as well. It's been 4 days. It's not been too bad. This power outage started out being not by choice. That's what happens when you get behind on the bill. But indeed we have heat, food, water etc. Things are good so far. I do miss my computer most of all. But I am surviving without it. He says he will turn on the genny a couple times a week so I can blog and post here.. So I'll keep writing everything down that way I don't waste gas and time thinking of what I want to say. Oh by the way, clothes take a couple of days to dry on the clothes line in the house if you don't have a fan to ciruclate the air! So you might want to allow for that! Since it's still chilly outside we have been using other people's showers. We do have a big washtub we will use when it gets a little warmer out. Well I am rambling now. SO I am going to go. You all have a great Sunday! Take care!

[westbrook]

"The Buttercup Chronicles"

 

we are waiting!

[Darlene]

We love and miss you buttercup...hang in there. I went 6 weeks without power after a hurricane so I know what you're dealing with.

[Buttercup]

You know the best thing about it? I know I said I was going but we are having a late dinner with my sister and her family! Anyway back to the best thing.. I can lay in my bed at night and hear the frogs out my window.. There's no radios, tv's appliances (fridge, freezer etc) or water pumps humming in the background. You all should try it some night! It's really very peaceful. I wish I could hear the crickets and katydids already. I feel like I am camping in my house! We have a propane fridge in the camper so that's what we are using to store cold foods. He said we could turn the genny on a couple times a day for the pump in order to refill water jugs and to let the toilets fill back up.

I know I am just a couple of days into this.. But for those of you who think you'd never be able to survive without power, trust me it is possible! If you don't believe me go shut off your breaker boxes for a couple of hours and give yourselves a trial run. I do suggest you get out your generators now and make sure they are in running order! It's not fun when you have to use it and find out it won't start! We had to borrow a neighbors because our pull start is messed up on ours! So like I said give yourself a trial run. Do everything you would do if your power was really off. Write down your experiences and post them here!

[UKGuy]

It's one of the things I love about these forums. The personal experiences of people who are already somewhat prepared and then when the S really does HTF, even in a small or temporary way, it's the bits that you never thought of that come out, and we all learn from that.

 

And from Buttercup, most of all in this stressing time - a positive attitude to it all.

 

"The Buttercup Chronicles" Yes pleeeease.

[Jules]

This is great to read, we did an off grid test run a few weeks ago. Totally by choice and boy was it an eye opener! I have a meeting to go to and when I get back I hope to compare some notes with you.

[Buttercup]

This all started at 11:15am Wednesday April 2, 2008. Sp this is day 5. The weather this weekend has been absolutely gorgeous! Boy is that generator noisy! There would definately be no hiding that in a SHTF situation now would there? Hubby is in there right now rewiring the pump! It will be nice to flush the toilet without a bucket! So apparently I am allowed a few small luxuries during this time! And flushing the toilet is right up there at the top! This morning I didn't start the cookstove. I used the camp stove to make eggs coffee and toast. It's sad when it's warmer outside than inside your house! But I didn't want to be a slave to the stove today so I just didn't start it! I am going outside to clean all the leaves and garbage off the front patio!

Oh on another note... My chicks who are about 3 weeks old now. Haven't had a heat lamp since Wednesday.. We have had some cold nights one night we had ice. And the last 2 we have had frost! But my chicks are troopers and I only lost 2 that first night. Since then they have all been doing great! They are outside in the barn in a coop my husband made 2 years ago! They love the freedom of it instead of that small tub they were in in the house! Well I shall go for now.. Until later.

Dawn

[Buttercup]

Some of my adventures including some pictures are at my blog...

 

http://msbuttercup.wordpress.com/

 

[Buttercup]

Day 6: I had to wake DS up so he could start the generator for me. I tried to do it on my own.. Come to find out dh shut the gas off and I was not aware of it or even how to turn it back on! DUH. I choked it too much and flooded it. Anyway finally got it going so we could run the deep freeze for a little while, and the well pump so we could fill buckets for chores and flush toilets.

We needed to run some errands and my brother in law was in need of our tiller. So we ran to town. Then back home.

Ds mowed while little dd and I planted some rose bushes and pansies. I also hung my windchimes. Then we did some more cleaning of the patio area, I don't know how all the rocks dirt and leaves get there! I also worked on cleaning out all the dead leaves and grass out of the flower beds that are along the wall of the patio. We also brought the yard table and lawn chairs down to the patio as well.

I started heating water on the camp stove for dishes. It must not have been burning right because the fumes started making me sick to my stomach after a few minutes. So I shut it off and went back outside. I had the doors and windows wide open so I know it was well ventilated. It took a minute to get over the sickness then I finished the side walk. I went back in and relit the stove and made spaghetti and corn for supper. Needless to say the dishes didn't get done.. I got up from the dinner table put some dirty clothes in the bathroom hamper put my gown on and went straight to bed. That was 8pm. The children tried to watch a movie in the car with the portable player but couldn't get it to work. So little dd was pretty bored last night. I suppose the next few days are going to be pretty bad because it's supposed to rain all week! But we will manage. We will get out some puzzles, books and cards I have been saving back. You all have a good day and I'll talk to you tomorrow!

[Amishway Homesteaders]

OK People here it is - Buttercup is now past the 'this is fun ' part (like when we all 'testing with no power' for a day) and into the REAL 'going without power' part. Things will now start to get a bit boring and chores will start to slide but she has stuff put aside for the kids and seems to have a plan to keep things going for the long run.

We are reading this and taking notes to learn what works and what didn't as the days go by. Like use that camp stove OUTSIDE! put up a smalll table on the porch and keep it away from any walls.

You keep going and yes keep us all posted as well.

Thanks for the LIVE DEMO !

 

~US~

[Mother]

Hang in there Buttercup. I know from past experience that it gets easier as you go along and get a routine going.

 

My toughest was water related; laundry, showers, washing milk buckets and containers, and etc. We had to hand pump all ours and haul it. Still do as our generator isn't big enough to run the well pump if we needed it.

 

Tell us about your water experiences BC.

 

((((Buttercup)))

 

 

 

[Buttercup]

We aren't really having a problem with water as our generator is big enough to run our pump. I heat water on the stove for dishes and light clean up. Our neighbors our close enough that we use them for their hot shower! Thank God for them! I do have a solar shower hanging up outside and use it for washing hands etc when we have been working outside. It's just not warm enough to use for showers outside yet. I don't have a porch AH or I would do just that! I do have a table set up outside now. It's just been so darn windy it blows it out. I'll just stick to the woodstove for now. It was a little warm in the house this evening, so I left the front door open until it started raining so hard we had to shut it. Although it was over cast today rain was threatening it was nice and warm out. We spent the afternoon in the barn. Just watching the rabbits chicks duckies and pigs. I know that doesn't seem like much fun but Jo loves to climb all over the barn. So we spent a couple hours doing just that. Then I came in and fried potatoes and cooked some brats to go with them. Did the dishes and rested for awhile and now we are down taking showers.. Tomorrow our new chicks will be in.. That will be a challenge keeping them warm for a few days. They will be ok in front of the cookstove for a few days. Well I should go for now. Tomorrow ends week one! Ya'll have fun!

[SDBookMom]

This reminds me of the first few months we lived here. At first we lived in our 20 foot camper, cooked over a fire & used a child's pool for bathing. On tip I learned was to keep cold things in a cooler & change out two 2 liter pop bottle from a freezer every day to keep them cold. I had one plug box and that had the freezer hooked to it.

 

It does get easier after you get a routine, and becomes rather nice.

 

Joyfully,

Cheryl

[KallieKat]

Hang in there Buttercup! Things get easier! Years ago when we first started building our house, we had just one room. Windows were plywood we would prop open during the day, no electric, no well. We saved enough to have the power pole installed, after months we had saved enough for a well and pump. We went several years with no indoor plumbing, the outhouse worked fine. In the begining we hauled water, bathed in the river, cooked outdoors on a "red neck" grill. My first indoor stove was a 2 burner propane boat stove, first kitchen sink was a little stainless boat sink with a 5 gallon bucket under it to catch the water to be hauled out....I thought we were really up town then! At that point we didn't have any kiddies yet...I think that would be the hardest of all, trying to keep them busy and happy. I still remember hand washing diapers daily!

Karen

[Buttercup]

Well it's been a full week. Josie is making cinnamon toast on the cookstove and CJ is running around frantically looking for his phone! It's not raining today but it is overcast and a little colder. Josie is now on to making pancakes. She is such a trooper.. None of this has gotten her down. Of course it's only been a week. Not months! Our pullets are supposed to be in today! So we will get out of the house for a little while! I'd say during the day is great. Nothing out of the ordinary. We spend alot of our time outdoors. It's at night that things seem a little dark and depressing. I think we need more lighting. I am supposed to fix a porkroast in the cookstove oven for dinner. It will be the first time I have ever really roasted meat in it. I have no idea how long it's going to take. Well pancakes are ready.. Until later!

[kappydell]

Wow, Buttercup! You sound like you are enjoying the no power trip. That is great!!! You can inspire those of us who are a little tentative to try it.

(Another no-power story - I had no power 6 wks due to a freak storm that blew 3 huge trees down on my house - I told everyone I lived in the 'tree house' for a while - The entire area was without power but we got fixed last because we are on a country rd with few houses. We just lit up the oil lamps, the landlord brought over a 50-gal drum of water, which he set up on a stand in the front yard and inserted a spigot into for toilet flushing 'a la bucket' and we just carried on. Every day I'd bring home (from work) 20 lb of ice for ice chest but it was cool so in a pinch the evaporation cooler would have worked fine. Propane heats the house so we were comfy. I loved it, yup it is like camping in. When the power came up I was a little disappointed - back to the usual hustle bustle. The only thing my spouse missed was a TV (he is an addict) but we had one that runs on batteries so he could watch a little each night. Man those ate up the batteries though....a little crystal radio would have been better.) I big time that it is fun to rough it and it's not all that hard...just different!

 

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with all of us!! You inspire us and bring back good memories.

[Buttercup]

Week 2 blah blah blah blah blah.. The days seem to just run into each other. Things are still going well. We are getting used to the darkness. We try and have everything done by 7pm because it gets dark shortly after. We had a cold snap over the weekend so I sent my chicks (my day olds) down to the neighbors house. She's been very good to us during this whole time. I hope all is well with everyone here. I miss you all so much. My days just aren't the same without you. Take care.

 

- Dawn

[MomM]

We miss you too, Dawn. (((Dawn)))

[Buttercup]

Ice Storms, Floods, Snow, Rain, Earthquakes oh my! Welcome to Illinois!

[Mother]

Thinking of you often Buttercup. Sending warm weather (hopefully).

 

We miss you here. Take care.

 

[Becca_Anne]

Hope you rode out the earthquake o.k. We miss you!

[sarawolf]

From a new person I am hoping you all the luck and Gods Blessing at this time, been there done that.lol

When we first moved to ID we couldn't find any housing so so we camped out for 4 and 1/2 months with our 6 youngest children, washed clothes in a 5 gallon bucket etc.I had a Coleman stove to cook on so that helped. Take care and again good luck.