A Power Outage Made Me Rethink My Midwest Life

 When I first moved to Iowa just over 4 years ago, I thought a lot about the probable pros and cons of leaving Alaska.

Pros:

• Not being so isolated from family in the Lower 48.
• Being able to take day trips to other states and climates.
• Cheaper costs of rent, shopping, groceries.

• More stores choices.
• Shippers not treating (or charging) me as if they had to hire wagon trains to deliver goods to my home.
• Wider proximity away from crime-addled areas.
• Having more seasons than those of "mostly light all the time" and "mostly dark all the time" or "Winter", "Almost Winter", "20 Days of Summer".
• Roads without potholes the size of my car.
• No more cottonwood allergies or running from mosquitos big enough to carry off small children and pets.
• Being able to go comfortably sleeveless for more than 30 days of the year.

Cons:

• Being away from my niece still living in Alaska.
• Not being surrounded by the natural beauty of Alaska.
• Missing the friendly people.
• Not being "just down the way" from almost everything and everyone.
• Not being able to make store runs 1 in the morning in the full light of the "midnight sun".
• No more weekends sitting around a fire pit with family and friends all night, talking about why I don't fish, hunt, ski or pick berries - but like having the choices.
• Not being 6 degrees of knowing almost everyone in every store or supermarket.
• Just not being in the place I've called home for almost all of my life.
• The possibility of seeing insects and critters I don't like. I'm used to seeing a moose on the loose. I can handle some small bugs, but I will move house the first time I see a snake.

In reality, I have realized things after making the move that I never expected.

• How I miss the sweet, clear water-from-the-faucet of Anchorage. The tap water here is so awful that I have to budget for buying or filtering it. I won't even water my plants with what comes out of the tap.
• It's so hard to find affordable and not-farmed fish and seafood here. I never knew how much I loved salmon, trout, and crab until I couldn't afford it without taking out a personal loan.
• Worse than with the seafood, I miss the variety of dining. I have not seen an Indian, Japanese, or Thai restaurant within a 15-mile radius of my home. There is a Chinese restaurant that everyone raves about but only because they have never had food from Golden Gate. My best choice is to go to the Panda Express in the town next door. 
• In fact, there is very little racial diversity. I have not found my New Sagaya, Stop and Shop Asain Market, Korean or Indian Grocery, or Mountain View Red Apple Grocery. And no Natural Pantry for my hippie food moods. Thank goodness Walmart carries collard greens and smoked neckbones at least.
• My family can buy tickets for me to visit them for less than the cost and time of shipping furniture to Alaska. On the other hand...
• ... Getting to and from the airport can involve a road trip and a possible overnight stay at a motel.
• Midwest people are so friendly, I think they would be Alaskans in another life.
• I do love my small-town life. The calm and quiet make up for most of what I miss about Alaska. Not all, but most.

So why am I about to whine? Well, with all the thought I put into being able to enjoy actual seasons, I forgot about one thing: the storms.

Oh, yes, Dorothy. We aren't in Kansas but we are close enough.

My SIL was laughing at the time but...

I took that photo a couple of years ago when my Arizona family was visiting. My SIL thought it was funny and I assured her that I had not yet ever had a tornado scare. And I hadn't. Not then. But last night...

When the tornado devastated parts of Kentucky recently, I prayed for the people. But I wasn't thinking that Kentucky is just 11 hours from here. So, basically, we are storm neighbors. Maybe?

Last night about 6 or 6:30, I heard a faint siren. Didn't think anything of it. I was just finishing dinner in front of the TV and waiting for the next Netflix episode of "Supergirl" to run. Then my phone made that nerve-jangling noise that happens for Amber alerts and... storm alerts. Now that siren made sense.

Thankfully, I had not taken my weekly meds yet so I wasn't feeling sick. I was also having a decent brain day so I was fairly lucid. I went into preparation mode and started getting ready for a power outage. We have those quite often here.

I plugged in my cellphone to charge up. I also started charging my phone's backup battery case and my laptop. And I started downloading some "Supergirl" episodes onto my Netflix desktop app.  Because, you know, I was in the middle of a binge. (Thank you, Arizona niece for giving me a Netflix sub!)

Being here in Iowa for less than 5 years and I've experienced enough outages to know what to expect of a regular storm. 

I turned my fridge up to get it as cold as possible and I made and bagged up some PB&J sandwiches to keep on the counter. I set out my little flashlight on the counter, turned up the thermostat, checked my bottled water supply, and made a pot of coffee to put in a thermos.

By the time the power did go down an hour later, I was set for the evening. Normally the power outages last about 3 to 4 hours here - maybe 5. The apartment has a backup to keep the hallway lights on and we always have heat in the common areas.  My neighbors treat outages as a chance to get together in the common rooms and chitter-chatter.

Half an hour into the outage, I could hear my neighbors congregating in the hallway. That was new. Generally, they stay up front in the lounge area... ~shrug~ 

I heard them talking and laughing and passing snacks around. I propped my front door open a bit to let in some light and hunkered down in my bed with the computer and Netflix. With my laptop in battery-saver mode, I could get in at least two hours of "Supergirl" before I had to shut it down and have some power left for later.

An hour later, the neighbors quieted down. I guessed they had gone back into their apartments. An hour after that, I turned off the computer and waited for the power to come back on. 

At about a quarter to nine, one of my neighbors called into my door asking if I was alright. I called back that I was and she said to make sure to come into the hallway if I heard the siren again. I called "Okay" then sat up in bed.

Wait. What?

I ran out and asked what she meant. She said that the safest place to be in our building during a possible tornado was the hallway. Not only was it the most reinforced part of the building, but it would be faster from there to the shelters down the street.

What?

Yeah. The older neighbors living on the upper floors of the building were being helped downstairs by others (the elevator was out with the power), just in case.

What, Dorothy?!?!?

I went back into my apartment and started putting together a go-bag faster than the feds on "Criminal Minds".  I put in my laptop, phone and chargers, my wallet, and my medicine kit in my backpack. I added the only cash I had on hand -10 dollars in quarters for laundry - some bottled water and the sandwiches. I put the backpack by the door with my coat. I put on some shoes and went to help with getting people down the stairs. Then I went into my apartment and sat on my bed, praying for everyone and waiting for the end of the world.

Get yours here

Okay, so I might have overreacted. 

The storm quickly subsided enough that the word went around the building that we could relax. The power was being worked on and some neighboring buildings had lights working.

I didn't relax though. I got busy using the light from the hallway to write out a list of things I need to have ready for the next storm a better flashlight, another battery backup for my phone, and one for my laptop. A permanent go-bag with some cash and extra meds.  I called my brother (who had been trying to call me) and let him know I was okay. They live less than 20 miles away and their weather was way calmer - no outages or warnings. He was in his garage, smoking some meats. He wanted to come and get me but I pretended to be brave and said I'd call if I needed him.

When something like that happens, you start thinking about just how unprepared you are. I couldn't help thinking about things like how did I have enough meds and syringes on hand in case of a long-term emergency. And what would I want to take with me if I could only carry a backpack at the last minute?

I finally managed to calm down enough to lay down in bed (fully clothed and shoes on) and wait for the power in our building to come back on. I woke up to the ceiling light shining down on me. It was 1 in the morning and the building was very quiet. 

After thanking God for getting us all safely through the storm. I went straight online to order a flashlight, another phone backup charger, and to look for an affordable charger for my laptop. 

I found most of what I needed. I will have to cut back on food and any extras for the next couple of months, but I should be better prepared for the next outage.

Now that I am finished ranting, I want to tell you that I will be reviewing the lights and phone backups at a later time.

Peace

--Free