(Daylight) Saving Time

So I lost an hour last night.  Actually I feel like I lost many hours this week.  Our electricity went out in the windstorm Wednesday about noon and was not restored until late Friday afternoon.  Wednesday wasn’t bad.  The backup system kept the wifi on for a few hours. I went to the library and chose a book to distract and amuse.  I went to the drug store and bought a battery-powered book light.  We ate Five Guys Burgers and Fries by candlelight for dinner.  By Thursday morning it was too cold for comfort in the house, so for two days I shuttled between coffee houses (mostly Brew) and restaurants (Original Sub and Greg’s Grill and QQ) and libraries – wherever there was warmth, electricity, and wifi.  In between I came home to check whether the lights were on.   (Nope!)  I obsessively checked the Toledo Edison website for explanations and promises.  Outage reported.  Inclement weather.  Tree damage. Awaiting assignment. Additonal crews requested. First I worried that the freezer would warm up and then I worried that the houseplants – or the pipes – would freeze.  Nights were okay under warm blankets, so there was that.

Lately I’ve been trying to get out of the house more, but not for simple survival.  Now that I am warm (although I am left with a head cold that may or not be associated with the outage), I am appreciating the comforts of home but still determined to get out more.

I remember a few years ago smiling at Karen Wood’s comment that free time is a lot more valuable when you don’t have so much of it.  Karen, you certainly seem to have figured out how to handle that!  I still have a ways to go.

I don’t need to save time.  I want to spend it wisely and appreciate it gratefully.