Community Spirit & Power Prevail...

THE Well  is now Ooh La La, but that spirit prevailed during the "outage."

This is brief, but I, for one, was fully aware of the paradigm shift...a start-up...during the recent heat wave and attendant power outages:  Ellicott City and beyond. 

"You got power back yet?"  or some such phrase resonated from Laurel, through Columbia, and over the bridge into Baltimore County's Oella.  

Stories of rot and other horrors abound, but it's over now and we more than survived: We human beings were really overpoweringly cool and mostly calm!

During this time, friends and neighbors joined forces in emptying refrigerators of those who were on vacation and had no power...moving frozen and other goods; editing refrigerators--

my neighbor--a friend of many years, AND with a generator--invited me over to their cool house to spend the night in a lovely guest room, and even offered to host my cats. 

Men and women I met trying to buy ice and other items off the shelf or in high demand started up pleasant conversations.  With no lights at intersections, the courtesies were expanded to a level I have not seen or experienced. In brief, we behaved in more then a civil way. It was totally refreshing to see the degree of cooperation that was given birth by crisis.

I had nearly given up, or given in...it must have been over 90 degrees in my place...and so many were looking for hotels and motels...to no avail...when suddenly I heard the air conditioner go on in the main house here on Church Road. Stunned for a moment, thinking THIS CAN'T BE...It was...and my little fans were whirring, and I held the cats and told them everything would be fine. They were brave, but exhausted.

As for me, a trip to Florida is nigh.  On my way out, just expressing gratitude...

Some USDA info:

Discard the following perishable foods if kept above refrigerator temperature (40 degrees F) for more than 2 hours:

• raw or cooked meat, poultry or seafood
• milk/cream, yogurt, soft cheese
• cooked pasta, pasta salads
• custard, chiffon, or cheese pies
• fresh eggs, egg substitutes
• meat or cheese-topped pizza, luncheon meats
• casseroles, stews, soups
• tartar sauce and creamy dressings
• refrigerated cookie dough
• cream-filled pastries

All of this went out...and more...but in its place, a kind of NEW DAWN in spirit! And the temperatures can only go down from now on. Right?

This page is dedicated to Leslie Lewart, creator of THE WELL, and a dear friend.

Kay Weeks content/photos
7.11.12
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