Saturday 16 August 2003
Blackout diary
“The computer’s beeping at me!” said my roommate as I came up the back walkway. It wasn’t our computer, of course, but the UPS it was plugged into, in death-throes mode. But before I’d walked the fifteen feet into the office, it conked. Poor M had no idea we even had a UPS.
We found a radio and a pile of batteries, and tuned in, the dial eerily blank except for about five music stations, CHUM (rebroadcasting CP24) and the CBC.
J arrived a little later after an hour-and-a-half trudge home from work. And then Sean arrived, hauling a small hibachi and a bag of charcoal he’d bought. Dinner was veggie burgers and chili, and a whole lot of ice cream. We sat up on the deck for the first time, surrounded by tea lights in jars.
Afterward, we wandered down to the lake. Our neighbours seemed to go for more elaborate candlelit dinners. Some of them were watering their lawns… so much for conserving water. There was a great clinking of forks and knives from the bistro on the corner, who had stayed open thanks to a gas stove and plenty of candles.
The beach was a lot more deserted than I expected. A lopsided orange moon was rising, and Mars - which I’d given up hope of seeing during its close approach - was spectacular. It was clear enough to see satellites, and some brilliant shooting stars. And quiet. Off in the distance, there was a dim glow from the dark silhouette of the CN Tower, and a red glitter of emergency aircraft-warning lights, but that was about it.
Grinning with the sheer wonder of it all, we headed back home for tea.
We were fortunate, of course. A co-worker of J’s had to help move dozens of boxes out of a friend’s sewage-flooded basement apartment. And we have power again this morning - a lot of the province is still dark.
The whole episode has really spurred us to look into solar power - it might not be that viable for a rented house, but it’s been in the back of our minds - and set a good example when it comes to energy conservation. Oh yeah, and get a windup radio.