For years, I have wanted a generator. The big huge kind, that sits outside my house and would hopefully render me completely empowered rather than totally powerless. As in: snow storms, thunderstorms, meteor storms, you name it, whatever storms. But for years I was without the bucks to ante up for such a pleasure so the desire was never even up for consideration.
That all changed however, once I had sold my parents' house about a year ago. It was then that I was able to consider this little luxury. So boom. I got Maxie on the job lickety split. I put him in charge of finding me three estimates from different companies and then help me analyze which generator from which company I would then proudly own. I was pretty adamant, too, about which company would also give me the best service, once the generator was installed. I'm telling you.. NO one is as good to me as Maxie in solving problems within my house. No wonder... he built it!
Okay. So the decision was made, the big monster was installed and the gas lines were connected. Bingo. Done. Now, every Wednesday you can hear the generator self test itself for about 15 minutes, to be sure it's running perfectly. In fact every house close to me can probably hear it too, since it's LOUD. However, who cares about them. I've got the backup power I wanted, needed and paid for. So, sorry neighbors. I win. Anyway... now fast forward to last February. There I was, hosting a lovely dinner, not having a care in the world. Everything was as happy as could be. Until that is, when things got a hell of lot MORE happy.
What brought on this further bliss?? You'll never believe it. About a half hour after dinner maybe, my company and I slid my favorite comedy into the DVD player and JUST THEN holy baholy. THE LIGHTS BEGIN FLICKERING. THEN THEY'RE OUT. THENNNNNN... WITHIN SECONDS THEY'RE BACK ON. Along with the tv, the computer, the applicances, the DVD player, the heat, the everything! OMG... WHO KNEW?? THE GENERATOR HAD KICKED IN!!! I swear... once I realized what was happening, I was like ready to begin dancing on the damn ceiling, for God sakes. IT WAS SIMPLY INCREDIBLE.
Turns out: the entire city was practically in a black out mode. Uh... but not ME my friend. I WAS IN HEAVEN. We checked out the other houses down the street... Sorry folks. NOTHING. NO LIGHTS. NO POWER. NO NOTHING. I can not even TELL you how excited I was. Sure the generator cost big bucks... but talk about money well spent!! What a fantastic invention this power supplier turned out to be. Not to mention a life saver. Entertaining in the dark? Major hassle. Entertaining with the generator?? An F-ing breeze!
Anyway, no worries on that front anymore. I'm am now SO good to go. What I loved most about the whole black out incident was that I actually had a chance to PRACTICE with the generator. To be sure that it actually WORKED. Just what I'd want. No power AND no powerful engine to get things rolling once again. Man... am I ever a happy lady. And OH so grateful.
Kinda like the way I am indebted to: paper towels, toilets, chocolate, microwaves, computers and Diet Coke. You have all these things... bingo. You can survive almost anything. Even a black out.
Which is good. For supposedly... as the ole wives' tales say up here... when you get such extreme heat before July 4th, then you can almost COUNT on a really horrible winter. Which of course translates into power going down due to snow and/or ice. Which of couse then translates into: Hotel Linda filling up plenty fast when all my friends need a comfy place to ride out the storm. Well... depending upon whether or not there's a vacancy.