It's been 61 hours now since the power went out.  The power company is a client of the husband's.  He's talked to people on the inside.  They are working really hard but I wouldn't be surprised if we are out for a few more days.  He did offer a $200 bribe and sexual services from me to one person if they got us hooked up today.  I don't know whether to hope for that or not.

   So far today we've mostly been preoccupied with food.  You can't buy food on Christmas.  The store at the gas station was doing a brisk business today in coffee and donuts.  I had Ho-Hos (how festive!) and chocolate milk for breakfast.  We went home and fed the animals.  Then we grabbed a bunch of soups and other canned foods that we can microwave here.  I'm eating Imagine organic tomato soup as I type.  Then we went to the nursing home where the grandmother-in-law is.  They don't have any power either.  The plan was to drop off the MIL so she could spend the day.  But they don't have any power either so there is no cable so she didn't know what to do with herself.  (Read a book, you say?  Yeah, this is the woman who once sat staring at the TV for hours when the power went off until it came back on.  I kid you not.)

   The cautious civility between the MIL and husband described in the previous post is continuing.  It would have been better to separate today but it's not to be.  In a few hours we'll be going to a movie.  They have food there.  We are learning to be quite the little scroungers. 

   We found a hotel with openings for tomorrow night, Monday, and Tuesday.  So we have reservations for 2 rooms.  We'll stay here tonight again unless the power is fixed by the intervention of the guy that the husband promised me to for sexual favors. 

   Personally I'm happy to be in an office with many computers with high speed internet access.  I don't even really care that it's high speed.  I'm just happy that the husband and I can be on at the same time.  I never knew how easy it was it make me happy.

   Where to start?  Our power went out Thursday at about 1:00 AM.  It's now Friday at 9:30 PM. 

   The problems started Thursday at 8 AM.  I had to go to work.  I couldn't get out of lthe driveway.  My plan was to get the husband to drive up and down the driveway a few times to clear it so my little car could get out.  He was cranky.  He couldn't get his SUV de-iced.  So he told me that there was no reason why I shouldn't be able to get out by myself.  I should know better than to believe him.  I got stuck in the driveway.  So then he had to pull me out.  Turns out once I reached someone at work I didn't have to go in because they didn't have power either.  There were over 30,000 people without power in one county alone. 

   The main problem was the cold.  I was worried about my bird.  The other problem was no water for the horses. 

   Plan number 1 - get a hotel room before they all get booked up.  Mission accomplished.  We get 2 rooms.  One for us, the bird, and the dog and one for the mother-in-law.  Fine and dandy for about 1/2 an hour until the power went out at the hotel.  Never came back on. 

  We ended up getting water hauled in from the dairy farm behind us.  They had power.  So the horses are fine.  Then we came to the husband's office.  They bought an office in a building where the previous tenant went through a nasty divorce.  He installed a shower and kitchenette so he could live here.  If he could do it so could we.  We got blankets and air mattresses and camped out.  All kinds of people were here.  There were people staying on every floor.

  This morning we went and fed the horses and cats.  We went out to eat.  I went to the grocery store and it was crazy.  Everyone was being nice but it was super crowded.  I was in line next to a girl who got a call on her cell phone that a tree just fell on her car.  She had a total meltdown.  The Kroger people had to come escort her to the pharmacy checkout so they could get her out of the store because she was causing such a scene. 

  Anyway, I was still in a pretty good mood even though I'd been trapped in close proximity to the husband and mother-in-law for a day at this point.  But then she started getting on my nerves.  I don't even remember why now.  I think she was just talking a lot about stuff she didn't know anything about like always.  But I was still being good. 

  We went to a movie.  We were the only ones in the theater.  I could tell the husband was having a bit too much togetherness with her too.  We drove back home to feed again.  Part of our road has power now but not us.  I was actually looking forward to coming back to the office for the high-speed internet access.  But the husband found a bed and breakfast with a room.  I didn't want to go because I knew we'd be cooped up in close quarters.  We went there and he agreed with me.  I went in to tell the owner.  I told him that we had had too much togetherness and if we stayed in one small room someone would die.  He laughed.  By the time I got back to the car all hell had broken loose.  They were screaming at each other.  They argue like a couple of three year olds.  "Did not!"  "Did too!" etc.  I kept my mouth shut.  She started yelling about how we both hate her.  The husband stuck up for me by saying that she was fighting with him not me because I hadn't said anything.  Then she said that I should be yelling at him for being rude.  I was trying so hard not to laugh.  They absolutely refused to let each other have the last word. 

  "I'm not talking to you anymore so shut up!"

   "Good because I don't want to hear you anymore!"

   "You can't talk to me like that so shut up!"

  And on and on.  I wanted to tell them both to grow up.  But I understand where the husband gets his inability to fight normally from now.  It also explains the way he doesn't make any sense when he fights.  Actual quote from the MIL - "I won't talk to you the rest of the night.  (Pause)  So, what am I going to do now tonight if I don't even have you to talk to?"  What???? 

   She kept saying that she wanted him to drop her off at the house.  She'd sleep there.  Personally, I would have done it.  That's my raising coming out.  My dad dropped my brother off on the side of the road out in the middle of nowhere once because he told him that he wouldn't dare do it.  My brother was about 7 at the time.  He went back for him eventually.  Point being - Don't be so melodramatic.  Right now they are being cautiously civil to each other. 

   When I was composing this post in my mind before the big fight it was based on how many things I found to be grateful for in this strange situation. 

  I'm grateful for:

   1.  Money - this time last year we would have been hard pressed to have the money for all these meals out, camping supplies, etc. 

   2.  The SUV - as much as it pains me to type that it does come in handy in this kind of weather.

   3.  Neighbors with power so we can get water. 

   4.  The husband owning an office with all the amenities of home. 

   5.  Anyplace warm enough for a tropical bird. 

At one point last night we were considering getting arrested because the jail had power.  Maybe if they kill each other that is still a possibility.  I'm actually having fun.  It's an adventure.