Cold

Slowly the temperature in my room climbs out of the 50's and through the 60's.  Yesterday just before noon, a very tall old pine at the east end of our block was taken down by a strong gust of wind.  With it went not just the electric wires, but the nearest pole they were attached to.  So it was a pretty big job getting our power restored. 

Our local utility says that part of the problem is that the ground has not frozen completely this winter, and, due to heavy rain, it's also quite wet.  This leaves the pines, with their shallow root systems, especially vulnerable to wind and snow. 

Last night we went out to dinner with some neighbors - which we'd been planning to do anyhow, so it was quite pleasant.  Then when we returned home we at least had some light from little Coleman lanterns that run off flashlight-type batteries, and give out a great deal of illumination for their size.  Even so, things seemed in suspended animation - waiting for the power, with nothing we felt like doing other than reading.  It really was too cold to write, or even study - hard to turn pages with gloves on.  I confess though I thought of using the time for meditation, I didn't even try. 

Then to bed early - with many blankets.  My bedding was so heavy that it was difficult to turn over during the night.  But at least I was very warm.  And all night I had strange dreams, almost as unsettled as the ones I had years ago recovering from surgery in the hospital and full of narcotics.  Weird images that felt drenched with meaning; the dead and the living conversing; people from different lifetimes all congregating; armed conflict.  Very odd.

Finally, at 10:00 this morning the power came back on - and life is returning to normal.  How easily it was derailed.