Lights Out!

Last Friday night (6/29), a storm called a derecho roared into Snoozeville somewhere around 9:30-10 p.m. A derecho is a fast-moving storm that covers a wide swath of ground with sheets of rain, nearly incessant lightning, and high winds.

The storm began about 11 a.m. just west of Chicago; 10 or so hours later, it hit the DC area.  As the above screen capture from the WashPost says, it left more than 1,000,000 residents without power.

Snoozeville lost its power about 11:30 p.m. Friday night, and it's STILL OUT.  I'm staying at Cathy's in downtown DC--where all the power lines are under ground, and there are virtually no big old trees to snap off in the wind.

Friends stuck in apartments with small children are suffering greatly--no refrigerators, not just no air conditioning and lights.  Cathy visited friends in NW DC on Saturday night, and she said it was like the 1800s (or must have been--as old as we think we are, we didn't live back then)--no street lights, lanterns inside the apartment.

You can't imagine what conditions the clean-up crews are facing:  massive destruction, downed poles (not just wires), and punishing high heat & humidity.

Holding everyone in the light.....