We’ve had an unusually wild week weather-wise. In the early hours of Monday morning we woke to the sound of howling wind. I’m familiar with a good wind storm, but this one felt beyond the usual; our old house shivered and we could even feel the bed vibrating beneath us. (We learned later that some gusts reached up to 130 km per hour.)
It wasn’t long before the power went out. The real surprise came the next morning when we looked out the window and saw one of our favourite trees — along with the basketball hoop and pole — lying on the ground.
Although the house and cars were safe, our little island was a mess: branches and downed power poles were scattered everywhere. We braced for a long outage, and this one set a new personal record — four days with no electricity.
I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. I recognize others have experienced far worse outages and may still be without lights. Still, those four days offered a humbling reminder of how much we depend on electricity for everyday comforts.
Being without power forced us to slow down and re-evaluate ordinary tasks that suddenly became more complicated. It also highlighted small conveniences I often take for granted, and gave me time to appreciate simple comforts. Here are a few things I found myself especially grateful for during the outage.
1. Running water…
Water felt like a luxury. We’re fortunate to have a gravity-fed supply that usually keeps flowing during outages, but on this occasion there were disruptions and we didn’t have water for a couple of days. That shortage made me appreciate the simple decadence of running water — for drinking, cooking, and basic hygiene.
2. HOT water…
Having hot water made the days infinitely more bearable. I found myself boiling water repeatedly to wash dishes and to have warm water for quick sponge baths. It reminded me why people in earlier times were always “putting water on to boil.” I spent a surprising amount of time managing pots of water just to keep things clean and comfortable.
3. My cherry red cast iron pot…
This beautiful enameled cast iron pot, a Christmas gift from my husband, quickly became indispensable. It performed wonderfully on the wood stove — simmering soups, keeping stews warm, and even baking a small cake. It was comforting to rely on durable cookware and a steady wood heat source when modern appliances were unavailable.
4. Velcro rollers
When the hair dryer was out of the question, velcro rollers did the trick — sometimes you do what you have to do. (Yes, the photo is a little playful on purpose.) There was a lighthearted side to the outage: adapting creatively to the little losses and finding small ways to feel normal.
Without the hum of electricity, I found pockets of quiet time to read and to work on projects by the natural light at the kitchen window. I painted a few signs and enjoyed the slower pace that comes when screens and appliances are out of reach.
Last night, when I stepped back into the house at 5 p.m. and saw a light glowing, I felt unexpectedly emotional. Four days without power was long enough — and yet the experience left me with renewed appreciation for everyday comforts, practical tools like a reliable cast iron pot, and the comforting routine of hot water and a warm stove.
While we cleaned up fallen branches and tidied the yard, the outage served as a reminder: small conveniences are precious, resilience is built in community, and even a disruptive storm can teach gratitude for the simple things.
