ksmith | Thursday evening

740pm. I had just started a load of laundry when the power went out. It's become windy here, but the storms are out over the lake or points south--nothing here but clouds and the occasional distant rumble.

I phoned in the outage. The automated message informed me that power was expected to be restored by 945pm. Meanwhile, the UPS and battery back-up sump pump are beeping and King has velcroed himself to my leg because BEEPS, MOMMY!

Seeing as it wasn't raining and I could see no lightning, I moved the wicker chair out on the deck to take advantage of the daylight. The laptop battery was too low to risk starting anything, but at least I could work with pen and paper. Fresh coffee had finished brewing just before the blitz--I poured a cup and settled in the chair, and wasn't there a minute before the power came back on.

I restarted the washer and came back outside. I'm sheltered from the wind, but I can hear it rush through the trees, and it's kinda nice. I may not be able to stay out long--the nasty is just skimming the lakeshore, and it's darkening even as I type. I feel like a Lovecraft hero as the Old Ones batter at his door.