No, these are not pictures from last winter! My friends in Buffalo , NY have sent me these pictures after the big snow fall on October 13th, 2006. They were left without power for three days, in dark and cold winter. Their power is back, heated houses again...
I was wondering which is worse? The big snow fall in October or our tornado in July?
The same lack of power, complete darkness in the nights... Summer with spoiled food (in the winter at least the cold keeps the food fresh). What is worse: 38F in the house or 88F?
To put all the clothes on to keep warm or take all them off to cool down :-)
Neither is better. We only realize how important is to have the normal conditions when we loose them... And we realize how comfortable is our normal only when we loose it.
I was telling a firend here that I grew up with no shower and toilet in the home. We used to have a portable bath tub that we could bring in the middle of the room, filled with warm bubbly water, and the toilet house was outside (so we made sure we use it evenings before going to bed, especially in the winter). I was in 5th grade when we moved in our new home with real bathroom and a toilet in the bathroom. Since we have a private weel, in draught we have to be very careful with how we use the water, so showers are army style, quick and short on water consumption.
It's so easy to get used to all commodities of a warm, lighted, heated or air conditioned house :-)
The snow as the rain and wind can do similar damages. I am glad my friends are all safe and sound, no house damages, but many trees were lost under the heavy snow.
