Last night we were eating dinner with some friends when a huge storm blew in. Their electricity went out and we decided we better get in our car and head home before the hail kicked in. I’d hate to get a dent in my brand new radiator.
As we drove the three blocks home there were huge limbs down everywhere, the rain was pouring and everything was dark. Caroline said, “THIS IS THE SCARIEST NIGHT EVER.”
But it was about to get worse because we arrived home to discover our power was out. Which means our air-conditioning was out. I’ve spent a lot of time this year trying to grow as a person and make myself do things that are a little out of my comfort zone, but sleeping without air-conditioning on June 2 in South Texas is really beyond what I am equipped to handle.
(It’s always seemed like it wouldn’t be so bad to be without power in the middle of winter. It always looked so cozy on Little House on The Prairie except for that time they were all stuck in the schoolhouse during that blizzard. Of course I live in a city where the winter temperatures rarely get below thirty degrees so I’m probably not an authority on the subject.)
I put Caroline in my bed and laid down with her until she fell asleep. Then I got up and went into the living room to sit in the dark with P and watch the lightning. Fortunately P had equipped us for an occasion such as this so we had plenty of flashlights, candles and glo-sticks. Sadly, none of those things provide cold air.
Around 10:15 our lights flickered on and I was all HOORAY FOR BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, but my excitement was short-lived because they went right back out. And by 11:00 p.m. I began to accept that I was going to have to attempt to sleep without air-conditioning. Like a real pioneer.
I told P I was heading to bed and he said, “Don’t go in there if all you’re going to do is toss and turn and complain about how hot you are and that you can’t sleep.”
“Umm. Have we met? Of course that’s what I’m going to do.”
I threw back the bedding and tried to get as comfortable as possible considering that I was about to attempt to sleep next to a forty-two pound heater that was snoring in a not so delicate manner. P walked by my bedside table and placed a headlamp and a flashlight on it and said, “I’m putting these here for you in case something happens tonight.”
I wasn’t sure what might happen that would require a headlamp. Was there going to be trouble in the coal mines? Maybe an impromptu skit that would require me to play the part of DooLittle Lynn from Coalminer’s Daughter?
I fell asleep in the midst of thinking about my favorite scenes from Coalminer’s Daughter and feeling unbelievable sympathy for everyone who lived before air-conditioning was invented. Finally around 4:30 a.m. the fan clicked on and I knew everything was back up and running.
Needless to say, three hours of good sleep have left me feeling refreshed and rested and totally ready for all the end-of-the-school-year activities that are taking place later today.
Which is why I’m off to take a nap.
Under a blanket.
With the thermostat pushed down all the way to YOU DON’T EVEN WANT TO KNOW.