Almost Didn't Have Christmas

What a time we had this year - storms with winds over 60 mph - heavy rains beating down, and then the power went out.  About a week before christmas!  But wait - the neighbors behind us have power - we can see from our vantage point on the top of a hill that almost everyone around us has power - except for the four newest houses - all in a row - us and our three neighbors.

We wait - and wait - get updates from PSE - then the bad news - we are a small outage - a total of 59 people affected (our four houses and some houses across the street and up in the woods) and we are LAST on the list to be repaired - expect power by Christmas Eve, 6 p.m.

We braved a day and a half, but with an all electric house - we soon became so cold we couldn't stop shivering even with layers of clothes and lots of quilts.  The temperature in the house got down below 40 degrees.  We borrowed camping coolers, bought ice and stuffed our food from the fridge into the coolers. But what about our freezer and the huge purchase of meat from the butcher that we had just made.  Fortunately our neighbor just behind us had power and let us run a heavy extension cord to his porch outlet and up into our back window - the freezer was saved!!!!

But we are almost icicles by now - so to the internet on my phone to find lodging.  A nearby Air BnB on Lake Whatcom is available - so we stuff some things into a suitcase and off we go - in the dark of the night - warmth - a soft bed - hot shower - at last we warm up.  So much nicer than a motel.

A very sweet room, with a large shower - and  breakfast items waiting for us in the fridge

The view was amazing - even though it poured rain the entire time.  This would be a wonderful place to come in the summer to enjoy the lovely yard, patio and Lake Whatcom across the street.

PSE kept us informed and kept moving the time up for our return to full power and after three nights and four days in the BnB the power was back on 19 1/2 hours earlier than they originally predicted - Dec. 23 at 1 p.m - we packed up and got home fast as we could.  

We still had gifts to wrap - and Christmas Eve to prepare for - and all sorts of chores to get the fridge and house back in order.  But we made it.

 Our grandson Ben loves Christmas Eve and came up to help us do the table and prepare the food for the festivities.

 We loaded treats on platters, made dips and got out the Lefton Holly dishes that we have had now for well over 40 years - adding pieces along the way.

 Lori made a chocolate house - that baby is solid chocolate!!!!!  And she and I had made the snow candles the day before the power went out - good timing on our part.

 Ready for the crowd - would you like a cookie or a candy - the cheeses, meats, dips and crackers are on the other end of the table - along with plenty of eggnog.

 Snow candles with the lights off and small candles burning bright inside.

 Our family in WV sent each family ornaments and we opened them on Christmas Eve.  Don got a baseball glove with ball - of course, and he loved it.

 Mine was the sweetest Grandmas's Cookie jar ornament.

 One family got a Darth Vader for their tree - to go with other Star Wars ornaments that they already have.

And last was a Silver Stream ornament, just like their very own, real-life Silver Stream

Our Son-in-Law Jason is a magician with the laser cutter and made a Washington State ornament with the Alaska Flag cut out - perfect for the state I grew up in (and where our oldest daughter was born) and our home state now, Washington.  Marvelous.

It was a glorious Christmas Eve - and early the next day everyone was back for Christmas gifts and a delightful brunch - which I didn't get any photos of - but be assured - it was wonderful, beautiful and so much fun.  The Christmas that almost wasn't.