Weathering the storm

Allow me to share a few observations from this experience.

The first is the beauty of seeing neighbors helping neighbors. Once the winds died down and with the rain still falling, a number of us got outside and began clearing the road. I brought my chain saw to the scene to cut through the tree trunks and large limbs. The others who arrived moved everything away. In about an hour we had the road cleared.

The family who had their car and house crushed were invited by a neighbor to come and stay with them for as long as they needed. This same neighbor offered us the use of their fridge so our food would not spoil. They, unlike us, have a gas generator hooked up to their electrical panel. Thankfully, our newer fridge is well insulated and we didn't need to take them up on the offer but it was appreciated all the same.

We humans were not the only ones to suffer from the storm. As we were cutting away the trees and clearing the debris, one of the men noticed a bird sitting on top of a pile of branches. As we approached to see if it was OK, it fluttered away, landing a short distance from where we were working. Later I noticed it had burrowed itself into a hole in one of the debris piles. Soon we discovered why it had remained so close, despite the commotion we were making. Its mate was found. She had a broken neck and was dead.

I picked her up and laid her next to her partner to be sure he would understand the situation. After I did so, he allowed me to pick him up and hold him for a moment. It was sad to witness.

Living without electricity for four days and internet for six, gave a different feeling to life. Along with those two services being out, our cellphone coverage was also intermittent. Communicating with the outside world was a challenge. Knowing what was going on locally, never mind more broadly, was next to impossible.

I found myself going to town to the coffee shop to at least be in touch with locals. We shared our experiences, let each other know what we knew of road closures, which stores were open, where fuel was available, etc. It also afforded the opportunity to talk with the linemen and road crews who were there for a hot cup of coffee before heading out to do their work. These, of course, were the employees of PG&E or their contractors, those from CalTrans and traffic control. One fella in line one morning was a CHP officer. All were instrumental in getting things cleared up and back in order as quickly and as safely as possible.

Another area of life which was different was how evenings were spent. Normally after dinner I use my iPad to surf the web or watch YouTube videos. Without electricity or internet, I instead sat by the fireplace and read a book using a flashlight. I've nearly finished "His Excellency," the volume about George Washington I mentioned in my previous column.

By the way, the thought occurred to me how appropriate it was, under the circumstances, to be reading about the life of George Washington, who lived just fine without electricity, the internet or a cellphone. At least I had a flashlight, which, during the day, regenerated its battery via a solar panel.

Lastly, I discovered how brief are the evening hours. When electricity fills our homes with artificial light, it is easy to stay up long after the sun goes down. Without electricity, going to bed at an earlier hour seems natural. It also feels more healthy.

Oh ... and to you who favor all electric homes ... thanks to propane, we could cook our food and take hot showers. Something to think about.

A former member of the San Carlos City Council and mayor, Matt Grocott has been involved in political policy on the Peninsula for 17 years. He can be reached by email at mattgrocott@comcast.net.