A power outage on Easter 2014 - seriously

Around noon on Easter Sunday, I was planning to have lunch before taking a road trip to visit friends when I opened my refrigerator door and said, “uh, oh!” No light came on. I checked further and the power was off throughout my kitchen. Thinking the problem was only in my apartment, I called the emergency maintenance number and discovered we had a partial outage throughout our 160-unit apartment building.

My status updates on my Facebook page chronicle what followed:

“What an opportune time for a partial power outage in my apt. bldg. It's mainly my kitchen that's out. Injured my right shoulder unsuccessfully trying to move my fridge toward a working outlet. That's the 2nd time this week I've injured that shoulder. Not smart, Virginia.”

“Ventured out of my apt. a while ago and discovered the elevators are down, parking garage door inoperable, etc. We're stuck here on Easter Sunday. And I had planned to drive to southeastern Minn. this afternoon to visit friends. My neighbor, alas, was expecting visitors from Wisc., and she had a ham in her oven when the power went off.

An Easter Sunday to remember...”

“A scary moment just now. I was coping with the partial outage, congratulating myself even, when suddenly all of the power went off. Dead silence. Darkness. "Oh, no!" I exclaimed. I had been passing the time this afternoon reading my Isabel Allende novel. I lit the Zen candle on my table and rose to get a couple more candles from the entryway, hoping they would provide enough light for me to read. Just as I stood up, full power came on. I saw high wattage light this Easter, and truly I rejoiced...”

“A meaningful Easter, after all...

I finished reading Allende's novel at around 11 pm before going to bed on Easter Sunday. And after some TLC, the shoulder I injured trying to move my fridge during the power outage feels much better. By not opening the freezer unit of my fridge, nothing was defrosted during the interval. I'm reminded this Monday morning, the day after Easter, of how much we take for granted in our daily lives, e.g, the availability of electricity - we don't usually notice until it goes missing, and our home suddenly turns silent and dark.

My thanks go to the power company employees who disrupted their own Easter celebration to come to the rescue of my neighbors and me in this 160-unit apartment bldg.”