AFTER THE WINDS

GETTING BACK INTO THE 21st CENTURY

 The moon was the brightest thing on Main Street last

night during what was supposed to be the annual

village "Hospitality Night."

 Revelers were either detoured by or working at

sites like this.

 No official count yet, but many trees were felled

by the highest winds in more than a decade. Some say

more trees than any time they can recall.

 This is a block from our home. The scene was repeated through out Cambria.

 I can't tell you how many times in the last day and half

that I've walked into a room and flipped the switch.

We are dependent on that convenience aren't we?

 I read by lantern light, we used the fireplace for 

heat and hoped the refrigerator would hold it's cold.

 All evening we waited to be surprised by the return of

of power.  But when it was time for the

festivities to begin on Main Street, we were all

in the dark.  Merchants provide treats and snacks as 

the locals stroll through the stores.  It is a village 

tradition to kick off the gift buying and party season.

 But the combination reunion, party, social event

was illuminated only by headlights.

 As always when there is a power outage,

there was one place, powered by their huge

emergency generator-The Main Street Grill.

 You've surmised where people headed.  It was said several

times last night, if we sit here long enough we'll see 

everyone in town.  That was almost a literal truth.

 TODAY, BACK UP IN THE AIR

 Some were lucky to get power last night, but many

woke without toasters, coffee makers, radio, TV

and the Internet. It was also chilly in unheated homes.

 These signs were all over the village.

Ice for powerless refrigerators was flying out of the Cookie Crock Supermarket.

 PG&E guys told me they had been at it 30 hours

non-stop and have a 4AM call to head to Santa Cruz

tomorrow. I'm not sure the overtime pay is enough. 

 These scenes will explain why I'm at Mike and Jacque Griffin's sending this post.  That stuff you see on the downed line is the Charter gear.  Looks like cable, phone and the Internet will down a while.  

Great idea of "bundling" the services eh? 

Wondering now why I bought it. 

 This is a bundle of another sort.

Once the PG&E crews depart, the Charter guys

will have to jump it.

 WE LOVE OUR TREES, BUT

 Cambria is one of only a handful of places in the world

where the Monterey Pine grows naturally. They are a

unique tree and as you can see very shallow rooted.

 It doesn't take much to send them over.

Cambria in the Pines is one of the historic names

for our village.  Our friend Robert quipped today

we should change it to Cambria in the Pains or the Monterey Pain tree.

After 30 hours the power came on at our home on the 

ridge.  Nice to have lights at the flip of a switch, 

heat, a washing machine.  And soon, I hope, Internet and 

cable.  Spoiled aren't we?

Oh, and if you are out this way, the Hospitality night

will apparently be re-staged as a Friday night

sigh of relief.  The historic winds are gone but

so are some of the trees.

See you down the trail.