Who Flipped the Switch?

You may have heard about our little adventure here in San Diego yesterday.  A power blackout hit all of San Diego county, parts of southern Orange county, Riverside county, Imperial county and Baja California.  Around 3:30 p.m. yesterday afternoon, all power ceased.  By 11:50 p.m. we had power back at our house.  By the news conference this morning at 5:30 a.m. they were able to report that almost everyone was back in service.  Thank you, SDGE!  Considering what it takes to get a grid energized and back online, that was amazing.

Here's a few of the things we learned from this:

1. Add Starbuck's instant coffee to our Emergency Preparedness kit.  (Without electricity, we were going to have to resort to chewing on coffee beans while sipping hot water.)
2. Sometimes, my seemingly useless or odd purchases come in handy.  (Like flameless candles, solar garden lights and crank radios.)
3. Increase the variety of canned foods around here.  It was looking pretty dismal if we were going to be eating from the pantry for a few days.  Red beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, black eyed peas, pinto beans and a few cans of smoked fish, some marinara sauces and black olives.  

We'll be enjoying a weekend with the power back on.  I hope you enjoy yours too.  And if you don't have an Emergency Preparedness Kit and Plan, make one!