Last weekend (week and a half ago) was a blast of adventure for the Willi and our hosts! Of course, though, we’re all glad that all is well again, and back to normal.

It began as any other Sunday morning. We got dressed, ate breakfast, and prepared for church as we always do. As we drove to town, we noticed that the wind seemed very strong – but that was the full extent of our thoughts on the weather. Thus began a normal Sunday morning. But it seems that God had directed that the day should not end normally.

As we chatted with folks during the fellowship time after church service, the power went out. The sanctuary (which has no windows) became almost pitch black, and 100 sem-odd people felt their way out of the building. That was fun.

Although it was a sunny day outside, it was dreadfully cold, and the wind was howling like you wouldn’t believe!

Next, we visited the Assistant Pastor and his family for a large “linner”. While there, we found out that large fires were springing up in different areas of the Roanoke Valley – one of them wasn’t more than a few miles away! The high winds were blowing the smoke all over the city, giving it a hazy, smog like effect. (And a very bad odor). Not withstanding, we had a long, pleasant visit, and didn’t return to our temporary home till dark. That’s when things really started getting interesting.

My brother’s house sits on a high hill, and as we drove up the extensive driveway, we became aware of the effects of the high winds. Garbage cans (and their bagged contents) were scattered all over the hill; the basketball hoop was down; branches had fallen to their death; and shingles adorned the front lawn. The biggest surprise was that we found that our full-size canoes had somehow rolled to the bottom of the hill! (In the daylight the next morning, we traced their paths of destruction – a chunk of wood ripped out of swing set, red paint on the driveway, etc.)

Once inside the house, we discovered that we didn’t have any electricity!

Out came the candles from their hiding places, and the flashlights, the booklights, and Dad’s famous LEDs. According the power company, electricity would not be restored for a few days – and so we prepared for the long haul. My brother Jason instituted rules for the toilets (ie, “No Flushing!”), and we emptied out the freezer and fridge. Some of the food we placed outside in the cold, but most of it was trucked (or more appropriately, “mini-vanned”) to a nearby friend’s house that still had power.

That night was cold – but we didn’t notice it until the next morning. Boy, was it cold then. It reminded me of camping in the Adirondacks at Rollins Pond. The mornings always seemed the coldest – but there was always a roaring campfire to keep you warm. But in the here and now, there was no campfire.

Thank God for friends – We crashed Jason’s friend’s house for the day! Oh, it was so nice to be in warm rooms, and not have to wear overcoats indoors!

Power was restored later that afternoon, and by the next day haply, all was back to normal. It’s amazing how much we depend on electricity for heat, cooking, and even water, and it was great to have all those amenities back.

But oh, was it fun!