Waiting, waiting, waiting for the power to go out. I put water in the bathtub. I put a big pot of water on the stove. I washed dishes and left the soapy water in the sink. I vacuumed the living room. I read the instructions for the solar charger. I watched some of the impeachment inquiry. It was like waiting for the other shoe to drop, but I was waiting for PG&E to send us into the dark. I was also waiting for Clay to arrive.
The predicted wind came. It lasted all of five minutes, just long enough to cover the recently swept porch ankle deep in dead leaves, and then stopped. Along about 11 o'clock, PG&E sent out a polite text that they were not going to cut power to our area. I appreciated that small consideration. Everything done in readiness had needed doing, so I was actually ahead of the game when Clay drove up.
We sat for a bit to play catch-up. Michael asked for butt scrubs and Ralph made a pest of himself climbing in and out of Clay's lap. Clay is a favorite and they show it. Then we got started on the task for the day, a major clean up, beginning with some defunct electronics. Moving outside, we went through everything that had come off the deck, pitching cracked flower pots, broken furniture, and other detritus accumulated over the years. Then we headed to the sheds. It should be enough to tell that there were three nonworking vacuum cleaners in Shed Two. Clay provided the muscle. By the time we were both too tired to go on, he had piled his pickup up to cab height. He'd brought his trailer, too, but enough is enough for one day. We'd not gotten to the barn, but, said Scarlett, tomorrow is another day (a next time).
The power stayed on, we'd gotten a good start on cleaning up Farview, I got to enjoy Clay's company...it was a good day.
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