72 hours

We spent almost 72 hours to the minute this week without electricity in our neighborhood in the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis, due to the tornado damage. What an experience for my children, who are pretty used to warm food, clean clothes, reading late at night, computers, TV and music playing pretty much around the clock. It does make you appreciate what your ancestors did with candles, daylight and fireplaces more than you usually would.

I was so impressed with all of my neighbors getting out to help one another clean up yards, cut down the damaged and fallen trees and limbs, seal up damaged roves before the next rain started, and hauling it all of the debris out of the yards all day on Thursday. We heard chain saws for twenty-four hours straight! Again, it brought to mind the old fashioned barn-raising days in the communities of yesterday, when everyone helped everyone and was helped in return.