my parents during the blackout (funny story)

[Lisa]

I called them this morning in Ontario, just to make sure they were okay. They're in their late 70s and still have their own home.
During the 1980s they had an outdoors BBQ hooked up to the gas line. It's working, although their neighbourhood still has no power. So they boiled up a big pot of water and were going around from door to door, filling people's cups out of picnic thermoses. No kidding!

There was a big ice storm a few years back, and there they were, with the snow falling around them, making chicken soup.

They grew up during the Depression, in rural areas without electricity. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the way they're handling this latest crisis.

I swear I'll never make fun of that BBQ or their closetful of wool blankets again ... or their oil-burning lamp ... or the big ugly concrete washtub in the basement that Mom filled up with a couple hundred gallons of water "just in case".

[UrbScotty]

1. How nice of them!

Helping other people when they need the help.

Very nice of your parents!

[realFedUp]

2. I have a feeling that those who cope best without technology

might survive the rest of us in the future.

[Heddi]

3. Similar story, but hurricane related:

In 1989, Hurricane Hugo DEVISTATED South Carolina.

My mom and I, as well as most of my family, were at my grandparent's house which is several miles inland from the coast.

After the hurricane, pretty much the entire state was without water, power, and gas for several weeks.

BUT--my grandparents had this super-duper sized RV with a shower, H2O tank, gas, electric generator....

So everyone in the neighborhood is without lights & water, but we had it b/c of the RV.

Of course, it was after we had emptied out the freezers inside the house and cooked up tons and tons of food before we realized we could basically hook the house up to the RV and have power through it.

But, all the food they cooked up we gave to neighbors and the Nat'l Guard soldiers stationed at the entrance to the subdivision.

[Duncan Grant]

4. Wonderful!

Every neighborhood could use a dozen more folks like your parents! Please tell them they have fans here at DU...

[izzie]

5. We had an ice storm a few years back and we old ones got a real laugh

Seems alot of people could not flush their toilets. By the way some lights were out for 2 weeks but mine only for 5 days. I had a son that got worried after 4 days and sent in the fire dept. He said he knew I would be OK but what would people think if he did not seem worried. I loved it.

[inthecorneroverhere]

6. Good for them!

Learn from them, while they're still here with us!!!!