And then the electricity

Still at my daughter's place in the city.

Really not used to being dependent on a city's infrastructure. First it was the water supply. Last night, it was touch and go whether or not the grid would go down. High winds took out power lines all around. In the end, our little part of the city was spared.

I haven't had to worry about power outages for over 20 years. The grid might go down, but my solar electric system always provided enough power for basic needs. Had the power gone down here in the city, we'd have been reduced to candles. (and the small solar charged flashlight I carry with me.)

After all these years of living in the woods, it's an uncomfortable feeling to be reliant on "the grid." Not just the power grid, but whole network necessary to provide services to city dwellers.
Out in the country, I have solar electric, a good well, trees for firewood, and there are wild foods all around me. No wonder most of the time I feel pretty independent.

Even having backup power in the city can be a problem. When everything is dark, a well lit house may become a beacon for trouble. Having comforts no one else has is something that has to be hidden. It's a security issue. It might not be too bad for a day or two, but as time goes on, desperate people could feel justified to take what they need.

One thing I'm having difficulty with is the constant traffic noise. I guess city people must tune it out. Where I live, the sound of even one vehicle means something. Often it's someone coming to my house, as there's not too much else they could be going to. Some days the only traffic is the rural mail delivery.

Nope, not a city boy. As much as I'm enjoying my visit with my daughter and her family, I can't wait for my truck to be fixed so I can head home.

-Sixbears