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Expensive Diary,
It’s humorous to write down one thing like that. For that matter, it’s humorous to write down in any respect. On one among Dad’s scavenger journeys, he got here throughout a stack of composition books, pens, and pencils in a dumpster. He introduced all of them house and advised me to begin a diary. Again in regular occasions, seven months in the past earlier than the facility stop, I might have simply appeared up on my telephone ‘What’s a diary?’
With the facility gone, so too went the web. So I requested him, ‘What’s a Diary?’ He gave me a humorous look, blinked a couple of occasions, shook his head, and stated it was a journal to maintain monitor of every day issues, vital occasions, and my ideas and emotions on the time. I ought to write it as if I used to be writing an expensive buddy.
So, right here I’m, Diary. Sitting in my chilly bed room with my stuffed bear, sporting socks, slippers, sweatpants, a winter hat, and a heavy sweater.
Most likely ought to again up and clarify the rationale for all that.
Let me begin over.
Expensive Diary,
It’s me, Jessica.
Seeing as how that is the primary time I’m writing you, I’ll let what has occurred over the previous seven months and even some issues earlier than.
About this time final yr, Dad acquired what he referred to as a fantastic Christmas shock reward: a promotion to administration. I do know what a promotion is, however I used to be not too positive in regards to the ‘administration’ half as he was describing it. Appeared like extra of a headache ‘managing’ that many individuals, conferences each in individual and on Zoom.
But it surely got here with a giant pay elevate. Two months later, we moved from our tiny, crappy house throughout from the subway tracks to a small however very good home within the ‘sub-burbs.’ Mother and Dad have been very enthusiastic about it. I suppose it’s good however older. Dad stated it was a Fifties-era starter house. My room is larger. Now we have a garden and yard with woods behind it. But it surely took me a few month to get used to the . . . quiet. It’s deafening! No subway trains working until late at night time. No police sirens. No vehicles or vehicles driving by. No gunshots occasionally. I imply, I can hear the wind outdoors my window proper now.
College was completely different, too. It was a lot nicer and clear, and the whole lot appeared new. Carrying a uniform was completely different. I really kinda appreciated it. No considering of what I needed to put on to highschool. No taking the general public buses both. Dad would simply drop me off on his method to work, and Mother would decide me up.
Diary, right here was the loopy half! The varsity didn’t have cellular phone protection or wi-fi. Actually! They stated it disrupts class, and we spend an excessive amount of time looking at screens. We have to speak extra to one another face-to-face! At first, I believed it was a bit of bizarre, however actually, it was similar to dinner at house. No telephone on the dinner desk, and I talked with my mother and father.
I made pals with a number of college students from completely different teams. Although we have been all sporting uniforms, there have been nonetheless completely different cliques: Jocks, hoods, stoners, preppies, and possibly one other half dozen I don’t even know exist. I had pals from all teams, besides one group of ladies, who took an instantaneous dislike to me. One among them, Savannah, tried to bully me sooner or later. Earlier than I may put my books right down to defend myself, one of many jocks, Christy, advised Savanah to again off or she would “put you in a harm locker.” I’m not positive what a ‘harm locker,’ is, however Christy needs to be a MMA fighter and is in coaching for it. Savannah and her pals by no means appeared in my path once more.
So, the primary few months have been going fairly good. Mother was all excited to have a yard to plant a backyard and began ‘raised’ beds in mid-April. Dad’s work was, as he put it, ‘hectic,’ however he appeared to love it and the paycheck that went with it. We have been even speaking about happening an actual household trip to an actual seashore on the ocean. Mother acquired an electronic mail from an organization that was fascinated by her work. She referred to as it ‘headhunted’ and took the job. She laughed and referred to as it extra pay for a similar work she was doing. College was going properly. I celebrated my sixteenth birthday in early Might. Dad stated he would get me a automobile, and I may get my driver’s license. That may have by no means occurred if we nonetheless lived on the outdated house. I must take driver’s ed, however that class didn’t begin until after faculty let loose for the summer time.
It was Memorial Day weekend when the facility went out.
I wakened Saturday to a greater than regular quiet home.
I walked into the kitchen, staring into my telephone with no cellular phone connection bars.
Dad stated it have to be a big energy outage to take the cell towers down, too. He commented on how we must restrict opening the fridge door to maintain issues from going dangerous until the facility got here again on. He did pull out eggs and bacon to make breakfast potato hash casserole. He had to make use of the grill lighter to begin the flame on the propane range.
That afternoon, out of boredom, Mother and I went for a stroll within the neighborhood. Diary, it’s actually bizarre. Folks wave to one another and say ‘hello.’ That by no means occurred within the outdated neighborhood, even within the house complicated.
After we acquired again to the home, the neighbors throughout the road have been out on their entrance porch, sitting in rocking chairs. We went over to say ‘hello.’ Sam and Joanna have been retirees, having lived there for 30 years. They appeared to know everybody within the neighborhood by title. They stated their neighbor behind them had a ‘HAM’ radio and will speak to folks throughout the nation and even generally in Europe. He stated the facility outage was not simply in our space however for a lot of the state, and somebody he talked to stated it was nationwide.
Mother didn’t appear too involved, however when she advised Dad, he appeared anxious when she advised him that bit of reports.
After two days of no energy, Mother and Dad began what they referred to as an ‘stock’ of issues we had available. So we might not have to maneuver as a lot ‘crap’ as mother put it to the brand new home, we used up as a lot as we may of canned items, what was within the fridge and freezer in our tiny house, not that there was a lot. As soon as within the new home, Mother and Dad acquired a membership to a bulk low cost huge field retailer and restocked from there. The whole lot was in bulk sizes, multi-paks, flats, or got here in industrial-sized containers. The pantry within the kitchen was simply larger than all the cabinet house within the house. It appeared huge once we first moved in, however it was rapidly stuffed ground to ceiling. Something that didn’t slot in there went into the storage. On the time, it appeared like quite a bit.
Monday got here, and nonetheless no energy. Out extra of behavior than anything, I acquired up and dressed for college. Dad did the identical for work. He pulled into the college parking zone to see it was closed, however there have been quite a lot of different mother and father there to drop off their children, too.
Dad and I acquired out, and he talked with different mother and father whereas I talked to a few of my classmates. Some I knew, others I didn’t.
One boy a couple of grades decrease than me stated his dad was curing and smoking all of the meat. One other stated his dad was ‘canning’ all their meat over a propane boiler. I didn’t know what both of these meant.
Dad and I went again house.
Mother and Dad went out into the storage and spoke in hushed tones. That’s once I started to fret.
Properly, Diary, it’s that point within the afternoon to assist Dad get some dry firewood. Extra tomorrow.
Expensive Diary,
The place was I?
Oh, sure. It was a few week with out energy when issues began to get bizarre.
Our neighbors throughout the road have been sitting on their rockers, speaking with a person. He had a rifle slung over his shoulder and a handgun on his hip. He had a really huge, black German Shepard with him. Dad poked his head out the entrance door to see if one thing was fallacious. There should not have been, because the neighbors waved him over. I noticed the person provide his hand because it appeared just like the neighbors made introductions and Dad took the person’s hand and shook in greetings. They talked for about half an hour when Dad got here again, and the person and his huge canine left.
Dad had Mother and me sit down on the eating room desk, and he repeated what our neighbors and the person stated.
The ability outage was, in truth, nationwide.
With out energy, water didn’t come out of the faucet. The bathrooms didn’t flush. Gasoline pumps didn’t work. Credit score and debit playing cards didn’t work. Grocery shops didn’t get resupplied. We had been fortunate, so Dad stated. Our neighborhood was a lot older, with separate wells and septic techniques. Dad did should make a hand pump-like instrument to pump water out of the properly, however at the least we had water.
The person stated the native, state, and federal governments have been attempting to do one thing about all of it, however there was quite a lot of confusion, and nobody appeared to know what to do. He stated if the facility didn’t come again on quickly, issues have been going to go from dangerous to a lot, a lot worse.
By week two, we started to know what worse was. For some folks, meals was getting brief in provide. Mother expanded her backyard. A number of the neighbors began gardens, too.
Week three was a lot, a lot worse. It had been almost half a yr since I heard gunshots in the midst of the night time, not to mention through the day. And never simply the same old gang banger popping off two or three rounds however dozens of pictures from completely different instructions from greater than two shooters within the distance. No police sirens adopted.
That’s when the neighborhood shaped a militia.
We didn’t have any weapons, so Mother and Dad have been a part of the ‘assist’ part.
A little bit over a month for the reason that energy went out, I used to be over speaking with Sam and Joanna, when the person with the massive canine walked up. His title was Jack, and his canine’s title was Samson. Jack had simply returned from a ‘scouting’ journey to the West. He stated on the huge river bridge, somebody arrange a blockade with heavy vehicles, huge rigs, and over turned vehicles to stop anybody coming from town to our aspect of the river. Folks may nonetheless stroll throughout, however somebody demanded fee within the type of ammunition, gas, alcohol, antibiotics, or ‘different issues.’ I seen when he stated ‘different issues, ’ he stated it with a touch of disgust. He stated most individuals turned and walked again the best way they got here. However a couple of demanded to cross with out paying the ‘toll.” That’s when the taking pictures began. Jack shook his head and stated it was like “taking pictures fish in a barrel.”
Mother had planted issues that grew fast, like chard, spinach, and a few inexperienced beans. It isn’t like I dislike them, however it was getting boring, the identical factor almost daily. Mother and Dad have been by no means what I might name ‘fats,’ however they each misplaced weight to the purpose dad needed to punch further holes in his belt to maintain his pants up.
Then, a couple of weeks later, Jack got here by to tell us a farm a couple of miles down one of many again roads was on the lookout for ‘an sincere day’s work’ in alternate for meals. The subsequent morning, Dad acquired us up early, and he and I hiked it to the farm. It took about an hour and a half to get there. Diary, it appeared like one thing proper out of a historical past ebook. Massive, white farmhouse, clothesline, not one however three huge barns, and a windmill. The outdated type, not the brand new ones. We have been about midway down the lengthy grime driveway when three canines got here out barking. Then, a person and a boy got here out of one of many barns with rifles. Dad stated to place my fingers up and maintain calm. The person and the boy got here nearer, and requested us what we needed. Dad stated that Jack advised us there could be meals for ‘an sincere day’s work.’ On the point out of ‘Jack’, each the person and the boy relaxed. The person was Farmer Miller and his son was Billy.
Diary, what Jack didn’t point out about ‘an sincere day’s work’ was it was scorching, sweaty, arduous work. The subsequent time I noticed Jack, I let him know that too. Jack hardly ever smiled or laughed, however he did then.
For ‘an sincere day’s work,’ we acquired two dozen eggs, they usually made us lunch. Lunch was a thick ham slice on toasted and buttered bread, a giant glass of milk, and a small piece of apple pie. Diary, I swear it was price ‘an sincere day’s work.’
Dad and I grew to become ‘farm fingers,’ coming to work for farmer Miller three or 4 days per week. We’d get different issues than simply eggs. Ham, milk, beef, flour, and the occasional apple pie. We’d see Jack on the farm about as soon as per week. Farmer Miller stated that Jack was the ‘go to’ man who may get issues others couldn’t. He was additionally somebody nobody messed with.
Being a farm hand was not all arduous work. I acquired to speak with Billy and his two youthful sisters, Olive and Daisy. They aren’t like different children. They appeared extra grown up for his or her age. I requested Billy why I by no means noticed him in class as we needs to be in the identical grade. He stated he was home-schooled. Once I stated I by no means heard of such a factor, he defined it to me, however I nonetheless didn’t perceive why they appeared so ‘completely different.’ However I didn’t say that to him. I used to be afraid I might harm his emotions. I like him. I’m additionally studying all types of latest farm issues. Billy is even educating me to experience a horse!
Someday, farmer Miller, Jack, and Dad have been speaking. Farmer Miller was involved in regards to the fall harvest. Not solely him however different farmers across the space. They acquired their crops planted within the spring previous to the facility going out. However now, there was no market to promote to. No level in harvesting crops which are going nowhere. All of the farmers had huge tanks of diesel gas as they normally purchased within the earlier winter when costs have been low. Now, higher to save lots of gas for different issues. Some farmers have been speaking about culling a part of their herds or flocks. Farmer Miller supplied Dad his personal starter flock of chickens for a couple of days’ work. Dad agreed readily. Farmer Miller did say with crops going un-harvested, wild sport may have winter. Deer, turkey, and different wild sport can be plentiful subsequent yr.
The man with the ‘HAM’ radio additionally saved monitor of what day it was. The significance of the seasons by no means occurred to me. The Winter Solstice was a couple of days in the past. The shortest day of the yr. The longest night time of the yr. One other day nearer to Christmas after which a brand new yr.
I’m excited for Christmas tomorrow. Now we have been utilizing the propane for less than cooking, utilizing the fireplace place for warmth that solely heats the household room. Now we have lots to prepare dinner a giant meal. Dad traded Jack some moonshine for a wild turkey. Dad cured and smoked a ham Farmer Miller paid him for work. Now I do know what curing and smoking is. Mother is making selfmade stuffing with chunks of the ham, some wild mushrooms she discovered within the woods, walnuts from bushes within the woods too, thyme she grew and selfmade hen inventory. Mother had loads of inexperienced beans, snap peas, and onions for a inexperienced bean casserole. She can be roasting carrots, parsnips, and rutabaga with a honey glaze.
We invited Sam and Joanna, and Jack to spend Christmas dinner with us. Joanna is bringing an apple pie. Jack is bringing one thing he calls a ‘venison’ meat pie, no matter that’s.
Expensive Diary,
For the primary time in . . . months, I really feel ‘fats.’ ‘Fats’ as in a really full stomach ‘fats.’ The whole lot was implausible. Even Jack’s venison meat pie was scrumptious. And the apple pie. I couldn’t assist myself! I had two servings! Everybody laughed at me.
Jack, Sam, and Dad all had a couple of pictures of the moonshine dad traded Jack for. Jack additionally introduced two bottles of mulberry wine for us ‘women,’ as he put it. I didn’t prefer it, however Mother and Joanna positive did.
I used to be sitting in entrance of the fireplace with Samson’s huge head in my lap, scratching his ears, when the lads started speaking. Sam heard from the ‘HAM’ man that issues in elements of the nation are very dangerous. Within the cities, there was one thing referred to as a ‘mass die-off.’ One thing about unsafe water, dysentery, ailments, and lawlessness. The federal government at completely different ranges has failed.
It was then not solely did I really feel ‘fats,’ however ‘protected’ with Dad, Jack, and Sam behind me, Samson quietly loud night breathing in my lap.
Issues have been arduous for the reason that energy went out. However I had a Christmas that quite a lot of different children didn’t have. From what I get listening to them speak, they by no means even made it to this Christmas.
About 1stMarineJarHead
1stMarineJarHead will not be solely a former Marine, but in addition a former EMT-B, Wilderness EMT (courtesy of NOLS), and volunteer firefighter.
He at present resides within the nice white (i.e. snowy) Northeast together with his spouse and canines. He raises chickens, rabbits, goats, sometimes hogs, cows and generally geese. He grows numerous veggies and has a bizarre fondness for rutabagas. He enjoys studying, writing, cooking from scratch, making charcuterie, goal taking pictures, and is at present increasing his woodworking expertise.