When the Homily is about Immunology

Let there be light...

...and I saw that it was good.

Sue called to tell me the crews had begun work. After work, as I drove past the now infamous "crash scene" they were still working. I stopped and chatted with them briefly and they assured me we'd be back up and running sometime that night. I thanked them profusely and even offered them some beer, which they declined...some excuse involving "high voltage." But seriously, these guys have been working like short season Alaska crab fishermen, we owe them our thanks...some have come from as far away as Missouri!

And so we had our last (for the time being) woodstove cooked meal eaten by candlelight. We were illumined and empowered at around 9:30. Another storm is apparently on its way tonight, so we'll see how that goes. Many people STILL are without power and the new storm could hinder repair efforts.

And already we are hearing the entitlement generation begin to rant and rave. Some official from Woodinville was quoted as saying something like this: "We cannot continue having us be knocked into the third world every time the wind blows a little." A little? Third world? Puhlease. [Thurston Howell voice]"My God Lovey we have had to stay in this five star luxury hotel for 5 days...oh the humanity!" [/Thurston Howell voice]

Although I have yet to hear it, I fully expect Bush to be blamed at any moment, yet as far as I know Christine Gregoire did not come by and offer to split wood for me. Look, I understand that people are having a rough go of it - particularly those who have no alternative source of heat or water. BUT (and maybe this is the newly rural person in me) you OUGHT to be personally prepared for emergencies, plain and simple. How many times have we been told to have a supply of water, batteries, candles, etc etc etc. I mean what the heck is going to happen when something much more serious happens like the big quake of volcano they keep WARNING us about? [Thurston Howell voice]"You know, Lovey...I really don't know why they could not have made canals for those Lahars before Rainier erupted, this is terribly inconvenient to my commute off Mercer Island!" [/Thurston Howell voice] Let's face it, Osama has a point we have become a nation of pansies.

We've raised a whole generation of boys and girls whose scouting experienced (if any) extended little beyond pine wood car derbies. "Be Prepared." Bunch of wusses! Suck it up some will ya! Geez, expect the government to wipe your nether-regions?