They're called "The Sunshine of the Night", but...

[doug hodder]

Dawn....nothin' wrong with being prepared...that 252 gave me light in the bathroom for at least 3 mornings this week. Power went off every night. I find delight in those in the neighborhood that complain about no power....and I'm sitting on a cache of restored operating Coleman products! Doug

[bobhenry]

I have had 2 things in my entire adult life a, healthy collection of kerosene lamps ,and a good wood stove. This thread reminds me of a bitter winter night when we lost power. My house ,well iluminated, was a beacon in the night I guess because one by one several of the neighbors called to "see if we were o.k." and to complain of the cold I of course invited them over. If asked what they could bring I simply said what ever you have handy. We had a wonderful evening all in all about 6 familys and one great pitch in. Just by luck I had had on the stove all day a giant kettle of stew and it served us well along with the pot luck goodies brought in. The high point was 94 year old Sheets Erickson normally quiet and sullen this man lit up that evening and told stories of local hangings, trucks ran over by speeding steam trains and on and on many of these happenings a literal rock throw from my house. The power was off about 6 hours or so and I think I was truely sorry to see it blink back on for with it everyone started saying their goodbys and thank you's and wandered back home!

[ERV]

Same thing happened to Janny and I back in 1978. We had a blizzard with 28 inches of snow. We lived up the street in a very small house at that time. I cleaned up the woods in back and had about 6 cords of wood, with no place to burn it. So that fall I put in a little wood stove. It had a soap stone one the top to cook on. For about 4 or 5 days we didn't have power and the house filled up with all the neighbors. Kerosene and wood, Good times! I had a big 4x4 ford and made several runs for food during the week. Also heard a lot of stories about the old days. We still use our kerosene lamps, and the fire place in the new house. Still have the truck, but at 6-8 mpg it doesn't get out much any more.

[teardrop_focus]

bobhenry

...reminds me of a bitter winter night when we lost power. My house ,well iluminated, was a beacon in the night I guess because one by one several of the neighbors called to "see if we were o.k." and to complain of the cold.

I of course invited them over.

If asked what they could bring I simply said what ever you have handy. We had a wonderful evening all in all about 6 familys and one great pitch in. Just by luck I had had on the stove all day a giant kettle of stew and it served us well along with the pot luck goodies brought in.

The high point was 94 year old Sheets Erickson normally quiet and sullen this man lit up that evening and told stories of local hangings, trucks ran over by speeding steam trains and on and on many of these happenings a literal rock throw from my house.

ERV

...back in 1978. We had a blizzard with 28 inches of snow. We lived up the street in a very small house at that time.

I cleaned up the woods in back and had about 6 cords of wood, with no place to burn it. So that fall I put in a little wood stove. It had a soap stone one the top to cook on.

For about 4 or 5 days we didn't have power and the house filled up with all the neighbors. Kerosene and wood, Good times! I had a big 4x4 ford and made several runs for food during the week. Also heard a lot of stories about the old days.

Wonderful stories!


Hey, ERV, I was given posession of that lantern I mentioned. pm me your address and I'll get that red-glassed (it's a hurricane-lamp-shaped, red glass globe) kerosene railroad signal lantern sent to you if you like.

:-)~