Red Wine, Chocolate, and Popcorn

On November 3rd, 2011, posted in: Peaceable Living by 2 Comments

Wine, Chocolate and popcorn

So, you are probably wondering what red wine, chocolate, and popcorn have to do with each other?  It’s a crazy combination for sure but not so when you find yourself in survival mode after the Nor’ Easter that blew through New England dumping a foot of snow in southern New Hampshire where I live on October 29th (Such an event is unheard of this time of year.).   There was absolutely nothing one could do but accept the storm, surrender to it, and sit tight until it finished its blustery visit.  And blustery it was!

That Saturday evening, October 29th, the night of the storm, I was at a friend’s home with a small group after a workshop we had attended.  During dinner, the lights flickered several times and then finally went out.  Fortunately, my friend had a generator hooked-up outside ready to save the day, or should I say save the evening in this case.  My husband, the hostess, and another friend tried to get it going to no avail so we continued drinking red wine while waiting for the fire department to come and help us out. It was essential to have the generator working not only for the lights and heat but because my friend’s 102 year old mother needed her oxygen.  We moved her into the living room where my husband had made a crackling fire, and I spent my time with her warming her frigid hands and sending her heart energy to help her relax.   Needless to say, she was quite puzzled by what was happening around her.

After a bit of a wait, the firemen came, got the generator going, and we all continued to drink red wine and enjoy each others company.  The discussion centered around who was going to sleep where.  We were resigned to the fact that there was no other choice but to stay put plus it was a bit of an adventure having a slumber party of sorts there.

The next day, we went to our house to see what the status of our power was.  Not good.  We couldn’t get into our driveway due to a small oak tree that was bent over blocking the entrance, barring us from entering.  Worse yet, the driveway hadn’t been plowed because of it.  And then, there was the cold house with no lights and no heat.  So it was.  We knew what this meant, another night or maybe nights at our friend’s home.

We stayed four nights in the comfort of our friend’s home thanks to the generator and her generosity.  Each day we hoped that our power would be restored as hers had been after just two and a half days, but it wasn’t.  So we made the best of the situation accepting and surrendering to the force of Mother Nature.  Our disappointment at not being able to go home was made more bearable each evening by the imbibing of red wine, chocolate, and popcorn coupled with good conversation and laughter.   It soothed us.

This event brought us together, helping each other as we joined forces in preparing food brought from our respective homes, waited in line at the gas station to get gas refills for the generator, and helped care for my friend’s 102 year old mother.  We became a community surviving the storm together.  It is times like these that bring the best out in people, the sharing and the caring.

At the time of this writing, I still do not have power at my home.  I have left my friend’s to go to my daughter’s in Rhode Island until my power returns.  According to the power company, 99% of my town should be restored by midnight November 4th.  I hope that I am part of the 99%!  But if not, well, I guess I get a bit more time with my daughter or will go back to my friend’s and dive into next week’s schedule.

I am ever so grateful to my friend and my daughter for taking us in.  And I am grateful for the experience of having to surrender and accept what came my way for it put me in a situation that required me to be part of a team where we worked together for the good of all, supporting each other and sharing the load.

Oh, and I am also grateful for red wine, chocolate, and popcorn!

In gratitude,

Sandy

October 29th snowstorm

2 Responses to “Red Wine, Chocolate, and Popcorn”

  • Hi Sandy,
    I am glad you found comfort in friends, family, and food. I found myself fortunate of the same. We now have power, phone, and internet service returned and I am grateful for that too. 🙂
    Best wishes!

    • Sandy says:

      Thank you, Jen. I feel fortunate to have had the comfort of being with others and sharing what we each could bring to the situation. Many of us were in the same boat for sure. Like you, we are all suited up with the conveniences that we know too, a return to happy days.

      Best to you too!

Leave a Reply to Jennifer McGowan




Cancel Reply

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER