Deck of Worn Cards – Austin, Texas

Certainly, without power, the internet, and electronic entertainment, life during the first three days of the week was different. We had mundane considerations like keeping warm and eating. But, after that, how to pass the time. We did have electronic access via our iPhones but limited usage to conserve battery power.

We had good experiences, however. We played numerous card games. We even busted out Monopoly, unused for probably a decade. My son was happy that he handily beat his parents. My wife and son even read a book by the LCD Lantern. I also tried but found the print too taxing to read without better light.

We discovered key electronic gadgets that came in handy. I talked about the big battery in the Clarity yesterday — our biggest tool after the fireplace. The LCD Lantern we bought at Costco for $25 was fantastic. I got one for the Thanksgiving pre-camping event. With a built-in USB charger, rechargeable battery, and many hours of light, I think I’ll get a second one.

We used a box of battery-powered LED tea lights, typically used during Halloween, to add little bits of light throughout the house. While dim, it was enough to guide us throughout without bumping into walls.

Finally, there are things we need to get for any future occurrence. Top on the list is battery-powered carbon monoxide detectors. We had the natural gas fireplace going all day. And, while vented, I was concerned about keeping it running throughout the night as we slept. Lower temperatures were a fair trade for potentially not waking up in the morning.

I might also get a UPS for the computer. Not only can it act as another battery, but I can run the laptop for emergency blog posts. After all the life-sustaining issues were adequately addressed, I worried most about continuing my daily blog posts.

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