First night in my new house.

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billryan
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Re: First night in my new house.

Post by billryan »

I had a terrific wind storm yesterday, the worst and most extensive I've been in since the move west.
I'm at my new house, thinking how glad I'm not in my RV when the power goes out. Luckily, it was about four-thirty, so I had some time before darkness. Grabbed my laptop- only a 12% charge. My kindle is worse, and my phone is at 16%. Without wifi, my phone becomes my hotspot and drains about 5% an hour. My Stove is electric, and I can't find much to eat that doesn't require cooking. I have two emergency lights I stripped out of my store, but they are packed away, so I do what any right-minded American does in these situations- I went to bed. Put on a Stephen Ambrose audiobook and was asleep before the first chapter ended. I woke up at 11 PM when the power came back on, and my tv was playing.
I have no idea if blackouts are common here. I was on Arizona Power; out here, I'm in something called the Sulpher Springs Valley Electrical Exchange,or something close. which is some sort of rural co-op I didn't pay much attention to. I looked at yelp today, and not a single good review. As they are a monopoly, there doesn't seem to be much I can do.

Tedlark
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Post by Tedlark »

Couldn't you have charged your phone in your car? As for food, don't you have any canned goods such as spaghettios, ravioli, hash, soup, etc.? You can eat these right out of the can as they are cooked, just not heated up. I'd go into what can be done with with cactus and a grill (or hot rocks), just one of the things I learned in my many travels to Arizona.

You are such a city boy. Glad you survived.

billryan
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Post by billryan »

It was rough, but my faith in God and Country pulled me thru.
I don't normally eat things out of cans but last spring I bought a case of Campbells chicken soups and another case of canned ravioli, just in case. I'd have to pretty hungry to eat them out of the can. Let's hope it never comes to that. I cooked a couple recently but hadn't transferred the rest from the park. I'm paid up thru the 15th there, so getting my building empty and broom clean is a priority.

olds442jetaway
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Post by olds442jetaway »

We like Progresso soups and keep plenty on hand. Unfortunately with almost all canned items they are loaded with sodium even the low sodium varieties. Keeping a small propane fired camp grill is also a good idea with a burner to heat up something like soup. I also like something we’ve had as kids Dinty Moore more beef stew and the canned ravioli. Having a good can opener on hand manual one for the cans that don’t have pop tops is a good idea too. Years ago we used to have army surplus canned biscuits and bread but used them up long ago. Anyway glad you survived. Hopefully no wind damage. One more I forgot the little cans of Vienna sausages. Hot flat rocks in the sun are great for eggs

billryan
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Post by billryan »

The sail shades at my building didn't survive. The wind ripped the one sail apart after bending its pole quite a bit. I'm debating about putting in an insurance claim.
A good can opener is mandatory in a kitchen, even though I don't eat much canned food. I do use stewed tomatoes fairly regularly. I'm just hoping these blackouts aren't a regular thing. I have to talk to m neighbors, although the guy across the street isn't very friendly. The only time I met him he wanted to know why I don't drive American cars and told me every dime we spend on Japanese goods brings us a day closer to another Pearl Harbor.

OTABILL
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Post by OTABILL »

I haven't had any issues with blackouts in the 16 years I have been in a AZ. Power outages have been brief. Then again, I have SRP as my electric provider, a gas stove, and am in metro Phoenix. As for eating f the power goes out, I would keep bread, peanut butter and jelly for an emergency meal. You could add an avocado. You can also have pouched/canned tuna fish around. Though I don't eat it, canned chicken could also work. Keep a few one portion mayo or mustard packets BTW, I have a built-in propane gas grill to use in an emergency as well A portable one would work as well.

billryan
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Post by billryan »

I have a decent propane bbq but it was packed in my building. Another two weeks or so and I'll be all sorted out. The weather last week put me behind schedule but I built in a few days.
I found out blackouts are not uncommon, especially during heavy rain or wind but there were only two of more than two hours, so an inconvenience but not worth buying a generator.

olds442jetaway
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Post by olds442jetaway »

Yes, a couple of hours no problem. Sounds like you have a real winner for a neighbor. Probably best to keep your distance as much possible and just wave or whatever. We have been very fortunate with neighbors. The one exception was the first year we moved in 46 years ago. The next door neighbors were foreigners. Nothing wrong with that except they let their kids run wild. The boys went up on the roof of their garage and started a campfire. So much for that garage. They also gouged up the side of my one year old pickup and never owned up to it. Anyway, thank godness, in about 6 months they moved back to Greece.
I don’t know what sail shades are, but can figure it out from your description. Tough call on the insurance. Have to balance the deductible and the possibility of having your rates raised. Guess you will figure that out.
Insurance companies love to look for excuses to raise rates Our homeowners insurance has quadrupled over the years. They say it is because of having the salt water down the street, yet we are on top of a hill a couple of hundred feet above sea level. They said they go by as the crow flies. Then they said oh, we can give you a nice discount if you get automatic motorized storm shutters installed. Yeah right.....20,000 bucks for those on an 1100 square foot house. I don’t think so.

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