So here's the short of it, 

Today turned off cool but the EPB is working in our neighborhood.

And here's the long.

Today the weather turned cold! I knew it was going to, but I couldn't make myself believe it. I wasn't dressed warmly enough, and shucks...I hope I didn't leave the space heater on in the office when I left this afternoon!

Today we had a late start, so by the time I left the EPB was here. They gave the tree people some time to get some more work done, but by the time I got home this evening, they had two poles up including a new transformer on the one. Alan didn't think the power was back on yet though. It's rained all evening so I haven't been out - but surely by tomorrow electricity will be back on - and I can share pics of brand new electric poles!  I heard today that there are still over 20,000 EPB customers without power. Even if a person has a pioneer spirit and can do the heating water on the gas grill, using candles or bringing the solar lights in at dusk, and keeping perishables in a cooler, it surely has gotten old by  now. We are really fortunate not to have lost power for any length of time.

On Sunday, Valdis taught Sophie how to climb up on the tree root and walk out onto the tree trunk.  By Monday morning, she was climbing up and leaving the yard whenever she wanted to. Of course when they began to clean up the tree, our upper back fence came down, so she has been confined to the lower back yard yesterday and today. Alan said today that she walked up the back steps to the closed gate and just stood there surveying her territory from a new place. I know she'll be glad to have her territory enlarged again when we can get a temporary fence up to keep her in.