During the recent power outage due to the many days of snow, freezing fog and ice on everything, we had to start cooking creatively. I had 2 large coffee cans, and 2 large peach cans, and a couple large candles, 2 small lids and a metal rack. That is what I did my cooking on for the duration of the storm. Believe it or not, this didn't work too bad. I cooked soup, stew, meatballs, mashed potatoes. Heated water for hot water for coffee, made apple cider. I think it worked pretty good. On Sat, because the temperature outside and inside was getting so much colder , we finally started up the emergency kerosene heater. Then I moved my cooking to the top of that and made a wonderful Turkey stew. The coldest our home got was 48 degrees inside, we dressed warm, and snuggled in with blankets, warm footie socks which I got for Christmas (thanks Kristin). At one point I had on 4 pair of socks, long johns, flannel pj's (again, thanks Kristin), a t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, and a sweatshirt--nice and cozy! I absolutely have to read each night, so I bent a "snake light" flashlight around my neck and and pointed the light at my book, and enjoyed reading til midnight! I loved it!
Again, thanks to Kristin & Kyle for having a lot of candles at their wedding, we used their candles all around our home to light our way. It looked so pretty, but I don't know how pioneer women got anything done in the evening with that low lighting.
We were without power for about 4 1/2 days, with short intervals 2 evenings with power for a short time. We were able to warm up the house and water all out cattle in that little bit of time. We were up til almost midnight filling water tanks for the cattle, but it was worth it, because the power went out again in a couple hours. I had prepared for the possible power outage by filliing up 5 gallon buckets with water to use for the "plumbing", so we were not without that either. When we lose electricity, we lose everything, heat, water..everything!
Wow!! You are an inventive soul!! Your 'canned heat' is a great idea... I have lots of candles in storage in the basement 'for such as time as this'. That is a long time to be without power. When I lived on the farm, I too, filled up buckets with water for the toilet, as the well was electric. I cooked on top of the wood burning stove with an iron skillet. Isn't it something how we realize what a luxury electricity is when we lose it? I read your comment on my blog about the Old Market in Omaha.... once, Handyman gave me 45 minutes (What a generous soul!!) to 'browse' the Old Market. It was so cool, wish I could have had more time--and money! Maybe he and I will stop in there another time. We enjoy Lincoln's Hay Market also, but haven't been to either for quite a few years.
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