Power Again! Hooray! Thank You!

We had a moment of false hope on day 9 when the utility truck arrived on our road and started working on our pole. I was certain that this was going to be the day for the restoration. Apparently when the trees came crashing across the lines, the insulators on many of the transformers were torn off. Alas our poor transformer suffered this fate and the crew removed it and drove off. This was a dark day for Ginny and I, knowing that current was running along our street and illuminating our neighbor's Christmas trees. Day 10 brought some unwelcome heavy snow which hampered the work crews progress. The temperature plummeted and we decided to move our sleeping quarters to the first floor. In the coldest days the basement was a comfortable 69 degrees (wood stove), the living room was 57 degrees (the floor was 63 degrees) and the second floor was 52 degrees (acceptable with a down comforter). Day 11 was bright but very cold and when the crew arrived with our new transformer, it was just getting dark. This picture was taken at 3:54 PM, it was 15 degrees and windy. The crews were working almost around the clock. I don't think you could pay me enough to climb into a bucket and hover 30 feet in the air in that type of weather. A number of these folks are going to miss Christmas with their families. I was chatting with the crew and one worker told me that he sent his wife some roses. As I write this the crews are still working on the wires. It is Christmas Eve the temperature is 25 degrees and we are getting .... (can you guess?) sleet with a chance of freezing rain. These guys deserve our thanks.