Well, after a weekend of a surprise snow storm followed by a week without power I was surprised to find out just how far (or short) my patience will go. As the snow storm started Saturday evening, here in CT, I was excited. My friends and I had discussed, perhaps 2 weeks previously, how it was supposed to "snow early this year", one in which predicted : "It will snow before Halloween!", to which we all cringed in high hopes that it wouldn't. Partly because we didn't want what the majority's favorite holiday was to get ruined and partly because we just weren't ready for the snow. We were experiencing phenomenal weather for the later part of the year, 60 degrees in October is wonderful. How could it possibly snow?!
Well, that friend's prediction was accurate. As the snow fell, the weekend of Halloween we watched as the huge snow flakes delicately placed themselves wherever the wind carried them. As the frosty bits of air became thicker and started accruing up we thought to ourselves, "How bad could this really get?!"
Then as the hours passed by and the snow didn't let up, we watched as the tree branches were weighed down with both their leaves and the accruing wet, heavy snow. Some of which were bending over power lines. "This can't end good", we thought aloud.
Little did we know we were facing a week's worth of life without power. No electricity, no preparation for the storm. As the storm passed we woke up to what looked like destruction of war, between Mother Nature and her minions, the trees. Neighborhoods filled with those who worked diligently to clean up the mess. First, removing the 6 - 10 inches of snow from their driveways. Second, branches that had fallen causing either major or minor destruction depending on the location. Third, a source of heat followed by ways to cook a warm meal for the evening. After all, after a day's of hard work a.k.a. manual labor, one needs to replenish with a good meal! The excitement of the storm quickly wore off within 24 hours. Although it was incredibly amazing to witness, it was soon learned of all the problems it caused. Gas lines miles long. The losses in property damage, food supply & access to the everyday perks we take for granted, such as a hot morning cup of coffee brewed at home.
At first, I believed that despite the length of time it would take for power to be restored, I was going to make the best of the situation & getting by would be a breeze. Who doesn't love camp fires on a brisk evening?! I could get by on a can of soup heated by fire for dinner. I could snuggle close with my significant other to keep warm at night. This seemed to be the life I would want to lead for the rest of my life. Simple. Every task having meaning, because it meant you were getting by without the need of luxuries that many countries don't have. It meant you were taking care of yourself (and loved ones) by any means possible.
Then it happened. A full seven days later, my patience ran out.
Not even over anything major. In fact, I lost it over something so trivial.... I couldn't find my trustee knee-high wool socks I relied on throughout the week to keep warm. As I rummaged in the dark, early morning (which is not at all my best hour), I quickly became angry that once again I was seeking what I considered "necessities" in the dark, unsuccessfully! It had been a really awful night's sleep, cold, damp and restless. I couldn't take the fact that the one article of clothing that was useful to me was "missing", lost to the shadows of a cold dark room.
It set the tone for my entire day.
I didn't care anymore. I wasn't going to spend one more hour without heat or electricity. I nearly felt homicidal, which really threw me off my game. While a few customers came in to work, because we indeed had power back, yet no phone lines, I gave them the stink-eye. "Are you serious? Someone needs a carpet bound when I've been freezing all week and now feel as though I'm catching cold because of this stupid power outage?!"
Then amidst my inner rage, I remembered, I was not the only one who faced this power outage. I was not the only person who was once amazed by an untimely storm, now disgruntled at the aftermath. In fact, I was merely 1 of 800,000 (if not more) to be experiencing such chaos. I remembered that I was at work; a job I am proud to have, proud to execute quality workmanship, also proud to be a part of a team that actually cares. Despite the lack of power and I'm sure a shortage of funding, customers were still seeking our resources and trade's ability to give them one more piece of comfort. They were still allowing us to be up and running as a business.
It was at that point that I knew I had to shake off the anger and frustration to continue my best workmanship. Otherwise, I needn't be here.
Dan too experienced a difficult week, as he was at home cleaning up the destruction two oak trees left in his front yard. By the seventh day he too had lost his patience with the cold and the "new way of living". It was that day that he set out to get a generator because there was no way he and his wife would go one more day in the madness. After a full day of searching, hooking up & finalizing the generator project, he was yet again defeated with the return of the power just 4 hours later. After a week full of frustration, chaos, unfinished goals, he had met his match. Yet, he found the will power to continue on with work and then worked TWO 12-hour days over the weekend at the flea markets.
This is the team of DWP Carpet Binding.
Despite our own personal set backs, frustrations, feelings of resentment, we know what it means to run a business and do it flawlessly. Despite not having phone lines & knowing that many would be working on cleaning up their own homes, we kept our normal business hours when we regained our power. We knew that it might mean sitting at an office for an eight hour period just to have one customer come in with a $9 project. Whether it was $9 or $9,000 (which didn't occur), we WANTED to be there for our customers, who were experiencing just as much frustration as we were. We could listen with an empathetic ear for five minutes, or offer a few minutes in a warm place. Something is better than nothing.
As we sit here, still with slow to no business activity, we feel the consequence of the snow storm that began with us in awe, ending with utter disgust. However, we are extremely thankful to be back up and running, both in our homes and here in our business.
With as much sincerity as one can give while writing a blog, we truly hope that everyone is going to get their power back sooner than later. Each and every one of us has been impacted in one way or another (or in several ways) and much like the proud Americans before us, we will persevere if we stick together ... Not just through the recovery of the storm, but in general. We'll share our horror stories of the week, or still growing frustrations for lack of power. Yet, in the near future, when all power is restored, we'll have the ability to look back and laugh at the trivial things that made us mad or success stories of determination while cleaning up the mess.
We will look back and say, "We endured this. Together."
Warm wishes of safety, comfort and the simple joys in life to you all!
-The Team of DWP Carpet Binding
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