wind blows

Generally spring around here is extremely windy, which means sandstorms and miserable conditions outside. So we really look forward to fall here when the winds have calmed, the weather is mild and we can get outside...Well, today the winds were not calm.

It's hard to tell from the video how much sand was blowing, but between the two houses across the street, we get a glimpse of town below us and Canyon De Chelly across the way. All I could see was a swath of brown haze.

See what it's done to our neighbor's fence:

Now, understand that these videos are a matter of seconds capturing what went on ALL. DAY. LONG. When the wind blows like this, we end up with trash and roof tiles strewn about our yard. Not to mention the thin layer of dusty sand that somehow seeps in at every opportunity and shrouds everything in the house.

It also means power outages.

Sometime midmorning, Ryan was just settling in to the couch to watch a game and I had just mixed a batch of waffles, ready to pour on the hot waffle iron. Silence as the TV cuts out and the lights go off. Several minutes later, just as I reach for the fry pan to cook the waffles pancake-style on the gas stove, everything comes back to life. Pour some batter on the iron. Just after it beeps ready, power cuts out again. At least I got one waffle (mmm, with real Ohio maple syrup, even).
Repeat story. About 5 times.
Somehow we get all our waffles made and eaten, with the last one cooking as the iron cools, the power cutting out for a final time, not to come back on for hours. Although we're frustrated with not being able to have the lazy saturday we imagined involving computer and tv, we do fill the afternoon with hands on projects and preparing for our big Grand Canyon trip (!) next weekend. Eventually, as the sun sets behind the dusty cloud of sand, we decide to get out of the house and go for a drive. The wind has died down just enough to make walking to the car and driving in it bearable. As we head through town, yielding slowly through the one stop light that's now useless, we realize the grocery store is alight! Yay, we can pick up oil for our lamp since by this time darkness was setting in at home. Well, after paying for the lamp oil (and some delicious snacks), we discover that the power for the entire town had apparently come back on within seconds of leaving the house. Of course. Murphy's Law. Why didn't we leave to get lamp oil sooner?!

Oh well, I'm sure this won't be the last time the power goes out. We'll use our oil lamp before the winter's over.