The power went out about 2 hours ago.... just poof and you suddenly find your self back in the dark ages, or at least sort of. It is at times like this that it may actually pay to live in a travel trailer. I still have lights for a couple of days, there is still a furnace and fully functioning stove, even the fridge is still working. The only thing lost so far is running water, but I filled up a couple of jugs this morning so I'm good for at least a couple of days if I need to be. I even made and cooked a couple meals earlier this evening, so I don't even have to resort to eating chili right out of the can.... unless I want to of course. ;-)

    It's been raining here since yesterday afternoon, but really didn't get going until earlier this evening. What has been worse is the wind blowing. Sounds like lots of tree branch's falling down out there, but nothing big on the trailer roof yet. With any luck all of the hickory and acorn nuts will have already blown down now so I won't wake up every time I hear one of them hit the roof tonight. I'm lucky in that there is a cabin to the north of me that is blocking most of the wind as well as another trailer to the south that blocks it when it comes from that direction, and it does seem to be coming from every which way at times.

   It is definitely getting colder as the night progresses, down to 41 degrees already outside and only 60 inside. It will get a lot colder in here before morning I'm afraid, but lucky for me I still have a couple of sleeping bags and blankets yet, so I should be cozy enough for the night. May have to go drag my sweat pants out of the dirty clothes basket though, so I can have something warmer to wear around the place. Something tells me that I'm going to need to put on something other than my shorts and a t-shirt for the next couple of days. Am really hoping that I don't wake up to two feet of snow in the morning. Some of the last weather reports I saw had the 'Smokies' getting up to 4 feet in spots. I'm only a couple of miles from the 'Blue Ridge Parkway' so it could do just about anything up here.

   One last worry is that there is a stream at the base of the hill where I'm camped. For several days now you could pretty much jump across it with out to much effort. This afternoon when I got back from doing some grocery shopping it was already several feet deeper. I hope it doesn't wash the little bridge we cross out before I get out of here.

    It may sound a little bleak here at the moment, but I know that I am in much better shape than some people who are out there in the storm tonight. I hope everyone will take care of themselves and each other while this passes through our lives.