Raven’s RV
The ongoing education and adventures of two rank newbie RVers

Thursday Thirteen: #6–13 things we did in the RV when the power went off

Filed in Thursday Thirteen

When the lights went out the other day, and there was no phone and internet, here are thirteen things that we did to occupy ourselves.



  1. Got dressed in record time at four in the morning so that we could strap down the awning that we actually thought we’d lost.

  2. Reduced the height of the stack of unread magazines.

  3. Vaccuumed, until the charge ran out.

  4. Turned on the generator to microwave water for hot chocolate.

  5. Listened to the scanner to hear the ongoing litany of heart attacks, downed utility poles and trees across railroad tracks.

  6. Were quite glad not to be part of the emergency services or utility companies that night.

  7. Witnessed a sunrise without any sun.

  8. Blogged long-hand on paper.

  9. Took an RV shower. (An RV shower is a very abbreviated shower that involves moistening skin, turning off water, soaping, turning on water again to rinse, and hopping out…usually within two minutes. It’s something you do when you’re not hooked up to water and electricity.)

  10. Watched TV journalists being blown around and weather forecasters having fun with lots of hand-waving, pretty maps and exclamations. “Winter blast! Whee!”

  11. Watched a line of big rigs exiting the freeway to safety.

  12. Watched a procession of fire trucks from the local station.

  13. Enjoyed the rocking of the van.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!


  1. Robin
  2. Terry and Melanie
  3. Driller AA
  4. Chelle Y
  5. Not Afraid To Use It
  6. SJ Reidhead
  7. Allison
  8. Nicole Austin
  9. Puss Reboots
  10. Uisce
  11. Mama Pajama
  12. A Gentleman’s Domain


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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24 Comments, Comment or Ping

  1. Grab a free gravatar

    Robin (7 comments.)

    “Blogged long-hand on paper.” - Isn’t that a contradiction in terms LOL?

    I’d say that as long as you had hot chocolate though then all was well. Priorities must be kept, after all…

    Thanks for the link btw :).

  2. Grab a free gravatar

    Melanie (2 comments.)

    I agree with Robin..hot chocolate makes it all better..although a Macchiatto would be even better for me! The shower part does sound challenging though!

  3. Grab a free gravatar

    DrillerAA (3 comments.)

    Please tell me more about rocking the van. Just kidding.

    Happy TT

  4. Grab a free gravatar

    Chelle Y. (2 comments.)

    Thankfully, we did not lose any power. And, I am afraid of motorcycles. :)

    It’s hard to believe that you can come up with three TT’s in one week and I had a hard time coming up with one!

  5. Grab a free gravatar

    Not Afraid To Use It (1 comments.)

    We lost power for a few hours over the weekend, and Hubbie and I played cards by candlelight. We have not done that in YEARS, and it was a very nice feeling.

    And Drilleraa, I had the same thoughts when I read #13. LOL

  6. Grab a free gravatar

    SJ Reidhead (1 comments.)

    Yikes! My idea of roughing it is when I ended up at the Plaza and my luggage went to Cairo. I hired a limo, went to Bloomies, bought new clothes and shoes, then had a facial, did lunch at the Tavern on the Green, hopped a flight home, then called my attorney who filed a nice little lawsuit against TWA that included being reimbursed for all of the above. I took the cash and headed to Jamaica.

    SJR
    The Pink Flamingo

  7. Grab a free gravatar

    Allison (aka AngelGal) (1 comments.)

    Blogged long hand = kept a journal—that’s what they did in old times, right? I have one too, I just blog more now! :-D

    I visited your other blog too :-)

    http://crochetingangel2876.blogspot.com

  8. Grab a free gravatar

    Nicole Austin (1 comments.)

    At least you were able to stay entertained. Sounds like a wild storm!

  9. Grab a free gravatar

    pussreboots (88 comments.)

    I’m just amazed that we kept our power through all these storms. Happy TT.

  10. Grab a free gravatar

    Uisce (1 comments.)

    Blogging on paper — that’s an interesting concept! Thanks for stopping by my TT!

  11. Grab a free gravatar

    Mama Pajama (1 comments.)

    Wow! That is really roughing it! It sounds like ya’ll handled it very well though. Great TT!

  12. Grab a free gravatar

    Yup, hot chocolate is good, and very comforting when you feel the rig is going to blow over.

    It’s just paper journaling with an intent to blog-publish. No contradiction there. ;)

    It’s a good job I can touch-type.

  13. Grab a free gravatar

    Ah, I’m not fond of macchiatos, myself, but you’d stock your rig with whatever you wanted, I’m sure. :)

    The showers are always fun. We could have done without, but this was more entertaining.

  14. Grab a free gravatar

    DrillerAA–no. :-P

    *grin*

  15. Grab a free gravatar

    Chelle: it varies. Sometimes a theme suggests itself, and I stockpile ideas in a special file. Sometimes I do one, sometimes I do five. Once I get an idea I’m all set. Of course there are times when I struggle, too, but I’m a writer and used to flexing those “spin something out of nothing” muscles. :)

    If only I could do the same for my real muscles.

  16. Grab a free gravatar

    I’d be a bit scared to have candles in here! Luckily we can run the lights off the battery, though.

    re rocking: See response to Driller, above. ;)

  17. Grab a free gravatar

    SJR: That’s not roughing it. ;)

  18. Grab a free gravatar

    Allison: yeah, that’s the one. Handwriting with intent to blog. ;)

  19. Grab a free gravatar

    Hi Nicole

    It really was. I thought we’d blow away!

  20. Grab a free gravatar

    It’s cool that you did! At least we have propane and a battery.

  21. Grab a free gravatar

    Uisce…it’s what we did in the old days, we old farts who predate Netscape ;)

  22. Grab a free gravatar

    Mama PJ–thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. :)

  23. Grab a free gravatar

    Nicholas (8 comments.)

    I love it! Blogging longhand. Just like the pioneers did, by candlelight!

  24. Grab a free gravatar

    Nicholas: you crack me up :)

    “As Jedediah sat in the dim recesses of the wagon, typing on his wooden keyboard, from within emanated the wail, “We are down again! Stoke the fires more, the portable generator is failing and I can not maintain my connection to Ye Olde Weather Channel!

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