At 5 o’clock, yesterday afternoon, we lost power. The forecast called for a severe storm with heavy rain and strong winds, so we were mildly aware that losing electricity was an option.

At first, it was almost romantic. We built ourselves a fire, and unintentionally unplugged as the storm raged outside. I even went so far as to cook a steak dinner, using a flashlight, which we ate over candlelit.

But as the sun rose upon the house the next morning, the reality of the storm kicked in. Overnight, the trees had been trashed by intense winds. Our yard was littered with branches, power had not been restored, we had no running water, and our basement was flooded.

I spent most of the day cleaning up the mess in the basement. With no power, my tools were limited. I relied on a dustpan, a broom, a bucket, a mop and my new favorite product: baking soda. Since we moved into our new house, I’ve been trying to cut down on a number of toxic chemicals we use, especially those in cleaning products.

​the uses are endless!

Now, I use baking soda for everything. After cleaning up all of the water I could with my dustpan and mop, I sprinkled the floor with baking soda to absorb the excess moisture. It worked like a charm.

It’s now 8 PM, and we’re still without power and water. We have well water, and without power, the well pump doesn’t function. Luckily, I’ve been preparing for this day and have been storing gallons of water in the basement so we can at least flush our toilet!

Adding to our never-ending to-do list, we’ll immediately try to figure out where our basement is leaking, and considering investing in a generator.

I tell you this story because life within the squares may appear to be perfect, but often it’s not. Owning a home can be frustrating, and there are undoubtedly always unforeseen expenses.

I want to be honest here, not to complain about our situation, but to be transparent and open about the many realities of home ownership. I am sure this won’t be the last trying experience we have, so be prepared for more “The Joys of Home Ownership” posts.