It is a beautiful March day, forty degrees and clear. The sunlight, reflecting off the newly fallen snow makes it even brighter. Yet last night was dark. We lost power twice during the snowstorm. The first time was around noon and the power was out for about an hour. Then, in the evening, it went out around five and was out for several hours.

It was just our neighborhood that was without power. Someone said that a power line had come down on the next street over. It would make sense. March snows are heavier than snow during the colder months, and can take down branches that have survived other blasts.

I drove Fiona to a friend's house that did have power, so she would have something to do and wouldn't have to sleep in a dark room. Driving through Woodbridge, lights were on just about everywhere until I made it back to my neighborhood. It is strange to think of life going on as normal everywhere around you, but not in your neighborhood.

Survival mode settles in. Candles are lit, considerations are made for keeping food cold, humans warm and for flushing toilets.

For me, it is even more of a challenge. The past couple of power outages came at very difficult times in my life. Hurricane Irene came as I was struggling with some difficult work life balance issues. We had to confront these issues in the library if I wanted to be online, or in a house without power. Of course, that was in August, so there weren't the worries about staying warm, but we were without power for several days.

Hurricane Sandy came during the final days of my campaign for State Representative. It was accompanied by news that my mother had died in a car accident during the storm. The power came back more quickly than it did after Hurricane Irene, but the struggles were much more difficult.

The snow storm yesterday wasn't expected to be as much as it turned out to be, and we hadn't done the preparations for a power outage. There weren't any great issues, at least that I know of yet, that came about during the power outage, but still, it was enough to remind me of previous struggles.

Now, the power is back on. It is a beautiful day outside. I shoveled a little this morning, did the dump run and am now heading off to my mother's house to prepare it for sale.

Sometimes, there is more to a power outage than just the electricity.