I came by the house about 7:30 last night to find those Louisiana boys totally surrounding my house. They were even in the driveway. There was something strange about the street, I thought. Then I realized what it was–the streetlights were on!
Day 11 and I’m posting from home. Not only do I have electricity, but–miracle of miracles–cable too! How that happened, I have no idea.
I shook all the hands of all the linemen I could get close to before they left.
cheers vibrotronica
No power yet at my place, but they’re working on the lines today. Looks like a ‘local’ (Tennessee) construction firm. Nice red trucks. If they replace the cable lines at the same time, I may have cable modem service back. If they replace the phone lines, I may have phone service back. If not, well, at least I can go back to playing GTA3 and GTA:VC on my computer again.
Hey, congratulations, vibrotronica! I’ll be over in 10 minutes.
I’ve had streetlights on all week, due to the power being on to all the houses across the street. I thought I saw an MLGW truck in the street behind my house yesterday, but maybe they were just out sightseeing.
All I’ve lost, though, is power; phones are up, I’ve got hot and cold water, &c. I didn’t have cable before the storm, so I’d be mightily surprised if I had it after.
Yesterday I remembered the video I’d rented that was a week overdue. Obviously I couldn’t get it out of my VCR with no power, so after some consideration of what to do, I took the entire VCR to the video store, where they let me plug it in and pop out the tape. They were even nice enough not to charge me a late fee for it.
This kind of provisional living is getting mighty old; I don’t much feel like spending another weekend in the dark or at friends’ homes.
Well, I have power, but now I have no phone. I guess they had to unhook something when they put up the new poles. But that’s OK. I’ll trade lights and A/C for DSL any day. Plus I saw the BellSouth truck outside this morning, so hopefully that will be taken care of soon too.
On a side note, there was an annoucement for a block party to celebrate our getting power restored. The location was described as the house on the corner that used to have a white picket fence. We all knew which one they meant. 
Hope everyone else gets power soon.
Arhat
(reporting live from Disaster Street)
AC party at my house! Woo Hoo! Nightsong, jackelope, percypercy, or any other Memphis dopers who need some cold air and cold beverage should email me.
Shelby County Mayor A.C. Wharton has been getting high praise for his handling of the whole situation, and could emerge from this mess with his reputation in pretty good shape. Mayor Herrington, on the other hand, has been widely absent from public view. Rumor has it he “went to a fundraiser” in Arkansas during the worst of the carnage. And I happened to hear MLGW head Herman Morris on the radio this morning apologizing to his nieghbors. He said that the damage in their area was particularly bad, and that he thought they would be among the last to get their power back.
laughs
Got a wireless system set up at your place? I’ll lug my 'puter along. 
(Hopefully the power’ll be back on when I get back.)
Yup… I’ve been seeing/hearing A. C. on the radio, etc., etc.: but Herrington? Haven’t seen/heard hide nor hair of him. Don’t think he’s going to get re-elected.
(I hope this doesn’t end up-double posting, it isn’t showing on preview, so…)
Looks like I should be up soon; there was a crew in my backyard this afternoon, though they seem to have disappeared while I was out. Also I got a note from my landlord advising me to unplug my fridge and A/C, since these are likely to short out if power is restored to them suddenly. Oh well, I’m heading to work shortly anyway.
Could be any day now…
Yet another update…
Nada. Zilch. Zip.
However, they’re still working away on the lines, and BellSouth and Time Warner showed up and talked with the MLGW crew: presumably to see when it’d be safe for them to check their lines.
Looks like I wil be taking my laundry with me on my vacation.
Twelve days after the storm and we’re down to about 40,000 households without power. I hope my fellow Dopers aren’t counted in that number. I was out with a friend for his birthday last night, and he was lamenting that he would have to spend his birthday in the dark. Only 45 traffic signals are still down.
There’s a crane on my street right now removing a fallen tree that destroyed a neighbor’s guest house across the street. (yes, I live next to rich people, but I’m not one of them). The college-aged son who lives there just happened to be at his girlfriend’s that night–otherwise it would have been curtains.
The prevailing mood in the city is exaustion, but we’ve got a lot of brush to clear. Even local film critic John Beifuss couldn’t muster much elan to review Gigli:
I’m just posting to say that’s the funniest thread title I’ve seen in weeks.
I GOT POWER!!!
Apparently it came on at about 8:30 last night, while I was at work. 10 1/2 days in the dark are over, and I am cranking up the A/C and living large. In fact I’m so accustomed to the dark that I keep forgetting to turn lights on; I’ll go into the bathroom or the kitchen and fumble around in the dark, cursing, until I remember, “Hey! I have LIGHTS!” What a joy. Oh, and I’m listening to music again, too: currently Frank Black and the Catholics’ Dog in the Sand. Ahhhhhhh.
Nightsong, I’m really sorry you’re still in the dark. This is certainly a good time to go on vacation, though.
Keep us posted, folks.
Update!
As of 2:30,
I HAVE POWER!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
They’re working on the cable connection and the phone lines as we speak to boot.
does happy dance
I have power, I have power…
Nightsong you’re must have been on the same circuit as mine because that’s when mine came on. My dad and sister and I were working out in the front yard(I know how to work a chain saw! he he) when I turned to the front porch and saw the light on. I almost jumped up and down. So now the a/c’s running and thing’s are nice and cool again.
Is anyone still without?
-Lil
I think we’re all up now, though some are without phone and many without cable.
I never lost phone service and don’t have cable anyway, so I’m just as I was before the storm, except with a newfound appreciation for airconditioning and no food in my fridge.
All Memphis-area Dopers are up, I should clarify; MLGW reports 27,000 still without power, but says they’re almost finished: