The first thing Lorrie noticed was the silence. When the power went out, the hum of all the appliances stopped. Then, of course, she noticed how different everything looked in the dim light. The kitchen table was just a shadow in the other room; the windows were like eyes staring into the kitchen. The house even smelled different without electricity because the filters and the air conditioning were no longer working. .

Due to the recent drought, mandatory water restrictions have been put into place. Residents are prohibited from watering their lawns, washing their cars, or installing and filling any new inground pools.

To save water, consider installing a rain barrel. Begin by drilling a hole in the top of a large, plastic barrel. Drill a second hole on the side of the barrel, about two inches from the top. Drill a third hole in the base. Fit pipe adapters into the holes. These will later be fitted to a hose so that you can access the water for your lawn or garden.

Are you a teacher? Do you give homework? Have you considered alternatives to nightly homework assignments? Research has shown that nightly homework may not be as effective as once thought. Consider your homework plan, and see if there are ways to lessen the burden of homework while still maintaining it.

Christopher and Lena splashed through the puddles, laughing at the fat raindrops that fell from the sky. Lena remembers a song she’d learned in preschool and began to sing, “It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring…”