I bailed on work yesterday afternoon and drove thirty miles to the Lowe's and plopped down several hundred dollars for a 5500w generator. Got the beast home, put oil and fuel in it, fired that baby up on the first pull and hooked it up to the furnace. Got the refrigerator plugged back in, as well as a few lamps and the phone. Of course, I had to get the satellite TV plugged in, too. The kids need something to do since there's no school yet again.
My wife and I really debated about whether or not to spend the money on a generator. I'm glad I did. Although it was a lot to be paying (two weeks before Christmas) for something you hopefully won't use all that much, I really think it was a necessity. Not just so we could pump some heat back into the house but because it was really the only thing I could do to feel like I was able to provide for my family.
I've felt like I've just been reacting by staying with other people. It's always better to sleep in your own bed, sure, but this is more than that. This was a proactive step I took so that my whole family could sleep together in our house.
There's not many opportunities any more for a man to feel like he's genuinely provided for his family in a substantive way. Like saving the life of your child at a swimming pool several times and you shrug it off as something parents "just do." Usually, we do our thing in relative obscurity and we may (or may not) be appreciated for it.
This generator means more than just TV and heat. It means Dad is providing for his family.
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