When I first moved to my current home on the San Francisco peninsula, power outages occurred nearly twice a year, each lasting for the better part of a day. In short order I bought a propane stove – my house is all-electric (I hate electric stoves!), a good camping lantern, bright enough to light a room and read by, good flashlights easily located on every floor, and battery operated fluorescent lights, which I could leave on all night, for the bathrooms. I am lucky in that it rarely goes below freezing here, and that I have a wood-burning fireplace. We continue to have occasional power outages, but I am always ready to cope with them. The only things I’ll miss are my favorite TV programs – but, I can go see a movie, instead. Well, there are other inconveniences, too, but I manage. Oh, a cell-phone and a potable radio are also good things to have. David E.