Thanks, XCEL

 XCEL is our power company for this part of Minnesota. They have been for a long time, since they changed the name way back from NSP, or Northern States Power. When we were leaving MN to become AZ residents and snowbirds, XCEL was in the process of buying rural land and putting in solar panels. Now when you drive past, they look like blue waves covering former farm fields.

We're back and have them again. Since moving we've had two issues with loss of power. Both times, here's how it went. Power flickers once or twice and goes off. I pick up my cell phone, which still works, and call the number for XCEL I entered in its directory as soon as we signed up to pay for gas and electricity. Both times it went like this:

I got their business recording, letting me sort between billing, sign up or drop service, report a gas leak (beyond calling 911), or reporting a power outage. There might be more choices but I never needed to listen that long. I push the latter button. The recording confirms my status as a customer by the phone I'm using, then verifies my address as the location of the problem, then lets me know approximately how long they expect power to be out. 

Both time the estimate was twenty minutes.

Both times it was a bit quicker. 

We put away the candles, flashlights, and reset the house clocks during the two minutes it took to reset the cable connection on the TV. Not a minute of programming was lost since there is something in our cable  system that keeps about twenty minutes of back broadcasting from before every time we turn the TV on.  Besides, we had recorded what we were watching, enabling us to finish it, and the next program was filled in to cover the down time. There was no worry about losing heat on this thunderstorming winter night, though we knew where heavier clothes and blankets were if needed.  All in all, no problems.

Thanks, EXCEL !!!!