I’ve developed a recent obsession with Amish fiction. I can’t seem to get enough of these stories of every day Amish life and love. It’s a refreshing change from all of the smut and filth that is everywhere you look these days. Not that I don’t enjoy my episodes of True Blood, or dropping the token F-bomb here and there. It’s just that the Amish are so fascinating. When I think about all of the things in my life that bring me pleasure, they are all somehow tied to electricity. Obviously this does not include the people in my life as they run on food for fuel.

• television
• computers (twitter, blogging, surfing, shopping)
• radio
• iphones
• ipods
• movies
• reading (if you count the books I read on my Kindle)
• driving (not really electricity, but something the Amish don’t do)

The Amish find joy in the simple things like baking, singing, bird watching. They aren’t all caught up in the vanity of life. They are a tight community and are there to help one another at all times. And I have to admit, I kind of envy that. When I’m reading these stories it makes me long for a simple, plain life. One that wouldn’t require me to worry about makeup or dieting or whether or not my dvr recorded my stories.

But then I start to think about a world with no tv, no computers, no electricity, no car and I sort of panic. I don’t want to be without my creature comforts. I don’t want to wear long sleeved dresses and stockings year round with no air conditioning. I don’t want to worry about my reputation being tarnished if I’m caught alone in a barn with a man talking. I don’t want to think about being shunned for sipping on alcohol. And I certainly don’t want to have to sew all of my own clothes. Although I will admit that learning how to quilt could be fun. And I’m sure I’d make the best pies and jam this side of Pennsylvania.

I’ve always been a city girl at heart. I like knowing that everything I need to survive is so close by. Having to drive an hour or more to get into town for basic things would drive me nuts.

Still I find myself longing for a much simpler life. One with a big porch and homemade lemonade and children running around the yard. A life unplugged.

So Tulsa is experiencing a blizzard today. It’s pretty crazy outside. Thankfully we still have power and no work today! (and hopefully none tomorrow)

Here’s what my back patio looks like.

We’re getting about 2 inches per hour. It’s ridiculous. Thankfully I have my new Wii and my new Kindle to keep me entertained. Netflix streaming is like the best thing ever. So are free e-books.

If anyone else has a Kindle and would like to be book sharing buddies let me know. And feel free to let me know any tricks to finding free and/or cheap books on Amazon. Do they have a way you can search by price?