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New Canaan Residents Without Power Bide Time Downtown

NEW CANAAN, Conn. – Being without power for four days since Hurricane Sandy struck has not been pleasant for Maria Alves of New Canaan.

Friends Adriana DeGabriel, left, of Stamford and Yvonne Hunkeler of New Canaan met up in Downtown New Canaan on Friday. Both of their homes are without power since Hurricane Sandy.

Friends Adriana DeGabriel, left, of Stamford and Yvonne Hunkeler of New Canaan met up in Downtown New Canaan on Friday. Both of their homes are without power since Hurricane Sandy.

Photo Credit: Melvin Mason
Elizabeth French of New Canaan tries to smile through the frustration of not having power for nearly a week.

Elizabeth French of New Canaan tries to smile through the frustration of not having power for nearly a week.

Photo Credit: Melvin Mason
Maria Alves of New Canaan says not having power has made life more difficult in terms of work and preparing for her friend's wedding this weekend.

Maria Alves of New Canaan says not having power has made life more difficult in terms of work and preparing for her friend's wedding this weekend.

Photo Credit: Melvin Mason

The outages made life complicated for Alves to work and to prepare for her best friend’s wedding this weekend in Westchester County, N.Y.

“It’s frustrating,” said Alves, who lives on Field Crest Drive. “Just not having hot water and having to go to other peoples’ houses to take a shower.” Alves visited a shop in New Canaan on Friday to get her hair ready for the nuptials.

Plenty of other New Canaan residents expressed frustration as they waited for crews to restore the power lost after Hurricane Sandy. Many residents flocked to the downtown area Friday. Some came to charge their phones or other devices at the New Canaan Library and other locations. Others visited restaurants to get a bite to eat or meet with friends, getting out of the house for a little while.

Elizabeth French of Barnegat Road said her home was “cold, dark and lonely,” with the temperatures dropping as the week progressed. She was downtown to find her children, who are difficult to contact because the family’s cellphones were out of power. She also wanted to recharge her phone and get warm. “It’s terrible,” French said of the loss of power, hoping it returns this weekend.

Yvonne Hunkeler of Marshall Ridge Road has found the power outage challenging. She went downtown to get lunch and meet with her friend Adriana DeGabriel, who also lost power at her home in Stamford. Hunkeler and her family had dinner at home Thursday, using a wood-fired stove to cook  meat that was in danger of spoiling.

“It’s been like camping out at home,” Hunkeler said. She has visited her son’s home in Stamford to take a shower but hasn’t stayed with him because he lives with friends.  After losing power for extended periods of time three times in two years, Hunkeler said she will probably buy a generator before the next outage occurs.

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