Mad Max Beyond 520

While those of us in central Seattle enjoyed a three-day weekend, 234,000 people, mostly on the Eastside, are looking at their fifth night without power, and PSE's telling some of them--mostly in eastern King County (Duvall, North Bend, etc...)--that they won't be back on the grid for days.

--18,000 people in Seattle still don't have power--mainly in the Rainier Valley and West Seattle, but some in Madrona and Leschi. The P-I reports they'll all have power by Tuesday.

--The ol' bring-the-charcoal-grill-or-generator-inside-for-heat plan ain't working out too well. At least two men have died from carbon monoxide poisoning, and 100 cases with happier endings are reported. If you poison yourself, you end up in Virginia Mason's hyperbaric chamber, where they're calling this an epidemic.

--More than 44 King County roads were still closed Sunday night due to storm damage (downed trees, etc).

--Local stores are low on batteries and firewood.

--The Red Cross is operating shelters: stay-the-night shelters and also day shelters where people can warm up and get hot food.

--Bellevue, Kent, and Mercer Island schools, among others, are closed again today.

--If you got your roof blown off, or a tree fell into it, you understandably would like a roofer and tree removal service dispatched immediately, please. Well, you might have a wait. And if you overpay one of the rogue crews out gouging desperate homeowners, your insurance company won't pay for your impatience. Insurance companies are flying in adjusters to meet demand.

--Anyone who has power runs the risk of their house turning into an impromptu family reunion, someone at my work says that she, her aunt and uncle and two cousins, and everyone's dogs are bivouacked at her parent's house.

--Utility crews are here from as far away as Kansas. One electrical worker we know went 40 hours straight, slept for 5 hours, and went back out for another 40-hour shift.

Most people are happy to get their power on, then there are people like this West Seattle lady the P-I talked to:

"I'm frustrated," said Mary Sanderson, who lives across the street from where the lines came down.

"I feel like I'm the last person who doesn't have power on the planet."