No Power-No Hot Shower

A funny thing happened yesterday. To me. Shortly before we made our weekly shopping trip down the mountain, the power went out. This happens occasionally, and we go on about our lives here until it comes back on. Well, when we got back we had just enough time to put our food up and relax for a few minutes before we had to head back down the mountain to celebrate a friend's birthday. The power was still out but I wanted a shower...even if it was cold. So, I take my (quick) shower, freezing, muttering, and wondering if there was someway I could build a solar power generator. Caroline decides she will take a shower to to freshen up---the trip down the mountain is filled with toxic fumes and smog. I'm still drying off trying to rub the circulation back into my legs and fingers and as soon as she gets in, she says "Oh, the water isn't that cold. In fact, it's kind of warm. I promise, it's warm!" I thought she was kidding. She wasn't. From the time I got out of the shower to the time she got in (about a minute), the power came back on. In case you aren't aware, we don't have a hot water heater, but rather this contraption that IS the water heater. It's just a heating element (220v) that heats the water as it comes in contact. Around here it's affectionately called "the widow maker" cause you can get quite a shock from it if you touch it while the water is running. It won't kill you (don't ask- curiosity is one of my strong points), but it can indeed wake you up!---Mike