Neighbors helping neighbors in Lebanon

LEBANON, Conn. (WTNH) - Like many others across the state, a woman in Lebanon is going through another lengthy power outage.

First she lost power for more than a week with Irene, and this time it's due to the Autumn Nor'easter.

This time around, the woman and her husband are looking for new ways to help their neighbors get through the uncomfortable power outage.

Joan Nauss just had a generator tuned up days before the Autumn Nor'easter hit. She and her neighbors are thankful for that.

"It's connected to his cellar, and he has a sump pump, he runs a sump pump because he gets water in his cellar," says Nauss.

The sound of tree and power crews were welcomed in the town that some folks thought had been forgotten. A tree company from Canada joined CL&P crews to restore power in a neighborhood Nauss thought was forgotten, because some of the homes on Amston Lake are only occupied in the summer.

"This end here is all winter is all year round. So I said what they heck ya know, come and look," says Nauss.

They always have the portable power which is hard wired into the home, but they try to conserve when possible. She says after being married for 49 years, both her and her husband spend their time getting to know each other during the power outage.

"In the meantime we're doing puzzles, reading, get to know each other better," says Nauss.

They are getting to know each other and their neighbors a whole lot more.

"They came over to visit with us and gave them a nice supper, a dinner one night," says Nauss.

The Nauss' have also opened up their faucets to folks. They have invited anyone in the neighborhood who needs water to come on over and fill up, they only ask that you shut off the nozzle when you're done.