Power Outages

Ah, yes! One of the "things-most-likely-to-happen-in-the-hills" happened on Sunday - our power went out.

We really are getting quite used to the power outage deal (not that we LIKE it). We live among the trees, therefore if there is a big wind, branches come down and the power goes out. It seems logical, except because we live towards the end of a particularly long line, we do get rather a lot more outages than would otherwise be expected.

Sunday's was caused by a nasty storm that also knocked out power to over 130,000 other homes in our city. It was going to take some time to get it all up and running again, and so we settled in to wait - a couple of days, perhaps. And it made me think that there are always positives and negatives in such situations:

The Bad

- my phone always needs to be charged just before the power goes out

- the twins' daycare was closed so no "day off"

- the ovenfixit man is due to check my dead oven - how, I don't know, but I'm reluctant to cancel just in case the power goes back on

- rechargeable batteries - great if they're already charged!

- the food in the freezer starts defrosting and needs to beused or chucked out

- the girls find the glitter container and proceed to sprinkle it far and wide just when I can't use the vacuum cleaner

- the twins' nightlight doesn't work - we haven't enough torches so I am woken four times by scared children in the middle of the night

- losing track of the time because the clock on the oven isn't working

The Good

- having the wood fire means we don't go cold

- we have a gas hot water system

- the girls and I are playing more games and puzzles

- early nights - no telly to convince myself that I really must watch

- candlelight ambiance

- the fridge gets a sort and a clean

- hand kneading the bread dough for the stove top flatbread  = upper body workout and trying a new kneading technique

- a tidier house - I don't want to trip over anything in the dark!

- no technologically inspired distractions

- not too much cooking required because we are eating leftovers out of the freezer (I'm checking for raw chicken drumsticks, I can assure you!)

- losing track of the time because the clock on the oven isn't working!

Kneading by Candlelight!

But best of all is the silence!! It's so quiet without all the appliances doing their thing.

And just as I thinking that, the power went back on. 27 hours. Not too bad. And it could have been for a lot longer. And, given that an even worse storm has been forecast for tonight, we may be going through this all over again.

But at least I'll get an earlier night!

Sam xx