Power - the one thing that keeps all our lives on an even track but what happens when that unseen energy mysteriously disappears?
Since 9.00 am this morning, power has been in absentia. No Saturday mowers, radio news or glowing numerals to wake me from slumber. Not a peep from the street. Hmm, it’s just too quiet for this time of day.
Bimble downstairs. Flick kettle on. Spent 20 minutes scratching head wondering why the toaster wasn’t its usual bright perky self. Come on. ‘I want crumpets damn you’ I shout at the inanimate shiny thing. The penny drops when after 5 minutes the kettle is looking about as interesting as a stranded whale.
Brain then runs through that auto-mantra that occurs when electrical gadgets malfunction – Check fuses. Is the socket switched on? Are the cables connected? Do the lights work? OMG! No internet!!!!
A ping alerts me to a text from the Lecky Board – its both good news and bad news. The good news is the engineers are hard at work on the problem. What problem? The bad news is that no-one knows when the magic juice will be restored. Well, that’s put a major spanner in the works or should that be digger through the cable? What to do with no electricity? And of course, it’s at that moment I notice that the battery on my phone is about to run out… Can this day get any better?
Thank goodness for gas hobs. At least I can boil up a pan of water for a cuppa and substitute granola for buttery crumpets. But what about those folks who don’t have gas? Should I be rushing out to offer my saucepan skills to the rest of the hood? Maybe not. I can hardly pass the hat round after providing hot drinks, boiled potatoes or a bucketful of warm water for arthritic feet, can I? Gotta keep an eye on those high energy costs. Sorry but it’s every man for himself (or person for themselves or whatever).
After a very quick cold wash it’s time to get Survivalist head on. Check understairs cupboard for supplies of candles, matches, bread and milk. Bring wood in from the log store. Dig out large thermos flask. Text the kids then switch off phone to preserve battery. Put tortoise outside to warm up as none of her heat lamps are working. Check purse for cash – shops may be closed or unable to use card machines.
Wander into town to assess the state of the Chichester nation. That’s strange – traffic lights are not working, some shops are closed yet the town is still full of grockles so obviously no zombie apocalypse, Russian invasion or meteor strike. Still, it pays to be prepared. Pick up emergency salad supplies as it looks like power outage is only affecting areas south of the A27.
Luckily the sun’s out and the Spoons is still open – a blessing really as with nothing else to do at least you can top up your tan with a pint in hand.
A word of advice here for those thinking of going over to full fibre optic broadband – guess what? Yep, landlines don’t work in the event of a power cut as telephone handsets are plugged into the back of the router which won’t work without electricity. That’s technological progress for you.
However, a chat with next door has reinforced the need for Survivalists like me to switch to solar power with battery storage as in the event of a power failure, you will have your own limited power sourced directly from the battery. Note to self – add solar quotes to the To Do List.
It’s now 5 pm and hurrah, the power has unexpectedly returned just as I was getting to the good bit of my crime thriller novel. I'm off to quickly nuke up some dinner in case its only a temporary generator that’s keeping the lights on.
The future's bright but if it's all electric then you'd better be well prepared for when the light at the end of the power tunnel goes out.
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