I'm sure Malevich was thinking of how Downer looks during a blackout when he painted that black square. Every house was out, and those in the next few suburbs too. I realised that after I checked the fuse box and looked around me.
Bumblebee instantly freaked out. I can't work out why he needs every light in the vicinity on when he initially goes to bed, but then can wake in the middle of the night for a wee and go straight back to bed and go back to sleep in the dark without a whimper.
Anyhoo, I fumbled around for the torch, managing to slash my hand up on the frigging metal strip on the edge of the clingwrap box in the process, and then he and I (BB was out) had dinner by candlelight and then I read Enid Blyton stories by the light of my little booklight.
Bumblebee was very impressed that I didn't panic. I'm trying to teach him to relax and think when he's faced with a problem, but it's a hard thing to teach someone, especially when they're only 9 and a complete drama queen.
It didn't last too long -- about 45 minutes, but I was too scared to turn the computer back on in case (a) it happened again, and (b) the surge had killed it. So I had a computer-free evening, and then woke this morning and turned on the computer with crossed fingers.
As you can see, it was ok. Happy endings for all. Except for all the clocks, which had to be reset.
5 comments:
We were hit too, of course Ducky. And did you get this morning's blackout as well?
It was about 8 o'clock, radio and toaster and kettle all off. Bugger, I thought, at least it's nearly time to go even if I haven't had my cup of tea. About half an hour later I realised the lounge room light was on (it's around the corner folks, so you don't see it from the kitchen). It was a bloody fuse! Got my cuppa.
Bugger, eh! I had a fuse that flicked off a few years ago after having half my house rewired, and I couldn't work out how to flick the new fuse switches. The electrician asked me if I could get my boyfriend to look at it and I replied that as far as my boyfriend went, I was the boy, so to speak. So he came out to the house and demonstrated the embarrassingly easy switch (which was, to my credit, a completely different movement to the old switchboard) and I've never looked back. Whereas BB, who really is the girl in our marriage, no matter how big and blokey he looks, wouldn't know a fuse board from a cheese board.
Oh, and he was actually a very nice electrician, despite having sexist assumptions. He didn't charge me for the housecall.
Best advice for Bumblebee. Buy a box of glowsticks from the nearest party supply store. No batteries and just the right amount of light.
Seems to be some problem with supply over your side of town. No probs down here (deepest, darkest Lanyon...)
jahteh's advice about glowsticks is good. We've got about a dozen cyalume sticks for that reason. Easier to use for MissB, and reminds her of school discos.
The glowstick idea is great, and makes me go 'doh!' I've got a whole heap ferreted away for a special occasion, but not readily accessible. I might just move them...
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