The Power Cut

Power cut essential!

My letter box is an amazing thing; a myriad of items can arrive through it.    There was the time it gave birth to a load of books.  Once I received make-up.   Competition loot has also been known to “drop.”  Those are the best ones.  Money off coupons from the supermarket are always welcome.   I’ve gotten cards of every variety known to man; Christmas, birthday and voting cards.   

Then there’s the not so nice stuff.    The eye-watering bills, bank statements, the report cards of my youth and now those of my kids.   Sometimes dentist appointments arrive.   Audiology reminders, book lists from school.  This list could go on and on.  

Recently the mother of them all arrived.  Full of dates, times and reasons why we will be experiencing a power cut for an entire day.

During the week when the boys have a mid-term break from school.

Wwwaaaaaahhhhhh!

Seriously?    Seriously?

I experienced a moment of terror before getting a grip.  My brain began to filter through the ramifications.   We’d have to eat cold food.   There will be no coffee.

There will be no coffee!   There will be no coffee!

What’ll the troops say when I tell them about Xbox?  They will have to make sure their PS 

Vita’s and DS’s are fully charged.

There will be no coffee!  There will be no coffee!

We won’t be able to watch TV.  I will not have access to the internet.    I will have to ensure my own computer is fully charged.

There will be no coffee!   There will be no coffee!

Wwwaaaaaahhhhhh!

What on god’s green earth are we going to do?

I went to the google machine and typed in how to avoid killing your children when the electricity is gone “Ways to survive with children when there is a power cut.”

I knew it wasn’t the end of the world.  I could use it to my advantage and kick start the hand held device detox programme.   Great things can arise from boredom.

Also, I wouldn’t be able to cook.

The lack of coffee was bothersome though.

We just might have to go for a swim.  I did promise them a trip to the shops to pick out some shorts and t-shirts for the summer.   We could do that.   I’d be able to buy coffee if we did.   Hot, frothy coffee with chocolate dusted on top.  My favourite kind.

It wasn’t a question of trying to get on board with this.  The power cut was happening whether I liked it or not.

Wwwaaaaaahhhhhh!

The day started out easy enough.   Breakfast was eaten, I made sure there we had plenty of water and as we were on the way for a swim everything went silent.   Well timed.   Very well timed.  We came back to the house for a short while, had a quick slice of Mister Husband’s birthday cake and without any prompt or suggestion, the boys went out to play on the trampoline.    I allowed myself a moment of warmth.

Gobshite that I am.

Four o’clock rolled round faster than I was able for and the energy levels had to be used up somehow.  What better way to do it than squabble, fight, argue and land the odd sneaky punch?

I was reduced to drinking coffee made from off the boil water out of a thermos.   My tolerance levels were low and the noise was high.

Tears, mine, were not too far away.

Then, as in the way in all the best movies, I had leapt to my feet, ready with a barrage of threats, each one more horrible and gruesome than the last when the radio came on

No-one noticed for a moment and then they scattered.   I ran for the kettle.   Smallest Boy bolted to secure the best seat in front of Netflix.  Two others dived onto hand held devices and the remaining one was left spinning in our wake!