Life without energy....how it used to be back in the day!

I think I've got my wish for a white Christmas, but I didn't bank on a 36 hour power outage along with it! 

I mean 36 whole hours without electricity and because we have a well that pumps the water supply to the house, we lost fresh water too! Oh and there's no gas supply to the house either for an alternative option.
The reason for the outage was the sheer amount of snowfall plus trees falling over powerlines. If you'd like to see more about the snow storm then check out the news clips on this link  Power outages

To begin with it wasn't a problem in fact it was a challenge that we all took to, but as the hours began to add up the amusing side of things soon started to fade. Tempers, tantrums and tizzy fits at every turn!

I mean to start with NO CUPPA's!
Now for anyone that knows me they'll know that that is extremely serious. 

To try and alleviate my caffeine deficiency we had to think outside of the box. It seemed a good idea initially and I was really looking forward to trying this new method of boiling some water (that just happened to be left in the kettle) in a pan and placing on the open fire.
We even warmed the cups as any serious tea drinker will know is crucial.
But I can state here and now smokey bacon tea is foul, not a good taste. 

I only managed three desperate sips before I gave up! YUK!

So I had to revert to juice with a muzzy head from my enforced caffeine detox.

Hmm...then after a sandwich for lunch the problem as to what to do about dinner arose. 

Ahh ha....jacket potatoes with their skins washed in the snow (smug grin here) then wrapped in tin foil. 

Once again into the fire. 

This worked incredibly well although some unfortunatley had burnt bottoms but the insides were delicious especially sprinkled with cheese.

But what to accompany the jacket spuds? Why bangers of course (snags, sausages or whatever you call them in your part of the world) with a few rashes of bacon. A feast!

This meal unlike the cup of tea tasted fantastic but we were pretty hungry by this stage. 

Atmospheric candle light too...what more could you want?

Who would have thought we could manage to rustle up a hot meal? We certainly didn't. 

Thinking outside of the box!

 

Then as the hours ticked by and the thought of all the food in the fridge/freezer thawing out we proceeded to pack buckets with snow to keep the produce cold. There are numerous items hidden under the snow in this bucket for instance.

It worked perfectly and there certainly was an endless supply of snow outside....Sorted!

Even the turkey (which I'd bought earlier than I normally would ~ typical) had to take the plunge.

 'Turkey in a Snow Pot' could this perhaps be a new method in the festive preparations?

I wish I could say we bonded whilst playing board games and cards but unfortunately the only card game we could remember must have had some serious fundamental elements missing because it went on and on for hours. A dental appointment would have been more exciting and less painful I'm sure!

We nearly had to resort to the 2,000 piece jigsaw but survived the ordeal without having to succumb...but it was a near thing I have to say.

Reading by candlelight has also probably taken about 10 years off my eyesight. 

The fact that we couldn't flush the toilets became an issue and a whole new trauma which I'll skip over I think. It's not something that I feel I need to share. Nor the fact that my hubby's hair was beginning to frighten me. We hadn't showered in two days! I just didn't go near a mirror to check out my own appearance....ignorance is bliss they say! ;D

I don't think I've ever heard the name 'Bear Grylls' mentioned so much in all of my life. 

I thought that when the power finally came back on there might be a collective cry of 'Hooray' but then I realised it would probably be 'Chargers!'
The kindle, phones, laptops and torches were all near to extinction.

But in fact the power snook back into the house at 1.30am after 36 hours of going AWAL.
But it didn't go unnoticed...well not by me anyway. I dashed downstairs to put on the dishwasher. After all we had gone through every piece of cutlery and crockery in the house...even resorting to washing them in the snow.
And of course I made a cup of perfect tasting tea....ahh...it was so good even at 2am!

I think it made us all realise just how lucky we are that, we live in a time when at the touch of a button or the flick of a switch we have power to do everything we wish and that we at least had a fire and a roof over our heads when so many people are homeless. It was a very poignant lesson for this time of year and one I hope not to forget too quickly.
I can thankfully report that we are all charged and showered now and ready to carry on with the festivities.

 More Canadian capers to come....
Have a wonderful holiday everyone.