Who Turned The Lights Back On?

Anyone seen the matches?

We have, quite literally, just come out of a 2 hour power cut. 
I do appreciate this is not unusual for many people in many parts of the world, but here in ruralish-shire we tend to escape these little interruptions. 
So it was met with some excitement by Kids Nos.1-3 and this reminded me and the Best Beloved of our childhood - growing up in the long, dark, Winter of Discontent.  (At least I think that was what they called it.  That may have been another time altogether, but hey ho). 
Anyway, we had power-cuts a-plenty and they were all very thrilling for the under 16s.  Not so marvellous for the adults, who had to keep everyone warm and fed, regardless of having one arm tied metaphorically behind their back.



We managed to produce a reasonable meal between us, a torch and a gas-fired hob.  (Lucky to have the gas at all, as the previous night we had a leak and the whole lot was off for hours).  And then we spent a happy time returning to the kind of entertainment families in the days we call Yore must have enjoyed. . . . .The kids spent about 40 minutes re-enacting their favourite tv programmes.

It was really quite touching.

Then we all played Charades.   (More tv programmes). 

As I ventured upstairs into the inky blackness to sort out school uniforms for the morning, I reflected on how strangely calming the whole experience was.  For a moment, aided by the darkness around us, the five of us (plus pooch) focused on ourselves, our family - and it was all rather lovely.

Then the lights burst back into life, the tumble-drier fired up again, and life was back to noisy normal.

And I realised that part of the reason I had felt so calm was that I couldn't see all the mess and dirt that needed attention.  It had. for a while at least, remained tucked away in shadow.

And it can blimmin' well go back there. 

I foresee power cuts becoming a regular feature in our house.

Just a feeling. . . . .