Posts tagged power

spoke too soon!

July 2, 2009 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

So this morning, I got up to find that there was no power. This meant:

1. No breakfast (electric stove without electricity can not serve as stove, and the little fuel-based one that my friends had bought on the off-chance that there’d be no power, had run out of fuel).

2. NO bath. It is cold now in Zambia. While gratefully we have running water, I will not be able to take a cold bath in this weather and live to tell about it (diva moment, I know but still it was COLD!).

3. My laptop had run out of juice overnight so I could get no work done while waiting for the power to return.

4. My cellphone was on its last legs of battery power and kept threatening to die on me. So in a short while I would be cut off from the world and it from me.

…..so for 4 hours this morning, I did absolutely nothing waiting for the power to return. I am just gald I didn’t set any appointments for this morning.

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I apparently haven’t had enough

June 16, 2009 · Filed under drama & mishaps, venting · Tagged , , ,

The lights went out again tonight. Actually about 30 mins into sundown, just as we absolutely needed electricity ZESCO (Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation) decided to make me even more appreciative of a steady reliable stream of electricity. The power was out for about 4 hours but luckily it came back on.

I am so glad I got a laptop that has +6hrs battery power. Seriously.

P.S. water was out for most of the day but came back in the evening. Just can’t take anything for granted.

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ahhh! yes, familiar african experiences

June 16, 2009 · Filed under drama & mishaps, so....., Updates · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I just got done with the first team yesterday which meant that my uber-comfortable stay at the hotel was up….at least for the next 4 weeks or so. I am staying at a friend’s house right now. And as it to be expected, drama ensues.

I get to my friend’s place and she’s looking after 4 kids of another friend who had lost a family member and was gone for the funeral. 4 boisterous and opinionated children, the last of which, the 2.5-year old was headstrong and stubborn. I decided that a good movie might help facilitate a calmer evening. We all then  trucked to the mall to Blockbusters to get a movie. It took us probably an hour to select movies and get all the paperwork sorted. But we did it. We got back in the car and headed home, satisfied with our selections. All of us that is except the 2.5yr old, who I think was just pissed all night.

Anyway, once we get home, we realize that we..no make that I, must have lost one of the 2 yr old’s shoes as I hauled her back to the car- she was fussy and I wasn’t having it. At home, I figured, pop the dvd in and all will be well. As we try to pick out the one that we’d watch, the lights went out. No power for the rest of the night and we couldn’t watch the dvd on my laptop because we had drained the battery while the power was on. I know, smart. We decided to do the next best thing, and all went to bed.

I woke up this morning and bathed out of  a bucket. My shortest bathing experience this year to date. I then used the water left-over from my bath (clean un-used water) to flush the toilet by bucket. Apparently, I still have the touch, 7 years in the US, did nothing to hurt my flushing arm.

NOTE: The flushing arm perfected in Nigeria at the age of 5. When I lived in Zambia, at school and with my parents, we always had plumbing.

I am regaining respect for the conveniences of my life that I had grown accustomed to.

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