It happens. It’s gone and there is no retrieval until the “powers that be” give it back. Friday night, April 27, it happened again. We didn’t fall into complete darkness this time and were even spared immediate biting cold seeping under the floor boards.

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However, since no remnant of an outhouse survives in my neighborhood the call of don’t flush goes out. If you need a drink there’s water in the fridge. If we get desperate there are jugs of water in the basement. And if we get extremely desperate, there’s a creek across the street, a wood stove downstairs, and canned food in the cupboard. If all else fails I’ll go to town or even move into the trailer for the night, which would require some work and luck, hoping the batteries are charged and there’s propane in the tanks.

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For right now we will just find the flashlights and candles, even if their main function is a pleasing scent. Oil lamps heavy with dust begin to glow only long enough to set up a gas lantern so one can actually read or save yourself from stumbling around in the dark.

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Nobody wants to go to bed. Its not even 9 o’clock! We can’t do anything. It all takes electricity. We’re doomed. Inspiration – we can watch a movie on the laptop. Three people snuggle up on the couch. Snuggle, not really. First it was a battle over screen placement so every self-centered person has the best view. Then one eight year old needed to sit on the other side of Grandpa and finally he needs to sit in the middle and hold the laptop while secretly adjusting the buttons on the side, because he’s seen this video . No electricity is supposed to be an adventure, not spent staring into a laptop screen.

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About an hour into the movie the laptop died. Now what? Ten p.m. was nearing so we gave up and went to bed. It’s a fact my life depends on the power of the plug, the outlet, and the line. I can’t wait until next time which will be in about three weeks but probably sooner.