Wet and dark Saturday

It rained a lot during the night. Outies wets! Mippies not happy! I got up before seven to let them out - only Mewthos ignored the wets and went for a walk-a-bout. And ran into Smeagol! Fight! Somewhere outside the gate. I put on my shoes and went to look - only Smeagol came strutting down the driveway, mewling his triumph and wanting to come inside. Uh oh! Where's Mewthos?

I had made coffee on the gas cooker - I'm going to need another gas bottle, sooner or later the gas will be finished, and I don't want to be caught without means to heat!

About half past seven, power came on! I'm rushing around, getting the laundry in the machine and plugging everything to charge that I can. It's a race against load shedding ... 

Amidst that rush, Mewthos shows up! Stinking! In their fight he must have rolled over some poop! Urgh! Wet poo, too!

Now I'm just trying to catch up on my writing - with Janey on my lap. No, never ever think of Janey as sitting still on my lap! She ALWAYS walks up and down, head butting my arms and hands, then tries to climb onto my shoulder ...

I've put the geyser on as well, so that I can clean the kitchen ...

Urgh! Mewthos wants me to pick him up ... urgh, noooo! I'll just scratch his ears and hope he goes away! I've already tried to wipe him clean ...  

Half to load shedding ... washing is hanging - though inside, as it's drizzling outside. I'm about to start cleaning the kitchen ... lights will go out, but I should have enough hot water by now.

Ah well ... better turn off the PC ... see you in two hours!

Five hours and forty minutes later. I'm back! Let me catch you up: In the middle of load shedding, the team arrived to erect our new poles. Which took a long time - which is why our power has only just come back on. At twenty to four!

And then, Eskom has escalated load shedding to Stage 4! From 13:00 - 22:00 tonight and again from 08:00 - 22:00 tomorrow. So, our power will go off again from 18:00 - 20:00 tonight. And tomorrow again from 10:00 - 12:00 and 18:00 - 20:00.

With only two hours with electricity now ... I guess I'd better get my cooking done. Geyser is still on, so I should be able to take a bath.

So, what have I been doing these past six hours? Freezing, mostly! It's really cold today, and the sun is not cooperating. After I cleaned the kitchen, I chopped up the bell peppers and placed their seeds on paper to dry. I've also chopped up all tomatoes, and put some seeds aside - I still have to clean them before drying.

I've cuddles mippies a lot! And I've cleaned up Mew-Mew - poor little mite is curled up on my bed. It's too cold for him to go outside today. I've brushed him, and then, of course, Mini was there for her turn!

I've decided to make rice with lentils. I've added the bell peppers and will add the tomatoes as well.

The oranges were a bit of a disappointment. No seeds. And very little juice. I should have known, considering WHERE I bought them, ha ha! I did add the pulp to the rice, though.

Right. Ten to six, almost time for yet another power outage. Mippies are inside, I've enjoyed a hot meal, my bath is ready ... I might as well publish now.