Wacky Wednesday

I couldn't get out of bed this morning, I felt groggy and miserable - I had this wacky nightmare, I dreamed that I was re-living the gunning down of two young nephews, who were standing at the graves of their wives, who had been killed in a terrorist attack on a mall. I don't know where this is coming from, as it's all fictional. Still, it haunted me all morning ...

Plus, as I said, I was feeling groggy. As if I had taken sleeping pills and not gone to sleep - at least, how I imagine that would feel. I've never taken sleeping pills. I have taken muscle relaxants - but only when needed. Yet, some mornings those, too, have left me a little groggy - but not as much as this morning!

Apparently Eskom has their workers back at work - and their unions back at the negotiation table. Though no agreement has yet been reached. Let's hold thumbs and hope that load shedding ends at 22:00 tonight ... and isn't extended again!

We got a message from our councillor informing us that the late end of our turn at load shedding was due to the extremely high demand.

"The City of Tshwane is experiencing unplanned power interruptions minutes after post loadshedding switched backs post loadshedding because of *networks overloads* due to "high start-up current" associated with the combined simultaneous energisation of loads (geysers, heaters, kettles, irons, pumps, and stoves, just to mention few heavy loads).

_*To mitigate against these overload trips:*_

*A. Consumer Appliances*

Consumers are requested to load the system conservatively, i.e.,

1. Switch off all heavy loads *prior* to the scheduled power restoration time to regulate the start-up current to within limitations of the distribution and protective equipment. This can be achieved by switching Off all circuit breakers in the DB except those supplying lights. This will further protect sensitive electronic appliances like TV, Decoders, Hi-Fi Systems, Gate Motor Control Boards, etc, from power surges.

2. Gradually energise the necessary appliances and avoid simultaneous switch On of heavy load appliances. No need to put On the iron, kettle, and stove at the same time.

3. Please switch On non-essential loads like geysers, air conditioners, pumps, etc. last when the system has stabilised (i.e., about 2 hours post loadshedding restorations)"

Well, that makes sense. But ... waiting 2 hours post load shedding restorations to turn on my geyser? Then have to wait another hour or two for it to heat up? When load shedding ends at 18:00 ... I should wait until 22:00 to take a bath? Yeah, no! Last night I would have had to wait until 23:00 to run my bath, as power only came on ten to seven ... 

Only three 'appliances' are permanently using electricity: mippies' two fountains and my fridge. When there is load shedding, I usually turn off the UPS in the mornings, so there's no power going there - and no beeping annoying my mippies during the day. When I'm home, my PC is usually on. And lights - but only in the room I'm in. Except for the lounge. The outside security lights front and back give enough light, so I hardly ever turn on the lounge lights. I use flasks to keep coffee and water hot. On weekends, there's the washing machine, and I use more hot water - to clean. On the whole, my electricity usage is below - even my extremely tight - budget.

Aaand load shedding Snakes & Ladders continues! I've had to look up what Stage we're currently in - it's so confusing!

Wednesday (29th)
05:00 - 16:00 Stage 4 -> 06:00 - 08:30 & 14:00 - 16:30
16:00 - 22:00 Stage 6 -> none
22:00 - 00:00 Stage 4 -> 22:00 - 00:30
Thursday (30th)
00:00 - 05:00 Stage 2 -> none
05:00 - 00:00 Stage 4 -> 06:00 - 08:30 & 14:00 - 16:30 & 22:00 - 00:30
Friday (1st)
00:00 - 05:00 Stage 2 -> none

I partly list that here, so I can get it straight before I post our times in our group. Eishkom announce the schedule of the different stage - in a narrative. It takes a bit to 'translate' that to a standardised table. And then I have to look at our Group's schedule ... which time applies to which stage, and arrange it chronologically ... so I have a chronological schedule when our power will go off!

It still amazes me just how many people do not understand how it works! Like, I got a call from a neighbour last night - when power didn't come on - asking whether it will be off till ten! Because I had posted that Stage 6 is from 16:00 - 22:00. After 14 years, people still don't understand the 2 schedules!

One is Eskom's schedule - announcing what Stage from when to when. Which applies to the whole country.

The other is the local municipality's schedule, specifying which group is scheduled at what times. For each Stage. Basically, each municipality divides their area into groups. Group 11 in Pretoria doesn't go off the same time as Group 11 Port Elizabeth.

Yeah, for outsiders that IS confusing. But for insiders? After 14 years?

Back at home ... no internet. No clue why.

I was busy making dinner, sharing dinner, bath, then cuddles ...