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enismirdalWell, the last 48 hours have been...eventful.
The journey back to Manchester was pleasant, despite the heavy fog causing massive disruption to road and air travel at present - clearly train in the way to go right now. To my surprise and delight, the "cheap" ticket I booked turned out to be first class! So there I was, sitting there whilst I was offered free wine, free sandwiches, free tea and coffee... But when it's 11:30am, perhaps not the best time to accept the wine offer.
Chatted to dad lots, who collected me from station. Got home, and had time to spod a tiny bit before we headed to the supermarket for Christmas food shopping.
It was when we got back that we found alarms going off all along the street. Yup, there was a power cut. An hour or so later, all but 4 of the houses on the street got power back. Alas, one of those was us! Fortunately, our cooker is gas, so we were able to whip up a stirfry by candlelight. Unfortunately, though our central heating is also gas, the ignition spark is electric, so we had no heating, and there was a light frost that night. We got the ancient and inefficient gas heater in the dining room going, and so that room was acceptably warm.
As time went on and power failed to come back, we became mildly concerned about the enormous amount of perishable Christmas food we'd bought and what to do with it to keep it fresh. Fortunately, the rear hall (this is a 4ft by 4ft "room" that connects the back door, garage, downstairs loo and morning room, so it's nothing grand, don't worry!) was getting almost as cold as the outside, so we shoved everything in there and hoped for the best.
We went to bed with hot water bottles filled from the remaining hot water, and lots of blankets, and a torch each. The estimate by then was that we'd have power by 3am.
By 9am the next day, there was still no power. And the burglar alarm, though turned off, realised it was running out of battery power, so threw a fit. Eventually I got annoyed enough to unscrew the front panel and unplug the battery. Once more, the gas stove was a miracle, meaning I got my morning tea. Therefore, I launched into the day with optimism.
Day began with a dentist's appointment. Got there early as I realised waiting room would be WARM, and brought Wraeththu book for entertainment. Toes were happily snuggly by the time I headed back home.
Then parents and I walked into local town centre to get one or two other things. When we returned (with some new pyjamas for me, yay!), power was FINALLY back on - it was now almost 1pm. Hooray for heating! And ovens! And kettles! And microwaves!
The other advantage was that I could go online and double check times/locations for the permanent donor centre in Manchester as I have totally failed to get out and do the blood thing in the last 2 months (all the East London donor centres only seem to do office hours, which, unsurprisingly, coincides with the times I'm in the lab and therefore not exactly available). So I trudged into local town centre again and got the Metro to Manchester city centre. Parted with 470ml of blood, and was given a "free Christmas present" by the blood donor people. This was...a little bottle of eau de toilette that smells like the air freshener mum makes dad spray in the loo when he does a stinky poo. Still, it was a very easy session and didn't take long at all.
Wandered around Manchester Arndale's food market and was pretty impressed with veg selection (MOOLI!!!!) and fish selection. Metro home was PACKED and highly unpleasant, however. Got home just as mum was heading riding (I'd cancelled the session as I expected to be lacking in blood by this time). I went to watch her, which was fun, if a bit chilly! She's really a very good rider. And while I was there I was able to assist when her girth needed fiddling with in a way you can't really do when mounted.
And then we went home and I cooked my squid!
And I'm getting up in about...4 hours...for the EU Christmas Party.
I think I might go to bed again when the Christmas Party finishes...
Thank goodness working full time has made me re-learn how to have energy!
The journey back to Manchester was pleasant, despite the heavy fog causing massive disruption to road and air travel at present - clearly train in the way to go right now. To my surprise and delight, the "cheap" ticket I booked turned out to be first class! So there I was, sitting there whilst I was offered free wine, free sandwiches, free tea and coffee... But when it's 11:30am, perhaps not the best time to accept the wine offer.
Chatted to dad lots, who collected me from station. Got home, and had time to spod a tiny bit before we headed to the supermarket for Christmas food shopping.
It was when we got back that we found alarms going off all along the street. Yup, there was a power cut. An hour or so later, all but 4 of the houses on the street got power back. Alas, one of those was us! Fortunately, our cooker is gas, so we were able to whip up a stirfry by candlelight. Unfortunately, though our central heating is also gas, the ignition spark is electric, so we had no heating, and there was a light frost that night. We got the ancient and inefficient gas heater in the dining room going, and so that room was acceptably warm.
As time went on and power failed to come back, we became mildly concerned about the enormous amount of perishable Christmas food we'd bought and what to do with it to keep it fresh. Fortunately, the rear hall (this is a 4ft by 4ft "room" that connects the back door, garage, downstairs loo and morning room, so it's nothing grand, don't worry!) was getting almost as cold as the outside, so we shoved everything in there and hoped for the best.
We went to bed with hot water bottles filled from the remaining hot water, and lots of blankets, and a torch each. The estimate by then was that we'd have power by 3am.
By 9am the next day, there was still no power. And the burglar alarm, though turned off, realised it was running out of battery power, so threw a fit. Eventually I got annoyed enough to unscrew the front panel and unplug the battery. Once more, the gas stove was a miracle, meaning I got my morning tea. Therefore, I launched into the day with optimism.
Day began with a dentist's appointment. Got there early as I realised waiting room would be WARM, and brought Wraeththu book for entertainment. Toes were happily snuggly by the time I headed back home.
Then parents and I walked into local town centre to get one or two other things. When we returned (with some new pyjamas for me, yay!), power was FINALLY back on - it was now almost 1pm. Hooray for heating! And ovens! And kettles! And microwaves!
The other advantage was that I could go online and double check times/locations for the permanent donor centre in Manchester as I have totally failed to get out and do the blood thing in the last 2 months (all the East London donor centres only seem to do office hours, which, unsurprisingly, coincides with the times I'm in the lab and therefore not exactly available). So I trudged into local town centre again and got the Metro to Manchester city centre. Parted with 470ml of blood, and was given a "free Christmas present" by the blood donor people. This was...a little bottle of eau de toilette that smells like the air freshener mum makes dad spray in the loo when he does a stinky poo. Still, it was a very easy session and didn't take long at all.
Wandered around Manchester Arndale's food market and was pretty impressed with veg selection (MOOLI!!!!) and fish selection. Metro home was PACKED and highly unpleasant, however. Got home just as mum was heading riding (I'd cancelled the session as I expected to be lacking in blood by this time). I went to watch her, which was fun, if a bit chilly! She's really a very good rider. And while I was there I was able to assist when her girth needed fiddling with in a way you can't really do when mounted.
And then we went home and I cooked my squid!
And I'm getting up in about...4 hours...for the EU Christmas Party.
I think I might go to bed again when the Christmas Party finishes...
Thank goodness working full time has made me re-learn how to have energy!
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no subject
Date: 23 Dec 2006 03:27 (UTC)Also, do you ever wake up to the sound of the power going of? It's not so much a sound as a non-sound. I don't know why, but whenever the power goes off, the non-sound of everything not making anymore sound wakes me up. And now I sound crazy.
Despite my insanity, I am glad that your power came back.
Also, first class! Wow! That must have been nice.
no subject
Date: 23 Dec 2006 14:02 (UTC)And yup, first class highly pleasant! My seat reservation for the train home is the same carriage - hopefully on the train home, carriage J will once again prove to be first class! :D And that train is later in the day, so I might be in a more suitable mood for enjoying the food!
no subject
Date: 24 Dec 2006 01:53 (UTC)You know, sometimes things beep with anger when they go off, as if to say, "Hel-lo, what happened to my power here!?" so that may happen and I just don't realize it because I'm asleep. Who knows!
I've never been on any sort of first class... it's kind of a mystery to me. ;) Except I would be the jackass going "Wine? Can I just get a coke?" Free food would be great, though. All we get in the normal seats are stupid, tiny bags of pretzels. Those're airplanes, though; I didn't even know trains had first class until now, although I guess I should've. :)
no subject
Date: 23 Dec 2006 09:35 (UTC)We lost the milk, eggs, cheese and some deli ham, but nothing else. We hadn't bought our holiday food yet, thank goodness!
no subject
Date: 23 Dec 2006 13:46 (UTC)48 hours must have been a nightmare - by the end of our mere 15 I was desperate for a shower and to wash my hair. 48 would make me feel all gross, I think!
no subject
Date: 23 Dec 2006 21:43 (UTC)no subject
Date: 23 Dec 2006 10:25 (UTC)Walking 5 miles on 7/8 normal blood is also not a bight idea (yes I have done it- do I surprise you).
Abner
no subject
Date: 23 Dec 2006 13:44 (UTC)no subject
Date: 23 Dec 2006 16:10 (UTC)Abner
no subject
Date: 23 Dec 2006 13:37 (UTC)no subject
Date: 23 Dec 2006 13:43 (UTC)For one reason or another, all the houses in the area seem to have one. We only call it the morning room because there doesn't seem to be a more point-ful name for it!
*grins*
no subject
Date: 24 Dec 2006 06:55 (UTC)