No. This isn’t how my forefathers lived.
Even my grandma had electricity and a refrigerator.
She didn’t believe in it much though- cooked food was always finished on the same day –even if the family had to take second and third helpings. And she preferred to keep eggs floating in a bowl of water to preserve them as if they would hatch if she didn’t keep an eye on them…
I don’t have electricity in my house since yesterday. Absolutely no electricity because not being in Delhi-we don't even have a invertor for power backup.
Yes, you read it right-it’s been more than 24 hours.
We spent the night fighting off mosquitoes, everyone had quick baths in the morning with water heated in saucepans on the gas-stove, and we got ready to face the day ahead.
Can we survive without electricity? Yes, this is how...
Breakfast was heated without the microwave and as the kids and their Dad left for the day, I realized that the batteries of both my mobile and laptop were flattened- I’d have to work from office!
I honked, elbowed and jostled through the last minute office goer’s traffic-as I felt my car getting back in its groove, just like me…
This was my chance to blame the traffic and start work an hour later than usual.
Enjoyed not having to type out gossip for a change, and that too with coffee which came out of machine, although it tasted just as awful…
The power wasn’t back when I reached home and the laptop gave up after being on life-support for more than an hour…
Finally I had time for the long list of pending calls-the bank, my brother, the broadband service provider, the…
I even had time to walk and to catch up with my friends in the apartment complex.
I could update myself on all going-ons in the complex and on plans for the festive season, got reference checks on a potential maid, coordinated a different batch for my kids drawing class, brainstormed effective ways of teaching Hindi “matras” with another mom, and even discovered a new 3-in-1 M&B in the library..
And, I managed to keep most of the food fresh too…with my improvised cooling system.
Yeah Grandma, I can do it too…….
Truly nani, aapki bahut yaad aayi.
Wow! Damn the cuts but they serve as a blessing in disguise don't they! Remind us that we cn leave without them too :)
ReplyDeleteU got to do so many things which u wud hv never done otherwise eh ;) Cool :)
Phew-I have had my learning for the year. Made the most of the silver linings, but I am so glad it is over :)
ReplyDeleteI too manage to get the most work done when I am not on my laptop. :)
ReplyDeleteWow! Too good! When we were living in Chennai we had many days of partial electricity! It was awful and depleted my energy, but u seemed to have sailed through it! Superb!!
ReplyDeletePoonam: yes the Laptop opens the door to an entire world, but cuts us off from the one right around us.
ReplyDeleteIndy: Thanks but as an one-off it was fun, if we face this on a regular basis it would be disaster!!
Such a cute post!!!
ReplyDeleteNani jaise manage karna ek din ke liye theek hai but if we had to go back to their times after having lived the luxurious lives, hmm.. i would be throwing a tantrum I'm sure :D
I too would be tearing my hair out-one whole day was long enough...
ReplyDelete