In the best tradition of Blue Peter, here's one I wrote earlier...
The power cut started at 7:20pm and it's now *checks mobile* 8pm. I am sitting at the dining room table studying Finite Element Analysis by candlelight (the candles from my Advent wreath)
and blogging the old-fashioned way - in longhand.
Our whole block is without power but we have no idea about how widespread the cut is. The next village to the north has power, as does the one to the east, but Ghadira (miles away) doesn't!
In First Year, we spend a month at the EneMalta training centre in Marsascala during the summer. Most of it was a complete waste of time and money, but it had its interesting moments. I enjoyed learning different ways to splice overhead power lines, and I distinguished myself by injuring myself twice: once I burnt my ankle (was arc-welding while wearing shorts, and my nylon sock caught fire) and another time I cut my knee on the metal shielding of an underground cable while learning how to splice it (I still have the scar).
Anyway, while in training, one of the instructors brought out a map of Malta's grid system, showing all the substations and how they are linked together. (It was a biiiiiiig map!)
At times like these, I wish I could have one of those maps and see exactly where was affected :-)
Wouldn't like to be one of the engineers and technicians currently scrambling to locate and fix the fault, though...
8:43pm: Parental units have resisted hints about going to KFC for supper. Mum insists we will heat up food on the dinky little camping stove reserved for such times.
Oh well.
Hopes of fried chicken dashed, I am somewhat consoled by the thought of cold congealed chocolate custard (try saying that three times fast) and half-melted icecream for dessert.
At least I still have some decent stuff in my brainfood stash in my room, heheheheh...
10:10pm: Power came back at ten to ten, so the cut lasted about an hour and a half. There was a time when powercuts were regularly scheduled and happened often too, but these days Enemalta does pretty well. When power cuts do happen unexpectedly (rarely) they don't usually last more than half an hour or so. So this must have been a bad one :-S
It is weird that you and your sisters always complained about power outages, and not one ever happened while I was there. I must be lucky for you.
Posted by: Cory | January 26, 2005 at 14:29
Maybe Enemalta should hire you to live on site at one of the power stations :-D
Posted by: MaltaGirl | January 26, 2005 at 23:23
Live on site? You mean that you would not invite me back into the house to live?
Posted by: Cory | January 27, 2005 at 18:39
No, I mean that Enemalta would PAY you to live there, unlike us.
Mind you, you do get to eat Mum's cooking here, and that counts for a lot :-)
Posted by: MaltaGirl | January 27, 2005 at 22:25
That counts for a very lot! The food there is very good (when there is no blood in it). But you mean to say that you would not pay me to be there?
Posted by: Cory | January 28, 2005 at 03:12