LIGHTING UP TIME

(imgur.com) Not my image, but a beautiful photograph from the
summit of Mount Psiloritis

We woke up this morning in complete darkness and a quick snap of the light switches changed nothing. As with the frequent storms of which we have had so many lately, the power has gone off and we have no way of knowing for how long it will be gone. Nine out of ten times, it is the red button on our electricity meter at fault but today it is the whole of our village. We discovered later that a telegraph pole feeding one town and at least three villages blew over in the wind and it took 12 hours to mend. The village cafeneon was full of people wanting to eat their breakfast!

Groping around the little house to light lamps and replenish candles – more to give some cheerfulness than light or heat and fiddling in semi-darkness to attach gas canisters and find camping kettles, we eventually had the promise of a warming cup of tea and then when the power did not come back after an hour or two, we made porridge and returned to bed to keep warm. K and I always pity the poor souls at the Electric Company who have to go out and fix things in this unremittingly cold, wet and stormy weather. The mountains and hills are snow covered and we are eternally grateful to our faithful log burner and our makeshift bathroom radiator which we discovered by accident. A dear friend bought a gift for us on her holiday visit to Crete of a terracotta lampshade This looked pretty but managed to block out most of the light generated by an economy light bulb and had been discarded. Eventually, I tried a few tea lights using it as a shade and realized how warm it got. We now buy votive candles and have them burning permanently under the shade in our small bathroom. Just by candle power, they give enough heat to take the chill off the room and make it cosier. I've bought several terracotta lamps since then to use as mini radiators! The conical shaped ones work the best. We are getting to be experts in the best candles, torches and kerosene lamps this winter.

Anyway, without light, power, telephone or internet … it is either back to bed or out and about in the car to get warmer and a good cause to stop and think about how much power we use every day almost without realising it. I find myself in a state of inertia, in semi darkness catching up with my blog with paper and pencil by candle light. There must be a message here somewhere! How refugees survive under canvas is more than sobering and makes me very thankful for four walls and a 99% effective roof.

Following the broken ankle, the dreaded “boot of doom” is OFF! It is a great relief not to be hobbling about with such a heavy passenger and I can get upstairs again now. I immediately fixed an appointment with the Physiotherapist for treatment which is hard work but in spite of a sore ankle and aching legs, it is getting loosened up and mending nicely. All we need is some dry weather for gentle walking; the Spring cannot come fast enough this year!  The blog will be so much more interesting when we can get out and about again.

We hear that a lot of Europe has been brought to a standstill by severe weather. Perhaps it is time to pause and have some quiet time for some “thoughts and prayers” about peace in the world, the UK Parliament in its deliberations and everyone we love.

Happy New Year! Chronia Polla!