Time for lights out! What would you do?

Hi Karen, it is annoying isn't it, but it's bound to happy plenty of times as winter starts. We survived 3 months of intense heat without water after 9pm each night but it was easier to cope with when one could gauge the time and work round it. There are many times with the electric when they are repairing a line so one could reasonably expect if it goes off about 8am it probably won't be back till 2ish when they knock off for the day, but couldn't they give some warning first? The storm ones are just part of life and must be put up with. As I can always put off any sort of housework with the greatest of ease, intending to do it later, the power being off for 3 half hours yesterday did make me get more done in the end. I had all the cake ingredients ready in the bowl for the power to come on for the mixer, the beds all changed with washing loaded, and floors swept and mopped which no doubt could have waited another day. That was an improvement of just engrossing myself in a good book for the rest of the day as would be my usual habit. Not the same without coffee though.

So, the hutch sparkled! I have to agree though, nothing is the same when we don't have our favorite beverage to kick-start and keep us going. Anyway, kudos for making the best of a bad situation!

Good morning shirley, sorry your cold kept u from sleeping. Was hoping u would feel better today. I have no excuse for being up except i woke uo at 3:30 & here i sit just a mylotting up a storm.lol. Maybe i'll go back to bed in awhile. I want to get some more cleaning done & want to make my neighbor some soup, he just came home from the hospital yesterday, got to give my dog a bath, u know me always have something i need to do. I missed something else yesterday that i guess the painters took. I had a little tool box that ryan has always played with. he hadn't mentioned it in ages but did yesterday. I knew right where it was & when i went to get it , it was gone. Isn't that sorry??? hope u feel better, take care of yourself. love u.

good morning to you too Aunty, well the bag was all packed waiting just waiting for your invite when I discovered my sons passport has expired, so no leaving the country for us I'm afraid.

here's your invite thea, comeon over.

Last winter was pretty warm around here and quite dry... There was very little snow. As I mentioned in a previous discussion of yours, we actually want some snow as it keeps the wheat from freezing (it always gets below zero degrees Celsius around here), but nonetheless, snowing calmly is preferred (the strong wind blows the snow from the field and piles it up on the road AND it disconnects power cables).

Hi stvasile, that sounds oh so familiar and I'm beginning to think it might be the year to get the burner cleaned out again but sometimes it smokes so bad I have to open all the windows in the freezing cold and head downstairs to breathe. The wind is the worst culprit here too for knocking the electric off, for me it's no light, cooking, modem, the landline goes off and the mobile won't get a signal if the shutters are closed against the wind, oh yes the fridge and the freezer start defrosting themselves, even the water can sometimes be affected as an electric pump sends it uphill to the house. I really dislike a strong wind as it sounds so eerie up here and it can lift metal furniture up outside. Let's hope we're both in for a calmer dryer winter this year, the last one was the wettest one here in 30 years and after 3 months of it the damp starts to penetrate ones bones, as well as the stone walls of the houses.

It's true that the alternative power sources are much better on a long term and are much more eco-friendly, and you do get the money back in time but the initial price you need to get the things started are prohibitive for the common people... A more handy solution would be to get a small power generator. They function on gas, but for limited time, and are not too expensive. I've used one on the field to power up a pick-hammer, and it looked petty nice - 4 slots for plugs, but it was a bit noisy.

U need to move to TENNESSEE TO.

Good morning to you too pergammano, my question has been answered in your response to Aunty, you're up early not late. Suggestion for cold is tea made of thymne and a good dose of self indulgence. Now you're all fully equipped whilst I'm not, I could understand it if I'd bought a rambling old place in need of modernasation but I expect more in a supposedly modern (coughs in laughter) country. If they are going to enforce the highest prices on Europe on us at least supply us properly. I stopped using the wood burner when I had central heating put in, which doesn't work when there's no electric even though it's oil, and now the boiler is where I used to keep the wood supply. So curled up on a freezing cold afternoon with a couple of candles and a good book isn't much fun, as it will be dark inside in the afternoons with the shutters shut due to the wind. I can barely afford oil let alone the wood on top, so I suppose if it gets bad it will be back forraging for drift wood on the beaches, but that just tars up the pipes.

Hello again, slow to get here due to more powercuts. May I call you Shirley too as Aunty does? I don't know how gallons and litres compare with oil costs, last winter I got 800 litres in at over £500 and eked it out all winter by only turning it on first thing in the morning and an hour at night,and being cold the rest of the time. But the wood isn't really much of a cheaper option as it's about £100 a load and sometimes they can try and sneak fresh wood in their. When I did use it a friend detarred all the pipes first for a safe flow and I used to collect fantastic wood chippings from a place that made doors and windows, as kindling. Usually though it starts somoking badly after a while as no one told me in the first place not to buy a Greek oneI need the oil heating first thing though when we get up at 7 in winter, not try to light the burner then. Indeed the last dentists visit in a short while, how sweet of you to remember. And I'm not afraid either, which must be a first.

No, I don't believe I have seen pictures but, your town sounds like the town I grew up in well more like in the 1950's rather than the 1980's. It sounds like Leave it to Beaver or something. I lock my doors in daylight hours and have 2 dogs. We haven't had any problems but, that doesn't mean anything. Last year there was a murder a block up the street it wasn't random. I'm sure the men do add to things

Also the restaurant there with the octopus drying on the fishing line is what we would call one of the fancier type places, so you can only imagine the back street ones.

What can I say Zeph, in the UK if the water went off for an hour every few years with some road repair it was a national emergency, same with electric. Here we just put up with it. Why? Because there's nothing we can do about it. This is the land of chill and relax, it takes your food an hour to arrive in a ta irrverna, that's Greece. 200 people with tickets before your number in the bank, go and have a coffee and come back. But have you ever seen pictures of the place, I don't mean the cities but the Southern Pelopenese where I live, it's stunning, seas, beaches, olive trees stretching for miles, mountain, good friendly people, virtually crime free, all children brought up to respect all other people, unprecedented freedon for children, being known by everyone (being talked about by everyone being the downside), shops where one is greeted by name. So that's why we live here despite these constant irritations. And the Greek men are an added bonus

Hi Sunny, I distincly recall answering you here yesterday but there is no sign of my response. I hope that you are fixed up in an appropriate manner with necessary batteries and tanks. Some old houses here are only just having power installed as it is a relatively new thing in this area, about 35 years I believe since electric first arrived, but how quickly it has been taken for granted of course. Apparently one of the higher villages, inhabited now by only old people, lost their water for 7 days a few weeks ago and no one uttered a word of complaint and just carried on in the heat with only the roadside spring water taps giving water to them. Different generations.

Until you try to shower and wash hair under a public tap with no where to hang your towel.

ahh!..hillside...spring water....sounds like heaven....will trade for it anytime..

Hi jillhill, I must admit it was annoying to receive the normal bill after a month of daily strikes and if one argued that the bill should be reduced due to lack of proper service and remained unpaid on principle, they'd be quick enought then to shut the power off comletely and then add some exorbitant re connection charge.

Italy has moved forward very quickly in the three decades sice I moved here. Day to day life has altered and is nothing toho it was when I first arrived. The majority then did not have a washing machine whereas now they have everything that is available - too much sometimes. Mains gas is available almost everywhere too now and it is more usual than eletrci for cooking. I changed to electric when I moved to where I am now three years ago and I am finding it cheaper to use than gas (though don't spread the word or it will go up!). People are mislead tothink that electricity costs more without considering that the electric burners retain their heat while gas stops once you switch off.

Morning Mys, any ideas why Lamby has turned black overnight?

Hi Mys, and a warm welcome to Greek life style. I think we've had three now today of about half an hour each so easily survived but I rather expected you would have things like that too. Gas? Gas? The only people who have gas installed out here can expect to see their houses blow up on the national news, trust this bunch to put gas in, not on your life. Lots of Greeks have those two ring gas hobs with a huge gas cylinder underneath but I went for a real electric cooker, not Greek style. Definitely will have to learn how to use those mini camping stoves though for coffee. I really am suprised though how the Italians have managed to sort themselves out with these things better than the Greeks have, I didn't realise we were still on a pracitcal par as third world countries in some respects until I'd moved here, and the sad thing is it gets worse each year, rather than better. A solution has been presented for next summers water though so hopefully we won't have to endure that again.

Hi Hatley, these things actually appear worse when they happen infrequently as in your case of losing power for several hours in Tustin, as it is just something you take so much for granted. Here it happens so often that we become more used to and accepting of it, even though it's always a total pain. This summer has been remarkably problem free regarding electric so it was a timely reiminder yesterday to be more prepared for the winter this time. It's particulary horrid when the lights go out on a dark night when the shutters are already closed against the wind, as it is literally pitch black inside. I remember once it going off when I was downstairs and the torch was upstairs and I was literally incapable of getting my bearings to find the bottome of the spiral staircase to head upstairs to get it.

Look at this, three weeks ago and you were asking my advice and opinions. I'm sorry it took me so long to respond. I honestly don't know that much about wind power, but if I get the time I'll try to look it up. I'm still working on clearing out my inbox, in between doing this and that... lol.

You wouldn't think wind energy to be that technical, would you? I guess it is because there's a lot involved in it.

Hi SomeCowgirl, of course you're all for it when the power goes off as it does so so infrequently it can be a little adventure, time to light the candles and stare at the stars. When it's frequent its a pain, especially when it's really cold to start with in the winter. As you're a greenie it may interest you if I repeat what I was mentioning to stvasile above, my man is considering installing wind machines on his land to provide power for his village. Now considering where this is this is a completely unique idea. Perhaps you'd be open to starting a discussion on the matter so I can gleam more information from people better informed on the matter than myself, drawbacks, advantages etc. If you do please pm me. It's something I don't know about so could do with a quick lesson on.

there is power shortage, i don't know how it happens and so that every body will have electricity, they will distribute the electricity equally but every one will experience power cut or brownout each day as they can't supply uninterrupted power supply. just because there are so many are using electricity and not enough source of electricity. that will be the plan by next year if the power demand will not meet the power supply of our country. terrible really.

It sounds like a ridiculous situation is looming for you in the Philipines. Do they encourage people now to use less power to conserve it?

Hi thea, Yes, here in the US we also have the same strikes! We have garbage strikes, postal strikes, teacher strikes, firemen and policemen strikes! You name it and we have had that strike just like you have! Only here in the US they are not nearly as kind because if there is a strike no one will dare cross a picket line for fear of something dreadful happening to them! So it is the same way here too!

Picket lines To this day I've no idea what the guys inside the bank were actually doing there but they weren't on the picket lines. No idea why they weren't on the beach with the rest of the strikers

Hi Opal, aren't you subjected to strikes over there? Being from the UK originally I still remember the long winter of discontent when lots of people went on strike, including the grave diggers, but then all that kind of thing got rather stamped out by Maggie as I recall. Strikes in Greece are frequent, there are dustbin men strikes when rubbish piles up highly by the side of the communal bins on the roads; teachers strikes, understandable as very low wages; transport strikes; bank strikes; hospital strikes; government workers strikes; electric strikes; well basically anyone strikes. At least when it is a national strike we are warned in advance and we no nothing will be happening that day. The bank strikes are the most irritating as they don't do it on the same day and if one has driven deliberately to town an hour away, to use the bank, there is nothing worse than a sign on the door to say they are on strike. I remember when I first moved here needing some cash and driving up to the bank to find it on strike, and no way then of understanding how the Greek cash machine worked as in Greek. Luckily a striking worker came outside the bank and got my money for me from the machine. Basically no general reason is needed to strike and if they have no particular gripe they still need to keep their hands in.

Hi Malpoa, it's a nuisance isn't it, hope yours returns to normal soon. Although its now cooled off over here I couldn't have imagined enduring the summer without the fans on constantly, it was bad enough never having water after 9pm, but the combination would be have been ghastly. Enjoy the festival Malpoa.

Ofcourse it is very unconvenient especially when it is hot. The power cut was there for three days. I hope it doesnt reappear again...Actually people here are very dangerous, they get agitated quickly and respond to such inconveniences violently so the people in business are cautious.WE generally do not have water problem apart from a few days in summer where the colour of water changes because of drop in water level... Festival will be at its highest on the last four days which starts from friday...It will be more fun because we get to meet friends and we hang out more coz all have holidays then...

It used to be the same in New York. More murders committed in the very high heat of summer, it must stir people up more in the cities. It just makes me very lazy and I wouldn't be able to go out committing violence as wouldn't be able to have a shower first and always best to look ones best when going out murdering and making mayhem

LOL that happened to us once.we were looking around and it's like hey-why does joe shmo next door have lights already? sure enough,they tripped the breaker while fixing the lines.

Hi scarelt_woman, so you get them too, it's a downer. I always think if it goes off early it'll be an all day job until at least 2pm, maybe 4pm if they work overtime. We don't get many all nighters here but I remember the most stupid one ever, we were out for the evening and the power went off and was still off when we got back about 1am. And it was totally freezing that night, so went to bed miserable and cold, only to discover after a horrid long night that the trip switch had gone down at some point and the power had been on since about 5 minutes before we got home. DUH.