Surviving Load Shedding With A Smile on Your Face

Just when we thought it was “over” it’s come back to leave us in the dark.  Again.

Now, it’s no secret that I will look for any excuse to get take out (example: it’s payday, I’m sick, the kids are sick, the dog is sick, there’s no power, there is power but I just don’t feel like it), but other than that I’m at a loss of spinning positive vibes about it.  Like when you’re stuck in traffic that takes so long you might as well just sleep in the office than try and get home – there’s nothing positive about that.

But all of that being said, we’ve managed to get through most it with a smile on our faces.

Not because we’re busy doing things that people do in the dark with no TV (although, don’t rule that out), but because we are prepared.  Here’s a few ways that you can keep a smile on your face:

1. Be informed

Although they turn our power off and it’s frustrating as hell, they do actually attempt to let everyone know about it before they do it.  There are probably 100 different ways to stay informed.  Our area has a mailing list so we know about it wherever we are, before it actually happens.  Check with your neighbours, friends etc – get an app.  Be informed.  At least then you can plan around it.

2. Keep the lights on

Instead of twiddling your thumbs in the dark or worrying about homework that needs doing or trying to keep your kids calm, invest in good lighting.  We have candles located at strategic points all around our home, but with kids and dogs with ridiculously waggy tails, having lit candles all over the place is enough to give me nightmares.  (I work in insurance – houses burn more often than you think.)  We’ve been given a Light Fusion portable light from Energiser and I don’t know what we did without it.  It lights up the entire room as if the power wasn’t even out.  No excuse to skip homework, but still an excuse to get away with takeaways.

You can get your Light Fusion panel light or torch at C.U.M, Makro, Outdoor Warehouse, Pick n Pay, Sportsmans Warehouse and selected Game stores

3. Get a gas plate

There’s no way that they’ll be taking hot coffee away from me.  Get a single plate stove and gas cylinder – then nothing will stand in your way.  If you’re inclined to save your wallet (and your waistline) then you can still make a hot, healthy supper along with the good old faithful braai.

4. Rev up the genny

Or don’t.  We have a generator but we haven’t connected it yet, because a few hours with power really isn’t that big of a deal.  (If we go dark for days then that’s a whole different story)  If you’ve known when it was happening you would have pre-ordered your takeaway and be sitting in a well lit space enjoying your hot coffee.  Take a moment to enjoy the silence that we don’t often get to experience any more and spend time reconnecting with the real life people in front of you.

5. Get creative

Do your own version of Dating In The Dark, lie on the grass and look at the stars that you might actually see now, play Uno with the kids, play outside.  There’s so much potential to connect with each other in times like these – don’t let them slip past.

What have you found super handy in getting through load shedding?