There was a power outage yesterday

and, unusually for this area, it was a long one. The power was out for several hours.

We have three phase power coming in to the property (two for the house and one for the workshop-shed where the Senior Cat had things like a circular saw). Some things seemed to be working but others were not. 

Power supplies are not something I know much about. I stay away from such things. I am not the sort of individual who will try and jump across a live power line. I prefer to be a good twenty metres away from such things.  

As I don't know much I used the mobile and asked Middle Cat if my BIL was home. I knew he would come and check things out if he was. She was at the supermarket and said, "I'll come and have a look. It will take two of us to find the fault if there is one." I had known that much.

Then, a few minutes later, there was a message on the mobile. It was from the power company telling me that the power was out across the area and it should be back on about six in the evening. There had been some damage to their "equipment". That must have been at the sub-station a little distance away. It is the sub-station which serves a local hospital and any outage there is of course a serious matter. I called Middle Cat again and said, "Thanks but don't bother coming. It's an external problem." We both took a deep breath and let it out very slowly. 

I did what I could in the growing darkness. A neighbour came in and used this gas cook top to heat some food for her young children. They were getting "scratchy" but soon sat at the kitchen table devouring their evening meal. Their mother and I stood there and watched and talked about all the things we have which depend on electricity. 

"Thank heavens we have that set of blocks your father made. I told them to get those out and build a race track," she told me. 

I smiled at that. The Senior Cat made so many sets of blocks. They are good, solid timber. They don't require anything else. There are no batteries attached. There are no pieces which can be broken.

Brother Cat has the set the Senior Cat made for us. He made sets for his children and they are now used by his grandchildren who, although growing up rapidly, still find uses for them. Middle Cat's boys have not had children but visiting children use that set.

It seems that, all over the place, children are building things with simple wooden blocks. They are the perfect toy - especially when there is a power outage.