Thanksgiving

On Sunday we were meant to have power – a special treat as 5 out of the 7 days of the week the power is cut from 7 to 7 (although this has shifted to 6ish to 5ish because of Ramadan so folks can start cooking in preparation of breaking their daylight fast).

Power rationing is a pain because it means you must be very organized when the power is on and iron ahead of time (something I tend to put off doing!), shift food from the freezer and then back again so it doesn’t freeze but stays cool when the power is off and turn the pump on to fill the water tank (that is, if there is water to pump!). It also becomes a challenge for things that you can’t do ahead of time like staying cool under the fan (especially as the temperature starts to creep upwards each day) and cooking meals.

However, living without something tends to make you appreciate it that much more. I now take great joy in the hum of the fridge and am acutely aware of whether the fan is on or off as I sleep. On those rare mornings when I wake and the fan is still spinning away I tend to jump out of bed and run with glee to the kitchen to toast my bread.

This past weekend I had shopped for a number of things to make brunch for my housemates on Sunday. However, when I opened my eyes the fan was eerily still. Very disappointed and grumpy, I dragged myself up and out the door on a search for a gas canister to use with our camping stove. Success! The gas shop was open and my delicious brunch plans were salvaged. We enjoyed French toast (complete with maple syrup and Tim Horton’s coffee from home) with bacon while listening to Jack Johnson on my battery powered speakers…it felt just like a lazy Sunday at home….(minus the electricity of course).

When the power did finally come on around 6 that evening cheers were heard from all across the neighborhood. In retrospect, it was sort of a fitting way to spend Thanksgiving Sunday – being very appreciative of a resource we take so much for granted at home.
I hope you all enjoyed sharing a meal with family or friends (in whatever form it took) this past thanksgiving weekend!