Lights Off!

Back blip

That’s what happened yesterday at around 12.30 lunchtime. I thought it was just our passageway at first and so did the other neighbours who popped out their heads out the doors to see what was happening. Occasionally it happens and it’s usually back on again quite quickly. Strange though that you couldn’t send text messages….

When I walked out to get some things a wee bit later and to hopefully send Bb (in Austria on business) a WhatsApp to let him know what was happening, lots of office workers were chatting outside in the streets, shops were operating in darkness, traffic lights not working, everyone checking their phones. Nobody knew anything. I chatted to one lady who was crossing the street with me and she was trying to work out how to get home as she’d heard that the metro and trains were down. It was going to be a long walk for her. Cafes, restaurants and small shops were only accepting cash (not sure about supermarkets). Our local ‘back bar’ managed to force their till drawer open so they could access that cash (and I’m sure they’d have looked after locals anyway). I got in quick for a sandwich and to hear what people were saying. Cyber attack and worse were mentioned.

When I went out in the early evening to buy more batteries for our torch (unusually I had some cash), the atmosphere was almost like that of a public holiday. Schools had closed early so lots of kids were out and about. Office workers had stayed out longer for lunch, sitting in the terraces. Everybody was friendly and talking to each other. it seemed calmer than earlier.

When I came back in, I sliced some cheese and ham to have later on and plugged other rechargeable lamps into our two old laptops (not fully functioning) but good for charging things and placed them strategically, so that I could see where I was going when it got dark and so that I could get upstairs to bed. By this time our burglar alarm wasn’t working either. Ferran next door shouted over the patio to tell me that it was a problem in Spain, Portugal and France. This news came from a friend of his who had a battery operated transistor radio. I’d tried the old one we had (in the pic)), but sadly it didn’t work with the batteries. Still no contact with Bb, and I hoped he’d have heard about it on the news in Austria. The city got darker and quieter. I wound up two ticking clocks that we still have. I sat down with my kindle (see extra), finished one book and started another. Went to bed around 11 and was woken at 2.30 ish by the bleeping and flickering of things coming back on. I read Bb’s texts and let him know I was ok. It’s a shame he hadn’t been here actually - it would have been more of an adventure! I can’t say I had a great night’s sleep, but I slept for a while.

Main blip is of my supplies and the extra of when I lit a candle as it was getting dark.