Power Struggle

One whole week without power. I'm surviving... barely... developed a new slogan-- Go Green! All you out there using electricity, you are evil and polluting the environment. You should rebel, cut your utility bill dramatically, rise to the challenge, go back to nature.

Yes well I do believe nature is taking over my dearly beloved freezer full of meat. I'm fighting tooth and nail though: had excellent baby back ribs last night for dinner with green beans heated over an open flame. (My stove still works.) Also attempted to study by my oil lamp last night. That lasted until my ribs were done, then I relocated back to my second home-- campus.

With the news reports stating "virtually destroyed," I considered investing in a generator, but it has been determined that shipping and running a generator is too expensive for the size I'd need, plus there's the island import tax (60% of retail value AND shipping). The thought of withdrawing for the semester and moving onto someone's couch [in the states] to wait for the power to come back on has seriously crossed my mind. That's probably cheaper than a generator anyway.

Today we were fortunate enough to receive a schedule which will be in effect until the back up island generators also explode. Did I mention the estimate for this to get fixed is December? Anywho, here's the schedule for light at the end of the tunnel (both literally and figuratively):

6am to 12pm

• Bayfords Feeder - St. Peters
• Frigate Bay Feeder - Bird Rock
• Cayon Feeder - Canada Estate to Grant egg farm via. Cayon S.E. Peninsular – Frigate Bay, S.E. Peninsular

12pm to 6pm

• Canada Feeder – Conaree, Half Moon Heights
• Basseterre North Feeder- Taylors, Shadwell, College Housing, Greenlands, Buckley’s, McKnight, Fortlands
• Sandy Point Feeder - Palmetto Point to Figtree via. Old Road Basseterre North Feeder –Lime kiln, Camps, Mattingly, WEST FARM, Boyd’s

6pm to 10pm

• Industrial Site Feeder – CAP Industrial Site

10pm to 6am

• Industrial Site Feeder – CAP Industrial Site

OH, rumor is these are the times we're NOT supposed to have power... meaning we will have 18hrs of electricity a day? I'm going to not hold my breath on that. At least we have running water, and the weather is perfect. So, it could be worse. I'm sure that will manifest itself in a new and exciting way somehow.

6pm came and went, yet I remained in darkness.