How I enjoyed being in the dark – but was glad to see the light

Like many others during storm Éowyn, cuts to our essential electricity at home changed our habits… momentarily.

In a society where our lives are dependant on the addictive currents providing life to our screens, phones and heating, a power outage is the worst case scenario.

So much was true in our household; with a journalist, a teacher, and two gaming teens we were overwhelmed with dread when we awoke on Friday to no electric.

At first the lack of power wasn’t noticed, as myself and my mother were entertained by the surrounding damage and the blustering wind still pulling at the trees.

However the vastness of outages became apparent when we ventured to the town for a cheeky McDonalds. Every man, woman and their grannies from the surrounding villages lined the roads going in to the only place with hot food and electric – the town’s chippys.

After consuming our now lukewarm dinners, my screen-addicted brothers fought each other in withdrawal rage whilst I took the opportunity to read a book I had bought weeks previously. How romantic to read by candlelight!

Day two of powerlessness saw us awaken to total darkness with the dashed hopes that yesterday had be a momentary outage.

Having little to do, I went to my Grandfathers house to see how he was coping.

Old Lawrence was (literally) as happy as Larry, wrapped up in his cardigan and dodgy looking beanie cut into a balaclava to warm his face.

When he was in the 40s, the lack of electricity had little effect on him, and farm work still had to be done, whatever the weather.

After a few hours of lifting turkey excrement for compost, the lack of a functioning phone had surpassed me, and I gained a real insight into a time before my birth when technology was a commodity and not a necessity.

These travails were coupled with old stories of Omagh by Granda, who relayed his 1950’s childhood on George’s Street.

I don’t know about you, but I enjoyed this short change of lifestyle caused by the storm.

However, I fully admit that now the sweet electric juice back, I don’t intend on being off the grid for a long time… hopefully.