Day 82 - still blogging....no power.

Saturday 23rd march 

Staying true to my challenge I continue to blog despite not being able to publish.  This is our second full day without power and as such is has thrown up new problems.  I think most of us can cope for a day but the second day brings a real challenge.  It is extremely cold on the island and most of us have very little or no source of heat.  I have spent the day trying to keep myself and my children warm and we are now basically held up in one room by the fire.  Pete did some mad dashing around to buy more coal and gas canisters so we can keep warm and eat hot food.  Such items are now rationed on the island and rightly so.  

Generators have now been put in place at vital locations such as the old people's home in Brodick and the hospital has its own back up power source.  Whiting bay has become the centre of operations as we appear to have escaped the snow.  The village hall has been made a centre for hot meals and warmth and people are being taken there as required.  It is, of course, the elderly and the sick that will be suffering the most.  Make no mistake this is a crisis for a little island.  The ferry has managed to sail today so fresh supplies will now be reaching us.  I understand that one of the generators has gone to the Co-op so it can open but not before they were told to dump all their frozen food and most of their fresh food on health and safety grounds 

Molly is on her way home from university and we are hopeful for a 6pm sailing to bring her to us.  I will be pleased to have all my family in one place.  My mother and her partner are on a well timed holiday and will probably stay there until power is restored to the island.

I like to watch Harry at these times.  He is very well read in Bear Grylls and he can cope well in a crisis.  He knows exactly what to eat to keep his body working well and he just gets on with it.  You won't hear him moaning because he likes to pitch himself against the elements.  He is a very impressive young man.  George and Max are finding plenty to things to do and keeping themselves busy.  I need to keep moving as I have a chronic illness that is challenged by the cold.  I can, however, feel the situation worsening but I am saying nothing.  My family are watching me closely and I just need to keep moving and I will be fine. 

We played cards today which is something we all enjoy.  We are quite a competitive family so it always causes us to giggle and we never take our ourselves too seriously.  Pete has been working at the village shop keeping everyone stocked up as best he can.  Information moves around the island quite quickly and everyone seems to be checking on neighbours and the like.

The most striking thing is just how much the island relies on electricity.  With no mains as we are at the mercy of electricity and there lies the problem.  There is petrol in the pumps but no electricity to work the pumps so we are effectively out of petrol.  As a tourist destination we have early visitors on the island who will not be having the best of times.  Hotels and guest houses will be doing their best but that must be a bit grim for all concerned.  Schools will have to stay shut and the hospital and the doctors must be at full stretch.  People could get off the island today so perhaps some have in order to stay with friends and relatives until this crisis has past. 

We have our own dairy, butcher and bakery but none will be operating without power so we are now in need of regular supplies from the mainland.  The ferry will be under pressure because the swell is so high and getting in and out of Ardrossan harbour is not easy in such conditions.  What I am sure is that everyone will be doing their best under such circumstances.  The problem is the longer this situation goes on the more acute it becomes.  Communication is vital and each village has an emergency centre to give out information and that seems to be working well.  We are used to power cuts on the island but rarely does the whole island go out at the same time and never for this length of time.  Latest updates say Wednesday but possibly as late as Friday which will make it 7 days without power in a time of really bad weather.  If that becomes a reality I fear we shall see some tragic casualties from this power cut.  I hope I am wrong on that point.   

When I publish these blogs I am not going to edit them because I know more at the point of publication than I did when I wrote them.  That way readers can see what this time has been like in 'real time'.  I fear my entries will get shorter as my hands resist working but I will do my best to convey what is happening in this challenging time. 

Until tomorrow. Xx