Thursday Thoughts # 93
quote -
agent: "I made you a star and all of a sudden you're treating me like dirt!"
star: "that's not true. I've always treated you like dirt."
from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
"I think I would always find you, no matter how you were hidden. Your soul sings to mine. My soul is yours and it always will be, in any world. No matter what happens."
from A Reason To Kill by Michael Kerr
"There was a temptation to go back inside the store and stretch out in a freezer cabinet to luxuriate among the frozen vegetables."
Today's Thought:
Last Tuesday, well, the one before that, you know, last week, we had some stormy weather that caused a lot of damage to a lot of homes and also caused power outages in several areas for several hours.
Not a huge problem for me, I lit every candle I owned, ate cold sandwiches for dinner and drank water instead of coffee. That last bit was hard. I really wanted a hot coffee. But the kettle is electric, the stove is electric, you see what I mean? No coffee.
Isn't it amazing how appealing coffee is when you can't get any?
Anyway, the candles were pretty, but I couldn't read very well by them, so ended up going to bed early. I left the bedside lamp turned on, so when I woke at 10+pm I knew the power was back on.
Two days later, I was talking to a neighbour, J, and she said something which was a wake-up call for me. She had a large candle burning on her coffee table, while she was opening her mail and as casually as she always does, tossed the envelope onto the coffee table. It landed on the candle and she threw her cup of water on it to put out the tiny fire.
So yesterday I went shopping and here's what I bought:
a battery powered LED camping lantern**
and a pack of batteries, D size. It takes all four batteries, but that shouldn't get too expensive, we don't have power outages too often.
the base which I had to unscrew to put the batteries in, which took forever and I thought maybe I'd got a defective one, but it finally lifted out,
and I discovered the central holding screw was about an inch long, that's why it took ages to open.
being a camping lantern, it has a carry handle and a little hanging hook,
and a teeny, tiny compass! Which I will never need, because if I ever go camping it will be in a five-star hotel.
here it is lighting up a corner of my bedroom, plenty of light to read by and much safer than candles, right?
and here it is providing enough light to pee, wash my hands and brush my teeth by.
Oh I'm so clever!
**Bunnings, $29.87, the batteries were $9.94 a pack.
No, this is not a sponsored post, I don't do those. I just show good ideas when I have them.
agent: "I made you a star and all of a sudden you're treating me like dirt!"
star: "that's not true. I've always treated you like dirt."
from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
"I think I would always find you, no matter how you were hidden. Your soul sings to mine. My soul is yours and it always will be, in any world. No matter what happens."
from A Reason To Kill by Michael Kerr
"There was a temptation to go back inside the store and stretch out in a freezer cabinet to luxuriate among the frozen vegetables."
Today's Thought:
Last Tuesday, well, the one before that, you know, last week, we had some stormy weather that caused a lot of damage to a lot of homes and also caused power outages in several areas for several hours.
Not a huge problem for me, I lit every candle I owned, ate cold sandwiches for dinner and drank water instead of coffee. That last bit was hard. I really wanted a hot coffee. But the kettle is electric, the stove is electric, you see what I mean? No coffee.
Isn't it amazing how appealing coffee is when you can't get any?
Anyway, the candles were pretty, but I couldn't read very well by them, so ended up going to bed early. I left the bedside lamp turned on, so when I woke at 10+pm I knew the power was back on.
Two days later, I was talking to a neighbour, J, and she said something which was a wake-up call for me. She had a large candle burning on her coffee table, while she was opening her mail and as casually as she always does, tossed the envelope onto the coffee table. It landed on the candle and she threw her cup of water on it to put out the tiny fire.
So yesterday I went shopping and here's what I bought:
Oh I'm so clever!
**Bunnings, $29.87, the batteries were $9.94 a pack.
No, this is not a sponsored post, I don't do those. I just show good ideas when I have them.
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Those are great, helped us get through when we lost power for 9 days back in 2012 (?). We had gas, so still had hot water, and a stove. No coffee...that is tough!
ReplyDeletejoeh; I miss gas. In my entire life, through many moves, this is the only house I've ever lived in that didn't have a gas stove.
DeleteI bought a similar lantern. It came in handy several times.
ReplyDeleteJohn M; welcome to drifting. I can see this one being handy, but probably not too often.
DeleteSmart move! I've heard the LED ones last longer because they don't use up so much juice. I have one, not nearly as cute, but it gets the job done.
ReplyDeleteS.J.Qualls; That's one reason I bought the LED, also because they are brighter and don't put out much heat. I need bright so I can read.
DeleteI have a lantern like that and have used it several times. An excellent purchase!
ReplyDeleteJoanne; I don't think I'll have to use mine often, but it's better to have one and not need it, than need one and not have it.
DeleteWhat a good idea!!
ReplyDeletefishducky; I wish I'd thought of this great idea years ago. Of course they didn't have LED back then, but a lamp would have been handy, we get a power outage a couple of times each winter.
DeleteThey do come in handy and it's a nice bonus that they don't put out any heat. Our power was off for a little while and as hot as it is here, we didn't need candles adding to it!
ReplyDeleteThe Cranky; I didn't notice my candles putting out any heat last week, but most of them were tealight size, so perhaps that's a factor. It will be a relief not to need candles in future; they're pretty, but I have to worry about Angel knocking them over too.
DeletePardon me, I can still find my doodle in a blackout, I've never needed light to have a piss.
ReplyDeleteR.H. I can pee in the dark too, but if Angel follows me into the bathroom I want to see enough that I don't trip over him. Then I prefer to see when I'm washing my hands also.
DeleteI have my candle shelf for blackouts but I also have some torches and LED torches in case I need them. :)
ReplyDeleteSnoskred; I love your candle shelf, they're so pretty, how can you bear to burn them?
DeleteMoney very well spent I'd say :)
ReplyDeleteVicki; I was just in the store to see if they had any and when I saw them under $30 I had to get one.
DeleteIt is a good idea to have the lantern. It is no good worrying about such things when the lights go out. People need to be prepared. I wonder if you can still buy those little immersion heaters which can heat water for coffee..........oh, they are electric too. Back to the drawing board.
ReplyDeleteAndrew; being prepared is what I do in most cases, and I'd been meaning to get some type of lamp, but kept putting it off. I'm thinking next of one of those tiny gas bottle barbecues, so I can at least heat water for tea and coffee, for the neighbours too.
DeleteWe have a lantern and have use when we lost power. Plus a picnic basket full of candles, which usual comes from the thrift stores.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
peppylady (Dora); I'm going to keep just one or two very large candles, they're mostly decorative, but use the lamp when I need to. The candles won't be safe if Angel gets spooked and dashes around knocking them over.
DeleteWhat a brilliant idea.
ReplyDeleteLike the quotes too - I have often been tempted by the freezer sections in summer.
Elephant's Child; I like the freezer aisles in summer too, but have never been tempted to climb into a cabinet. usually I just reach in and put my cold hands onto my face.
DeleteThat lantern is a worthwhile investment and I shall shop for one now.
ReplyDeleteGranny Annie; any good hardware store should have them. Do you have Bunnings in America?
ReplyDeleteMost definitely a far better option than candles, even though candle light is wonderful...but one's safety is even more wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI, too, invested in an LED lantern. Very handy to have. Our power rarely goes out but when it does it's nice to know that the lantern is a safer option.
ReplyDeleteWe have a street light nearly opposite our bedroom window which illuminates the whole room should we not close the curtains, It is solar powered and aways on. we are not cheap skates but is saves power whether we like it or not, also lighting the kitchen benefits from it too.
ReplyDelete