In the dark

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

That's the sound of eight kids completely freaking out when the power went out last night.  But I need to describe it in a bit more detail for you, because a single scream really doesn't cut it.

We'd been watching the storm coming our way, and I'd picked up a couple of the girls who'd taken their cars home in fear of them being ruined by the hail we'd been told was coming.

The wind picked up and there was a bit of rain.  That was it!  Oh!  And lots of lightning, mostly without thunder.  Really, it was a bit of a fizzer of a storm.

We'd gotten together for a party plan, and most of us had to bring our kids.  The kids had been running around and getting completely revved up, but had moved inside and were watching a movie.

The rain had pretty much stopped when suddenly the power went out.

Now, most of our kids aren't overly fussed by storms.  Most of them aren't overly fond of them, but they don't tend to really freak out about them either.

But they'd been SO revved up already, and someone started screaming.  So they all joined in!  At first it sounded like they were playing initially, but then they managed to really freak themselves out and the screaming got more realistic.

What do us mums do?  Pull out our phones, of course!  I mean, is there a more accessible form of light these days?

Our hostess found a bunch of torches and candles and the kids played torch games and we chilled out, taking a mid-party break to have a drink and something to eat and, for some, a smoke.

A phone call to the electricity company determined that we could be waiting a while, because the fault was somewhere in a 100 kilometre (around abouts) stretch.  So we continued the party in the semi-light, as you do.

The lights came back on, to the cheers of the children, and we continued on our merry, partying way.

And I have to say, I have some nutty, awfully fun, friends!  Most of the funniest stuff I won't repeat because it definitely isn't G-rated.  But it was a great night, with a LOT of laughter, and those moments that join you together with the others around you.

And that's what I love most about living here - practically in the middle of nowhere!  When we get together, we have a good laugh and become even better friends.  And isn't that what life is all about?  That awesome sense of connection with others!