Four hour power outage today.

Absolutely fascinating. No television, Sky, Virgin Media, Internet, and for most, radio either.

After half an hour, when everyone was visiting everyone else to find out it wasn't just them, with the sound burglar alarms going off all over - it's like a little village around here - it was a hive of activity.

People were sat on the pavement chatting, new neighbours were introducing themselves. They helped each other repairing the ravages of winter on their garden fences and furniture, chatting over cups of tea made by those with gas cookers for those with electric.

Bear busied herself chatting away and making sandwiches, and had a mad half hour cleaning some walls. I was well pleased. It kept her off of F*book.

I was less pleased because I was half way making a loaf in the Bread maker. The instruction book said if the power is off for more than ten mins, dump it, and start again. Heck I would. I paid for those ingredients. The hours ticked by, and the dough rose, and rose and.... Attack of the killer dough.

So when the power kicked back in, I hit the bake only setting (used for cakes and stuff). Omigosh.

Light? Oh yes. You could float it. I had to carve the darn thing out though. Now I know :)