Running back and forth…Living in a different house due to electrical problems at our usual house…

It was amazing sleeping here at Khaya Umdani last night in air-conditioned comfort. After the past few nights of tossing and turning in the heat, I managed to sleep for at least eight hours and feel so much better this morning. It’s incredible what a good night’s sleep can do, especially when we’ve been dealing with so much lately. Sometimes, it’s the simplest comforts that make the biggest difference.

Today will be another scorcher, with temperatures expected to reach 97°F (36°C), accompanied by high humidity. The dew point is 67°F, which is considered “uncomfortable.” Yep, that’s putting it mildly! Even earlier this morning, the air already felt heavy and oppressive. It’s the kind of weather that makes us appreciate air conditioning more than ever. We’re certainly not complaining about having it available here at Khaya Umdani. Of course, there’s no central air, which is common in the US, but nighttime comfort is assured.

On another note, we finally have some answers about the ongoing electricity problem at our usual holiday home. Danie, the electrician, and Eskom apparently figured out what has been happening, and it’s quite a story!

As it turns out, a neighbor spliced into the electrical cable intended for our house to power his own property. Apparently, he never paid his electricity bill. Instead, Louise and Danie received his bill, believed it was theirs, and faithfully paid it every month. Can you imagine? They had no reason to suspect anything was wrong, since they paid the bills as they arrived.

Eventually, Eskom apparently disconnected the electricity to our house, believing the unpaid account belonged to the property receiving the power. As a result, we were left without electricity, even though Louise and Danie paid his bill every month.

This situation may have been going on for years! Beyond the frustration of having no electricity, Danie and the electrician are concerned the unauthorized connection may have damaged the main electrical cable and possibly even the inverter system. We certainly hope that isn’t the case, considering how important the inverter is to keeping our household functioning during frequent Eskom outages.

In the next few days, Eskom is supposed to come out to inspect the situation and restore electricity to our house. Until that happens, we’re essentially on hold, not knowing how much longer we’ll be staying here at Khaya Umdani.

Fortunately, we have no complaints about our temporary accommodations. We love this house and enjoy every day we get to spend here. That’s not to say we don’t love our usual holiday home. We absolutely do! This unexpected change has turned into a fun little “staycation” for us, especially with Colleen and Paulette here to share it.

There is something rather nice about having a change of scenery without actually going anywhere. We have a beautiful setting, comfortable surroundings, plenty of space, and, most importantly, air conditioning when the temperatures become unbearable. We can continue enjoying our time together without worrying quite so much about the inconveniences that prompted this move in the first place.

We decided not to go out to dinner tonight. Instead, we’ll take advantage of the enormous grill here at Khaya Umdani and prepare our own dinner, two large chicken flatties. We’ll sit at the big table on the veranda and enjoy the evening, keeping our lively and animated conversations going. With Colleen and Paulette, there is never a shortage of things to talk about, stories to share, and plenty of laughter.

Sometimes, the best evenings aren’t spent at a restaurant or doing anything particularly special. They’re simply about enjoying one another’s company, sharing a good meal, and appreciating the opportunity to be together.

For now, we’ll wait to see what Eskom determines over the next few days. Hopefully, we’ll soon have electricity restored at our usual house and can return to our familiar surroundings. But until then, we’ll make the most of our unexpected change of plans. After all, we’re still in Marloth Park, surrounded by the wonders of the bush, and spending precious time with family. What more could we ask for?

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, November 7, 2016:

There will not be a photo here due to WiFi issues at this house.