All night I lied awake and listened to the wind blowing over the water.  Just hoping that the roof tiles from my home will hold out this storm.  Two months ago we had a bad storm in Harties and we experienced damage to our roof, as a result of the wind pumping and ripping off the tiles.
As I wished the bad storm would pass throught the night, I could not help to wonder what awaits me in the morning at the Guest House.   As I got up in the dark, the rain still falling outside, I made my way to the Guest House with high hopes for breakfast and my thoughts with my guests and what wonderful things I will make this morning.
About half way through preparing breakfast THE POWER WENT DOWN.  

My hart stood still for a while and while holding my breath I waited a few seconds to see what is happening, my thoughts were running to the Cape and back, I just felt NOT NOW PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After a minute or two I realised that the power isn’t coming back on. I ran to the garage to put on the generator.  In the dark and with a small light I’m trying to put this yellow machine on, that I have no idea to do and with all the stress I clean forgot all the instructions my husband gave me in case of a situation like this!

Eventually I got it started and ran up to the kitchen and started to finish breakfast.  Everything was just finished then it looked as if the power from the municipality was on so I ran down stairs again to switch the generator off.

Just as I put the generator off,  the power from the municipality went off again… In the dark I scrambled again to get the generator started and as I did some sparks came flying out of the generator!
For safety I switched everything off and ran up the stairs to call for help – the one person who can help- my husband.

We continued in the dark with candles in the kitchen, luckily we have a gas installation in the kitchen so the breakfast could be finished. 
We could only smile and have a laugh at ourselves, reading the breakfast request forms at candle light.  When I heard the foot steps of our guests approaching the dining room, I could hardly breathe ’cause still no power. 
As the rain was pouring down, help on the way and nervous smiles we tried our best to serve a 100% breakfast to our guests.  They had breakfast by candle light and all could be served except the toast.

With all this running around and for a second I remembered my grandmother in the kitchen on the farm.  When it was still dark, she would be up baking the most wonderful “Vetkoek “. We’d wake up with the smell of fresh “vetkoek” lingering in the farm house and usually couldn’t wait to get to the kitchen just in time for a warm “vetkoek” for breakfast!

My husband arrived to assist me and got everything started up,  and credit to him for handling the power crisis.  All was served and breakfast was done, still no power but we survived the morning.  I felt if I could run away, but soon realised that this too shall pass – as all crisises in life!

If I look back at this hectic morning with storms, rain and power failures, I could just smile at myself for being so stressed…the rain has passed, the sun is out and the power is on!

So note to self: Just keep calm, cause this too shall pass!