When The Lights Go Out

So last night we had severe winds in Los Angeles, and I arrived home to discover the power was out.  This wouldn’t be a bad thing in and of itself, except for the fact that I’m dogsitting over at the Beagle House for Bella, Bonnie, and new beagle Beulla.  Since they’re dogs, they don’t really care if it’s daytime or nighttime, as they spend 80 percent of their time sleeping, so it might as well be night to them anyway.

But I quickly have to feed them and give them their meds using the last bit of daylight outside.  And while I just pulled that out by the skin of my teeth, the next order of business was trying to find a flashlight.

You’d think this would be easy because, you know, it’s a FLASHLIGHT.  I know exactly where the flashlight is at the Shabby Shack (but then again, the Shabby Shack is the size of a closet, how could I NOT know where everything is.)  I even know where the flashlight is at Scamper Butthead’s house, that’s how long I’ve been dogsitting at that location.

But I haven’t spent enough time at the Beagle House in enough strange circumstances to know where the flashlights are here.

So I checked the usual places -  junk drawers, the hall closet, nightstands near beds, all coming up bupkiss.  I do find one of those long gas flamey lighter things, the kind you use to light candles with, and go hunting around the house like I’m spelunking or something.  The hilarious part was that any turn or movement would snuff the flame off, and I now know how to make a horror movie.  YA-WOOOOOO

I’m sure this could be used as a metaphor for life – running around a strange house, desperate to find illumination before the daytime light runs out.  Sending up somewhat frantic prayers to God, Please please please help me find a workable flashlight, only to find those silly fake candles with the battery operated light to make it look like they flicker, and thinking THIS is how you answer my prayer?  This is not enough light!  HELP ME FIND A LIGHT!

And your answer is, eventually, a couple of cinnamon candles, some tea lights, plus two wall plug emergency lights, plus an LED light I keep in the glove compartment of my car, and finally, the lone flashlight that was under the sink. 

As predicted, the beagles did not care one whit about the encroaching darkness, so obviously they’re evil (kidding!), and luckily their owners get the hard copy newspaper, so I spent two hours reading the Sunday Times by this pasted together light before the power came back on (and the beagles didn’t wake up for that either, ho ho ho.)

So I guess perhaps the lesson could be – Your Resourcefulness + God’s Sense Of Humor = A Somewhat Workable Answer.

It’s enough for now.  :)