Blackout Blessings

People who were Facebooking, Googling stuff like apidexin reviews, Tweeting and Plurking and performing their online-related tasks all had to go through a withdrawal of sorts when typhoon Basyang hit Manila Tuesday night and affected power lines, cellphone towers and internet connection.

All Manila was in a blackout.

And yet, there were a lot of things I was thankful for:

I was thankful that my son isn't a newborn anymore. I just really don't think infants and no electricity mix. I'd have been crazy scared of bugs and whatever on him aside from having to breastfeed while sweating. At least he was a sturdy boy who actually slept through the night (after his initial excitement over camping downstairs).

I couldn't sleep because of the heat but I was thankful I wasn't as hormonal as before. If I still suffered from morning sickness and this happened, my husband would have been tormented as we'd have been in line for a hotel room. As it was, I even managed to fan my family all through the night. I sweated and was close to tears sometimes but I was still okay, just uncomfortable.

I was thankful that hubby could be here with us, and got enough sleep to fan me in the morning so I could have some sleep. He also brought our son to Paco, which entertained my son.

I was thankful there weren't loads of perishables in the refrigerator. We had to cook all the pork and chicken but nothing spoiled and thus, nothing was wasted.

I was thankful hubs got to contact his family and hear news about his Dad, and was assured the hospital had power to keep Dad safe.

I was thankful we had food to snack on as we whiled the hours of the day away.

I was thankful for transistor radios which kept us abreast of the news, and well, our telenovelas.

I was also thankful that the day wasn't that hot (although the lack of rains and post-typhoon feeling was humid) and mosquitoes weren't that many, so we got to lounge outside all afternoon and into the night, to feel cool.

I am thankful there weren't any posts felled by the storm in my area, and there was no fire or anything that struck our barangay.

I am also thankful to have proof that Yakee really isn't that fond of TV, it's just a handy way for him to be entertained. As it was, he was only too happy to be out all day.

I am thankful our neighbor, a 7-year old girl, likes playing with him, and even shared her dinner with him.

I am thankful I still had glow sticks, when I couldn't produce a flash light for my son to play with (we had to deny him the use of our shock-proof one to preserve the battery life because we didn't know how long we'd be without power). My son, the girl and her kin all were the coolest in the street because of my old stash.

And I am thankful that, despite being held up for his money, my brother managed to go home safely in the dark.

And all throughout the day, I found myself being hugged and kissed by my husband and son. Yakee also kept kissing my stomach. Talk about being one lucky Mom.