Despatches from a mother who started late (and is running to catch up)

Champagne by candle light

Every birthday should have an element of surprise about it; this year mine involved a power failure and drinking champagne by candle light. The lights went out as we were having pre-dinner drinks, leaving us reliant on good old-fashioned candle light. Thank goodness for the current middle-class obsession with candles - finally useful as well as pretty.

In a macabre way, it later felt right to be wandering the Georgian streets of Edinburgh without electric street lights. A chance to re-live the authentic 1820s experience. At least, that was until we tried to cross the Queensferry Road, one of the city's main arteries, without the help of traffic lights or pedestrian crossings. Cars were swerving around in the darkness, none of the drivers sure what was happening. Some people had their torches out, which they shone in our faces, Gestapo-style. All I had in my bag was money and lipstick. I became horribly aware how easy it would be to get mugged in the darkness.

Contractors are still ploughing up central Edinburgh to make way for a controversial tram system; the city has been in chaos for months as the scheme drags on, it's possible the power failure is connected to that work. Still, perhaps Monday evening means I finally have cause to be grateful to the tram project; it was magic sipping champagne in the semi-darkness. Macabre. But magic.

Posted 11 November 2009 10:30

Activities Fun Husband