I was just so beat after the supply run, that I went to bed and fell into a deep sleep until 12:25 am! The power went out! Not good news.
Everyone is awake. Time to double the guards. Everyone is aware that there have been night raids happening close to us.
We get the children back to sleep and I go back to my bed for a few more winks. The guys have the guard duty all figured out. All is well until 2:30 am when we hear a very loud explosion. Everyone is up and waiting on alert to see what will happen. The children are awake but no-one makes a peep. It is deadly still. Even the animals are quiet.
We are all pins and needles when daybreak finally comes. Nothing more has happened and we start planning on what to do about the electricity. We are not completely off the grid and we need that connection. Two guys go out a daylight to see if they see the problem.
They return in about a half hour to say one of the high voltage switches is open. It will have to be closed for us to have power. We call the electric company and they don’t answer the phones. So it will be like the last three times, we will have to fix this problem ourselves. First, we need to find an electrician or someone who is familiar with working on high voltage wires.
The two guys go out on the hunt for a person capable of helping. They came back at noon with the news that they have found someone but they can’t come until after 1 pm. We have to settle for what we can get and the electrician will be expensive.
In the meantime, our little mama goes into labour! We may need that electricity sooner rather than later… We send out to the midwife and hope she can make it.
Our electrician arrives and has no trouble replacing the switch until two more blew open. Obviously, there is a short circuit in the system! It took another two hours to find the short which was caused by the electric company. They had sabotaged our line!
Our two intrepid gents went out and collected whatever anyone could donate so they could help pay the electrician who was very happy to have the work.
By 4 pm we had a new little baby girl! She was born all pink and rosy. Very healthy looking. Mama is happy and tired. The only concern I have is that the baby is not nursing well. I hope that changes. Tomorrow we have a doctor coming to check mama and baby. The guys will go out and meet her to make sure she gets here safely.
Today is a day of rest and hopefully no more excitement for a while. Everyone is getting into the groove of working cooperatively. When some of the young guys came, they weren’t going to do women’s work, which most chores here. They have lost a little of that machismo since coming to live here. Mama Castor doesn’t put up with too much nonsense. You want to eat, then you need to work!
I will post photos of mama and baby in the next few days.
Congrats to Mama on her birth of this beautiful child. So much hope...
I love hearing about how this crisis has pulled together your community, and that you were able to find someone to privately fix your electricity, and that everyone pitched in after to pay them.
Your last paragraph just killed me! <3 <3 Mama Castor!! <3 <3 <3 <3 You go girl!!! That you can still be holding onto hope and laughter through this terrible crisis really blows my mind. Respect.
I didn't allow my sons to get away with not working around the homestead and these guys are no different. Their mama can't make them work at her house but they work at mine!
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Wow what a day!
It was interesting! We don't have dull days...
Nicely explained power supply incident. Congratulations for new baby. Hope shortly we will see baby with mama.
Photos within the next few days...We really need to get off the grid. It is sad when the electric company sabotages the lines...
And electric company irrited us more when they not responded us properly on our complaint.
It is the same here. We would be better off without them!
Congrats on the new family member, speedy recovery for the mama and here is hoping the newborn will take the breast milk soon 💓
I am worried of your and your family safetiness. Wish the chaotic situation will die down already
Take good care there 🤗😘🤗😘
We wish it would too! But we are learning to roll with the punches...
Congratulations! A little bit of happy to lift you up!
I pray for peaceful days and your safety!
God bless you all
Thank you, @dswigle. We are relieved to have the baby here safely! We continue to pray for peace but it looks a long way off...
Wow! That sounds intense! Welcome into this great big world baby girl.
I am not sure how well versed your health-care professionals are in tongue and lips ties because here in Canada the information is just now becoming more accepted. Both our twins had tongue ties which meant they couldn't lift their tongue to the roof of their mouth therefore couldn't extract milk properly. It was a challenging road but we had their ties cut and we had to do stretches every 5 hours for 3 weeks. Either way, I hope baby is able to figure our nursing and her and mama are well. -Aimee
Thanks, Aimee! Our medical professionals are pretty behind the times here. One of my sons was also born tongue tied and had surgery when he was a little older. But he nursed fine. The baby is really tiny. I think we would be stretching it for 5 pounds. I don't have a scale here so we don't know for sure. We have a doctor coming today to take a look at them.
Oh that is so tiny! Mine were 5lb. 5oz and 5lb. 9oz and that seemed so tiny. I can't imagine e them being under 5lb. I'll keep you and your family in my thoughts. -Aimee
Thanks, Aimee!
Oh my goodness, what a day for sure, things are really exciting/and or scary down there, depending on how you see it, glad you are getting by and seam to be doing mostly ok.
I don't have a choice but to do okay. Too many people counting on me. There are days when I could use less excitement and I don't have time to be scared poopless. I figure it is difficult enough for the kids, some who are old enough to understand some things...
I'm so glad the baby came and the power is back on, but infuriating that the line was sabotaged!! So who are all the people staying with you? Did you take in people after the violence started?
We took in our a few of our close neighbours. The ones with small children. There is safety in numbers and our homestead is large enough to share space and food with the folks we have here. But I think we are at capacity now. Thank you for your support, @phoenixwren. I appreciate it so much!
Congrats on the new little one.
That makes everyone smile.
The perpetrators of the electric wires knew what they were doing.
I don't like that going forward in time.
You will be letting us know.
A group is much better than a small family.
Strength in numbers.
Francis
Yes, there is strength in numbers, Francis. We don't like what happened with the electricity so we are trying to set up off the grid but getting solar panels is tough right now. I will keep everyone updated the best I can. Thanks for your support, Francis. I really appreciate it.
Blessings on the beautiful addition to your family💕 how I wish the world was a kinder place for her to have been born into but I am glad she is surrounded by love.
Hugs and prayers to all of you💜
There will be actual photos of the baby and mama this week. I am giving the family a little space to get to know each other first. It is difficult to have a lot of privacy with these many people here...
So glad Mom and baby are alright. It is pretty sad when the electric co sabbatoges their own. How you manage to keep all of your compound quiet at one time is miraculous. Any word from your son? ❤️🐓🐓
Yes. I hear from Chris at least once a day. My granddaughter calls three times a day! She just wants to talk to Grandma! I think the children know when they need to be quiet for safety reasons. For a group (8 under the age of 8) they do extremely well!
What a beautiful peaceful girl..such lovely news amongst the chaos. Glad to see some hope in all this craziness.
The photo is from Pixabay. We haven't taken any photos yet. Perhaps in the next day or so. We want to give mam some space and time with the baby first. But she a glimmer of hope in this mess...
Congratulations to mama on birth of the beautiful baby girl! May both of them be healthy!
I am glad you have a strong community and that the problem with electricity was resolved! Stay safe!!
Thank you, @delishtreats!
It so pretty baby 😘😘😍😍
Congratulations to mama and those that helped with the delivery. I knew she could do it at home. She looks perfect. What a beautiful gem in a crazy situation.
So glad you were able to restore the power and get the guys to help out where needed. It is so great when we can come together to assist each other.
I need to fix the post. The photo is from pixabay. Photos of mom and baby will be coming in the next few days. I am trying to give them some time and space as privacy is hard to come by when you have these many people living in one spot! I told everyone we can only handle one crisis at a time so we have had our limit for the week!
I completely understand. As a mama and baby they do need their privacy for the next few days. I am just glad all is well. I hope the rest of the weeks is relaxing for all over there. Well as relaxing as it can be.
Congrats to the new mama and baby! I can't believe she went into labor. I bet you all were so concerned. What a scary situation. Be well and safe.
Finally! It was a long process! But mama and are fine. Baby has a bit of trouble nursing because she is so small. We are as safe as we can be...
Working on High Tension Power Lines! Daaamn that sounds a bit risky! I dont think i would risk attempting to fix those, or even could fix them...
Great News on the NEW arrival! Congratulations, hope everything goes well.
Thank you, @preppervetuk! Part of prepping for me is knowing a whole lot of things I normally wouldn't need to know. High voltage can be a bit scary but the trick is to know someone who knows more than you do! We have a really tiny little girl, just about right on 5 pounds. Both are doing fine.
So glad to hear an update and see a sweet baby picture. I'm so glad you guys were able to make a safe food run and get the electricity going again. Know we are praying for you!
Thank you, @apanamamama! I appreciate it!
What a little doll and so happy everything went well untill now! And yeah, hopefully the nursing will go better soon, I guess getting artificial milk at the moment is not really an option now, right?
But electricity company sabaotaged so they could charge you for the fix? Or is somebody tapping? Scary stuff there still!
And yeah, no jokes on those boys..let them work!
Good honest work never hurt anyone! Nursing is so-so and the midwife and doctor both suggested formula! So much for encouraging breast feeding!
all in one day. Whew. Thinking all is so awful and than poof. something so very awesome, a new Baby girl. How totally wonderful. Thinking of you always, for a good outcome.
It is the boost of hope that we all needed! She is so tiny, less than 5 pounds, but has a full head of jet black hair just like her mama! The other kids just love her to bits.
awww..sounds so lovely. I hope she nurses well. I suppose Mama can pump and you can feed baby by a dropper. I am sure she will be just fine. We can not wait to see pictures from this end.
I'll give them a few days to get onto the nursing and for the brother and sister to get used to having new little one around...
Saludos @cecicastor
Gracias, mi amigo! Como Estas?
Fab news about the baby, a little light in a dark place. Stay safe :)
She is so cute. Very tiny...under 5 pounds! She bringing sunshine here to the compound!
Maybe she is the start of things getting better, finger crossed for you :)
Thank you, Karen!
welcome little one ad congrats to mom. you really are all having such a full on time of it. I am glad you got your electricity fixed and I will send healing to the new mom and for the baby to feed better. Take care @cecicastor, my thoughts are with you and yours xxx
You want to eat! You have to work!
Love that saying. Much love for the new baby. It’s nice to hear from you.
That is terrible!
I am happy to hear the baby was born and I do hope she is nursing okay by now.
((Hugs))
The baby is finally nursing well and all is good on that front. But we have another little one, a 17-month-old in the hospital and not doing well. She had a catheter placed in her heart last night...We have a way too much excitement here...
I am so sorry to hear that. You do certainly have too much going on. :(
Yes, I could use a little less stress...
I'm addicted to hearing about your experiences during this mess and I applaud you for your strength!
A real man won't sit by and let a woman do work when he is just as capable and only because he thinks that it's a womans job. I have no problem with washing dishes, doing laundry or cleaning the house. Although, you might want to keep me away from the cooking assignments for your own best interests. I can make a mean scrambled egg and cheese sammich but that's about the extent of my cooking arsenal.
Thank you, @bluelightbandit! The adventures never stop here. There is always something happening. I will post more a little later.
There is a lot of gardening to do! I have about an acre of gardens. There is always lots of laundry and other chores. They are just lazy...
I am so glad you are okay. Congrats on the new baby. What times you are living in, continue to get rest we both know how important that is for your health and well being.
We try to rest between all the drama, but I am beginning to think this country thrives on drama...
Still following along. Keeping everyone in my thoughts especially the sick child. Also will keep an eye out for baby pics. Been sharing your story with friends and family, they will enjoy a happy pic I am sure.
I will be taking her to see the doctor again tomorrow as the doctor wants to be sure that the baby is feeding well. So I will see if I can get a photo tomorrow as well. The little girl has improved enough to be taken out of the ICU, but she has a long road ahead of her...
I remember you said things are bad with the hospitals. I hope they are able to take good care of her sending extra prayers
Thank you, @headchange. Yes, the hospitals are bad. As long as the baby was in ICU she has a bit better care, but she was moved to a main-floor last night because they needed the bed in ICU. I haven't been able to go see her as the hospital has restricted visits to one per person. This means even her parents have to take turns sitting with her...
My babies never nurse well their first two days - it's always at about the 48 hour mark that they seem to finally start wanting to eat and working to nurse. I was really worried for my first three but by the fourth I was expecting it.
NICU? Heart issues? The electric company sabotaging the lines? My goodness, Mama Castor, you are running the entire gamut here! I'm adding "successful birth" to my thankful list and "heart baby" to the prayer one.
Thank you, @lturner. I appreciate the prayers. I know they work, but sometimes the Creator takes a little longer to answer, because it is busy times!
Unity in times of trouble is a thing of beauty. However, the baby gave more hope. While it is sad that we are bringing babies into this chaotic world, it still teach us that despite what is happening all around us, life goes on.
Indeed everyone should do whatever they can do to help. That should always be the case.
Thank you, There is enough gardening and other outside work for these guys. I have an acre of gardens so plenty of work. There is plenty of laundry too. I wouldn't trust these guys to cook. My sons are excellent cooks though.
Drama on top of drama! I'm so pleased to hear that Mama Castor is not prepared to put up with 'too much nonsense.' In situations like this, everyone needs to pitch in and not mind the menial tasks and any help would be gratefully received I'm sure.
I do hope you have managed to catch up on some much needed sleep and rest my friend an I look forward to seeing some pictures of that new little baby.
Hopefully, I will get a few minutes tomorrow to post the recent photos. It has been just as crazy. The dad of the little one in the hospital came home for food and clothes. But on the way, he came across the Antimontines (Riot police) and was stripped searched with an AK-47 pointed at his head the whole time. They were looking for phones that can take videos. They no longer want the news to get out. Fortunately, he has a stupid phone, only calls and messages. Nothing else. So they let him go. He was terrified they were going to shoot him!
Oh that's terrible @cecicsator Thank goodness he only had a 'stupid phone.' But they've left their run a bit late as far as not wanting news to get out haven't they?
They have been successful with most international media outlets. Thank goodness they don't know about steemit or I wouldn't be getting out either...
Let’s hope they will never find out Ceci.
Thank you!