Greetings you guys! Welcome to another edition of Wondrous Words Wednesday. The fun monthly meme where you get the change to share any new (or new to you) words you came across over the passed month. Wondrous Words are proudly hosted by yours truly and if you want to know more about how to take part, you can click here.
A couple of WWW’s back, I’ve shared a typical South African and Afrikaans word with you – koeksister. Today, I will share yet another South African word with you:
As we are typing this to you, we have actually just finished with our second set of two hours without any electricity for the day. And the next set will hit us at 21:00. Yes, that is correct, 6 hours without electricity. Per day. For the passed 2 weeks. No end in sight.
Yes, I do know that we live in Darkest Africa, so load-shedding shouldn’t come as any surprise. And no, this post is not going to be a ranting and raving about the inconvenience thereof. If I want to start with that, I will type here until the power goes off once again. As always, my aim is just to bring a new word under your attention and to share a few tidbits.
I can’t rely on my trusted Merriam Webster definitions today, as I don’t believe the good people who build that fun dictionary really sees the word as significantly enough to be added. I don’t blame them at all. Dictionary.com thankfully has a published definition:
the deliberate shutdown of electric power in a part or parts of a power-distribution system, generally to prevent the failure of the entire system when the demand strains the capacity of the system.
The next question of course is why? Why does our lovely country experience these vast blackouts? The long and the short, without insult or pointing fingers – there’s an inadequate national energy supply to meet the demand. Yes, I hear your why?? Uhmmmm…. This is now where you give the age-old answer to all the why questions out there – Go ask your Dad. And in this scenario, your Dad is Eskom. Go ahead, have a chat with him. You can click on the image below for a quick chat… 
I guess we have to give Father Eskom credit for at least having us on a schedule and we can mostly plan our days around load-shedding. The only variable on a day to today basis at the moment, is which stage we will be on.
As a reader, this can be highly frustrating. But I have to tell you, I have perfected the art of reading with a headlight and to have my Kindle charged, is far more important than having my cellphone charged. Just for the fun of it, here’s a couple of books to read in the dark!
Any other dark books we might have missed?
I am aware that South Africa isn’t the only or the first country to experience severe power outages, have you got a tale to tell?
If you want to join in the WWW fun and write a post with your latest Wondrous Words, you are welcome to add it to the linky provided, or just leave your link or word in the comment section.
Have a wonderful Wednesday!
I had not heard of load-shedding but it makes sense. I’m sorry you are having to deal with these rolling blackouts. Hope things get straightened out soon.
I am loving your gif Halloween imagery with sweet Elza! Awww!
I’ve read two of those “dark” books and have a couple more on my TBR. I hope you stay fed of books all week long! May they be your light when you are without!
Hi there Heather!
So glad to hear you like the Spooky Season Gif, I had fun making it.
Yes, Load shedding really is a pain in the ass…. But hey – I guess we have to live with it!
I am terribly sorry this is happening, Mareli. I am completely unfamiliar with the idea of load shedding, and I’m not really sure I understand why it’s happening, but I do know it sounds awful.
Do I have a story to tell! For a fairly clear picture of what really happened, take a look here, if you’d like to know more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Texas_power_crisis.
Hi there Debbie! It’s very frustrating indeed. We are the end of week three and I can’t wait to see our schedule for the new week. As long as we have power on Tuesday Night – it’s Book Club!!
I am going to read your link now.
We have load-shedding in India as well (and this is one thing about my home country that I do not miss here in the US!!).. And that is a lot of load-shedding for you….
Love how you put together the list of books for this week’s WWW
Hi Vidya! I’ve seen that India is also a country that suffers under load-shedding. Gosh, it can be such a frustration and you honestly have to plan your whole day around it.
Glad you liked our books and thanks for the visit!
I don’t have any experience with load shedding but it sounds like it would get very old very quickly. We have tornados and lose power occasionally thanks to them and other storms but it’s pretty rare and generally short lived.
Having power cuts due to nature is perfectly understandable and acceptable. But yes, like you say – load shedding does get old very quickly…! We are just about done with week 3, let’s see what the new week brings. As long as we have power on Tuesday night. We have Book Club!
I know Hurricane Ian in Florida has taken electricity from at least a million people, so don’t feel too bad. At least you don’t get hurricanes! Have a fun read on your well lit Kindle.
Hi there Harvee,
Yes, there’s a huge difference between sitting without electricity due to nature, compared to sitting without electricity due to human failure. But I am grateful that we don’t get hurricanes yes…!
Thanks for the visit and I wish you a lovely week ahead!
I have read a few of these – loved Dark Matters, Load Shedding is a nasty business. It is snowing on your blog…it made me smile!
Dark Matter was the last Blake Couch that I’ve read, I need to read his latest ones as well!
I have changed my blog header just this morning for spooky season, and now there’s a witch flying…!! I will bring the snow back for December!
I had not heard the term Load Shedding before, they sound similar to “rolling blackouts” which we’ve had from time to time in the States, but they don’t normally last a long time. Thanks for the new word!
I believe it is the same as Rolling Blackouts. Not sure which term I would actually prefer…. The association with both are an inconvenience, so let’s go with neither!
I kind of like that word, although obviously I don’t like that you have to go without power! Love the Lion King graphic! And you know here in the States we’re starting to have energy issues too. Texas has had some and I hear rumblings from other places too. I think California has had some rolling blackouts, as they call them. We had a few here in Michigan a few summers ago when the load from air conditioners got so bad.
Dark Matter- as you know I LOVE that one! 🙂
Hi Greg! I’ve heard the term rolling blackouts yes. The world really isn’t in the best of states is it? Oh gosh, you are right – when summer hits, it’s going to be even worse. Being at home is fine, I can manage here. But the problem is at school. When the power goes, the water also goes as we have a borehole and then the pump isn’t working….!!!
Life might really have been easier in the older days!
The load-shedding definitely sounds like a pain to deal with. I’m with you though on making sure things are charged so you can read! I like your “Dark” titles. Of these, I’ve only read Dark Matter. I’ve been wanting to read Home Before Dark.
Hi Ali!
I’ve read Home Before Dark last year for Fraterfest and I loved it! It’s a quick read and the level of scary is just enough.
Hope you get to read it soon.
Thanks! Looking forward to it!
Oh dear, load shedding can be a pain. We’ve experienced it here in India too, though over the last few years, it hasn’t been for such long periods. We did have a patch two years ago when we were without electricity for 3 days when there were major troubles with a transformer which finally had to be replaced. Hope things get better soon
Hi Mallika!
I’ve seen that India also struggles with loadshedding. If only we had an end in sight, we might have felt better about it. But so far, we have no idea when it will be better….
Thanks for the visit! Have a wonderful weekend .