The Waffle Saga

What a great Saturday morning! Got up about 6:45 a.m. and noticed that we actually have electricity—huge surprise after about 3 days with very little. And, best of all, we have city water rushing through our pipes. City water comes approximately every 2-4 weeks. The whole city is desperate for water right now.

There is a cool breeze blowing. We hope that rain will soon be delivered from the heavens.

Bayo has been sick for the past two days, but still working. So I’ve put him under house arrest today. Let’s see if I have any success.

I’m thinking about making waffles for the kids…I just hope the electricity will last that long. If it doesn’t, I have no back up plan because our generator is not working, and I know I can’t expect the compound generator to come on until evening. Guess I better make hay while the sun shines, or to translate that: make waffles while we have electricity.

7:15 a.m.
Electricity goes off. So much for waffles.

9:00 a.m.
Compound gen is on--nice surprise. Kids still haven't eaten so we whip up a double batch of waffles. Whoops, I didn't think that through very well. My wafflemaker uses 110 current. Nigeria uses 220 current. I have a very large step-down transformer which is actually wired into the kitchen. I could use that, but wait, it's not connected to one of the generator outlets. I have another large transformer that I can lug around. But wait, it has a three-pronged round end on it. I only have one place in the whole house that has a round-holed socket: the bathroom. Hmmm, I still have a problem. I don't have a generator socket in the bathroom. I conduct a half-hearted search for a very long extension cord so I can plug the cord into the generator socket in Lily's room, and then I can plug the transformer into the extension cord socket. AAAHHH!! The three round prongs still won't fit in the extension cord socket. Bayo could figure out a solution to my dilemma, but he is not feeling well so I don't ask more than once.

So I decide to use a small transformer with the wafflemaker in the kitchen. When the light goes off, I pour in 1 cup of batter. But it never gets done. I think the transformer is just too small.

I decide to change the waffle batter to pancake batter. I add sugar and a little more flour. We make them on the gas stove (which always works unless the gas bottle runs out). The pancakes are fluffier than usual, but quite good.

The redeeming part of the experience is that we pour just-made cherry syrup over our creations. Sometimes it takes a lot of work to make food! I only make waffles about four times a year--the potential for trouble is just too great.