that WAS the problem... it was my battery backup... my (p)ups as my dad calls it - gives me 5 minutes of backup power when my electricity dies here.  thing is, it has a button that resets/turns off - and my cat found it... this was the second time she's done it - in the 2 years i've had the (p)ups.

it was a case of ... "i WISH the power had gone out"

edited: oh yes - as i was rendering an animation... i couldnt save & resume render, so i was censored myself no matter what.

Rarer than a hairy egg and madder than a box of frogs....

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