My friend Brenda writes about being prepared for unexpected events. Her Saturday posts are about living a pantry lifestyle. They are good and encouraging posts and I usually am nodding my head in agreement as I read.
Monday we had a snow storm that dropped 9 inches of heavy, wet snow. It looked amazing!
We also awoke to no power.
Lindsay got a call from Joseph saying that over at the house that they are renting (where he is living right now) he couldn't get his car out of the garage due to a tree down.
Tim stopped by on his way home from work and could have taken care of the tree easily with his chain saw, but the tree feel on the power lines to the house pulling them away from the house a bit. Tim does not want to risk electrocution so no tree removal by him. Joseph has called the property management people who have told him to call the power company who have said "We'll get to it when we can." Meanwhile he's used Tim's truck and Emma's car to get to work.
Now, we were prepared for the possibility of losing power. In fact, I had filled our giant bathtub full of water for filling the tanks on the toilets. We have camping lanterns and oil lamps. We have a wood stove and were able to cook a few meals on it. The word from the power company was "your power should be back on by 11pm on Saturday February 8th!" Wow. These guys are working so hard to get power back on - there are so many people still without power but thankfully ours came back on after dinner! So happy!
It's been great to see people helping each other and offering a warm place to sleep and hang out, charge your phones, do laundry, get a shower….
When I woke up Wednesday there was crazy popping and snapping noises happening in the trees everywhere as limbs came down. Later in the day I heard a strange noise and realized that the ice was falling off the trees! Watch the video to see the ice fall but mostly to hear it fall!
We were able to get out to stores and to work just fine. We were just without power.
I am thankful for how my kids all stepped up to the plate filling buckets with snow to melt to flush potties, after the tub water was gone, being cheerful, doing what they could.
We did our school Wednesday, but I gave them Thursday off. They all needed a break. We did do tons of reading though. I am really enjoying Susan Branch's book "A Fine Romance." Rachel is reading Ben Hur and was at the exciting chariot race scene yesterday! Sarah is working her way through Jeanette Oaks "Love Comes Softly Series," and Kyle is reading a fictional diary of a young man on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. He's enjoying that.
In spite of, or maybe more so in the middle of something challenging, I find it is delightful to have a warm, cozy, home, and a nicely made bed. It's so civilized!
14 comments:
Storm memories you will have! We know about ice storms here and the sound of the ice is familiar but "chilling." The damage can be amazing. Hope you stay safe and warm this weekend.
We got the same storms, but thankfully we didn't loose power. I know people who are still without it.
Thank goodness the storms coming this weekend aren't going to be anything remarkable - at least that's what they say.
Enjoy your countdown!
Leann
Wow!! 9 inches, plus an ice storm! I'm praying for all of you. I'm so glad Tim and Joseph decided not to tackle that tree on the power line - let's NOT electricute the groom!
Happy to hear that you fared so well in the storm! A wood stove is a blessing when the power goes out...you have a source of heat and food prep. Ryan lost power (also due to ice) for several days around Christmas time, and you'd better believe this Mom/Gran was quite thankful that they had a wood stove! People around them were having to leave their homes (extreme cold) and then had to deal with frozen/bursting pipes when the power was restored.
I think that weather can show us how very small we are...and how little we actually control.
That said, ice is beautiful. I love your close-up photo of the ice-laden branch with berries!
I saw on the national news that the governor of Pennsylvania says that ice storm did more damage than the hurricanes that have gone through recently.
We are getting out today to pick up my insulin. Another smaller snow is expected Saturday but enough to make the roads slick.
I know the main roads are all okay now but getting out of the gravel lane is dicey.
Wondering if you got your power back yet? Someone said recently, "Electricity is no longer just a convenience". Most of us have become quite dependent on it! Your bed looks SO warm. I really like that plaid cover/blanket! Be well. Stay safe.
Sounds as if you passed the test! Brenda will be so proud of you! There is nothing more disconcerting than the sound of trees wailing under the stress of ice. It is a freakish sound and so I am glad that the ice has dropped off.
In 1991, we had a bad ice storm here in western New York. Some people were without power for two weeks. We had a seven month old and four year old at that time. After the storm, it turned really cold, and eventually my husband sent us to my parent's house since they had heat; he had to stay at home to bail the sump pump by hand. After that storm, we bought a kerosene heater, a propane cook stove, and some other preparedness items. We haven't had to use them often - except the heater, which we still use to offset our heating bills a little bit - but it's good to know they are there.
This winter has been so bad, although I understand things in and around the UK are terrible. I know God is in control of the weather, but sometimes I wonder what He is doing!
Hi, I just found your blog and I look forward to reading more of it! I had to comment on your plaid blanket on your bed, it is exactly what I have been looking for. Could you possibly share where you got it from? I would appreciate it so much. Blessings, Lori
Hi Lori, Thanks for your comment! I love your photo icon! I have those mugs too!
My red plaid is a throw blanket I bought two years ago when we visited Maine. I got it from L.L. Bean. It cost about $50 and is a really wonderful wool throw!
Deanna
Hi Deanna, thank you so much for sharing where you got the throw. I checked and they don't sell that anymore. I am so disappointed. You know how it is, you get something in your head and nothing else will do? Well that is how is for me with my bed. ha-ha! I will have patience...the Lord will provide...He always does. :-)
Deanna, I forgot to say thank you. Thank you for saying you like my photo icon, so sweet of you! I saw yours in your header..don't you just love these mugs?!! :-)
Oh that is disappointing! I looked on ebay and found this that may work for you -http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-TROY-RED-BLACK-TARTAN-PLAID-WOOL-BLEND-Lap-LEISURE-BLANKET-THROW-Picnic-/291078451365?pt=US_Blankets_and_Throws&hash=item43c5a0b0a5
Deanna, thank you so much for sharing this with me, how very sweet of you! I was so excited, but after contacting the seller I found it was not a wash and dryable wool. I should have realized that when it said vintage. I have dust mite allergies and need something that I can wash and dry regularly. So I will keep looking but thank you though for sharing!
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