It has been interesting here during the past 24 hours. I've learned that ice storms are very sneaky things. Just a gentle rain that freezes to everything and gradually builds up a coating of ice that is deadly to trees and power lines. We've lost power a few times, and the internet connection has been completely down since yesterday afternoon (I'm feeling proud of myself for maintaining a basic AOL account that allows for dial-up for these types of occasions).
We currently do have power, and we really can't figure out why as the entire town where we live seems to have been without power for about 24 hours now. We have been dependent on our gas fireplace and it has kept us warm through out.
We are currently hosting 3 additional adults, two kids (Deb's grandchildren) and a beagle puppy. It is making for quite a bit of chaos, but it is a blessing that we can offer warmth to everyone. I have a big pot of chicken, potatoes and carrots cooking on the stove, and though the house is loud, it smells really good in here.
I am supposed to leave for a trip to Boston tomorrow but it remains to be seen whether the roads to the airport will be passable, and whether I can leave Deb to contend with all this by herself.
For now though, we are safe, and warm, and grateful. I hope that all the other Gather members who have been hit by this are faring as well.
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Comments: 26
Hope everyone at your house stays safe and warm.
I read you guys have it even worse down there than we did here in 2007. If so, then that's really, really bad.
It sounds like you have quite a crowd there, and I'll bet that, despite the noise, having people around in such a situation is as much a blessing as anything else.
We dodged the freezing rain bullet here. We got about 2" of snow and then it changed to rain, but it got into the 40s so the rain didn't freeze. What with all the snow and ice from previous storms still around, though, we have some bodacious puddles!
When I was in high school, we had an ice storm that was magnificent, though deadly. Seeing every single thing in the world with a coating of ice about an inch thick is magical, but almost impossible to negotiate, on foot, by car, or anything else. Then there was the massive ice storm a few years back that wiped out the forests of the North Country. And then this most recent one, more to the East of us. So, I know what it must be like for you right now.
Up here, we had about 7 inches of snowfall this morning, all of which I had to shovel (driveway, sidewalk) to get to work, because the PTB at work didn't see fit to close the building, despite the enormous hill everyone must negotiate to get there. They have supreme faith in our driving skills. Eight of us (out of 28 employees) got there. I just finished re-shoveling everything I cleaned off this morning.
Marie Pinschmidt
Some great memories of mine are from a big blizzard that shut down Cleveland for a week. We had a bunch of people staying because their power was out and they had no heat. We had a blast. Of course we were young and it was a big party.
We didn't get it quite so bad, here.
We don't have alternative heating or cooking and with my breathing issues we felt it was best to stay with our daughter who still has electricity and a gas stove!
I hope al goes well for you and yours!
May you have a safe trip and may Debbie and the others stay safe.