A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Power-Full Again

Hi everyone ~

Sorry I wasn't on yesterday, but my town and some of the surrounding areas lost power for about 24 hours from all the ice. It will be a few more days for some places to be restored, though. That stuff is beautiful to look at but hugely destructive!

Maxi's birds and I did just fine; not to worry.

My friend Angel came over early on Friday and shoveled the ice off my porch and stairs. The salt had loosened it up enough that she could move it well, so I had no problem at all going out for dialysis. Once I'm off the stairs I sit down in my chair and my driver takes his time getting me to the van safely.

The area where the dialysis unit is was one of the few areas that didn't lose power so you know all the fast foods places and stores were packed out with the inflow of residents from all over looking for hot to eat and drink and useful supplies.

I must say, though, I didn't like coming home to a cold dark house afterwards! So my driver had another run to the town with power before she was done for the day, so she took my ATM card and bought me dinner while she was down there in spite of the long lines and dropped it off to me on her way home.

Meantime, I lit 8 candles and put them in a group on the kitchen table. That gave me enough light to read by and also added some warm to the kitchen which made the birds happy. So, I was glad for my dinner, the hot coffee, and the opportunity to read and crochet before going to bed under an extra blanket.

Maxi will be home today and I am anxious to hear how they made out in the weather. It will feel good to have my kid home.

It is great to be full of power again!!


Merme

Hoo-ray! Who-hoo! We finally got my mailbox open after two days of not!

And there was a beautiful Chriatmas card from Ms. Bestofour. THAT was worth digging the box out from under all that ice! Thanks, Sheri!!

Merme

I'm sorry to hear that you had those problems Merme, it sounds as though you have a wonderful driver. Do you often get power cuts? We have often thought about getting a log burner, as we would have the same difficulties if we had a power cut as we are totally electric, but so far we haven't got round to it.

We don't lose power on a regular basis. We live right on the coast of Maine, in the Northeast of the US, so our winters can be rather harsh with significant snowfalls and frigid temperatures. It is the ice storms that cause the most trouble, though.

Few people here are entirely electric as the costs would be prohibitive!

I am hoping to at least have a fireplace after we move. That would be a big help!


Merme

welcome back from the ice merme. i'm glad you made it!

And I am glad to see you too. Our news was full of the ice storms and the power outages all over the northeast. I have been there in ice storms but never had power problems although all around me in Connecticut did.
And I am glad we heat with wood because we get outages very easily here.
Welcome home, Merme!

Well, I hate being in the cold and dark, but as a million homes were without power, and many still are, I'm grateful to be among those who have it back!

My EX's in-laws are in an area that is still down. They are planning to cook everything in the big freezer so it can be refrozen. Sadly, they lost their beautiful 12 year old White Birch tree. My EX (and therefore Maxi) never lost power but their phone (cable) and TV were out.

I've heard the chainsaws all day as the cleanup continues.



Merme

Yessss that was very very good of the driver to do that!!!

I hope you get a fireplace in your new place Merme,

I am so glad to hear that you and Maxi are OK,Merme. When I heard of the horrible storm and all of the outages,I immediately thought of ya'll and said a prayer for your safety

merme--I am so sorry to hear about your ice storm----but so glad to hear that you faired so well. And glad to have you back. That certainly was nice of your friend to shovel the ice for you a and of your driver to help you and make sure you had a hot meal. I am also glad you made it out and back safely.

Glad Maxi & family are o k as well.

yes i highly recommend a fireplace.--even if it is a gas one---when we moved we had hoped to find a home with a real fireplace--but settled on this home with a gas one.---but as it does not need elecrticity to run it serves us well- a few years ago we were without power for several days--and we just lived in the living room---we were very greatful to have it.

Speaking of ice storms, we are due to have one here tomorrow night--it is supposed to last 2 or 3 days----we have food in the ice box & pantry so we will be ok---I will leave the freezers closed---

I'm proud of my neighbors of Maine. So many people who do have power have allowed entire families to move in with them to be safe. This is hard on people in small apartments, but they are still willing to share. That is so cool!

Maxi had to redo the porch again today because the deck above creates a mess for us and I have to go out in the morning again. So he put out the ice melty stuff and a layer of kitty litter and hopefully it'll be safe enough.

So Carol Jean, your gas fireplace doesn't have an electric ignition?


Merme

I love the community stories when there is a disaster. Neighbors helping neighbors and total strangers. It makes you happy to be human.
And I am glad Maxi was able to prepare your porch for you too. Walk gently, Merme.

merme, the one my daughter had did have electric ignition but could be lit manually if the need arose.

That sounds truly useful in an emergency, Jiffy!


Merme

it is, merme, it is. and when i had an electric ignition gas stove, i made sure it also had manual over-ride. power outages are no fun.

No ma'am it does not--it is somehowe hooked up to a light switch--BUT requires no electricity to start it--We just light the pilot light in the fall and from then on just flip the switch--I am guessing the switch turns on & off the gas??

and since the living room is not all that big--we have no electric blower on the fireplace--as a result there is nothing that will not operate in case of power failure. We are ever so thankful.

Oh man I am so sorry I missed this!
Glad you are OK. I think the very worst thing is an ice storm. We had one in 2004 and lost Power for 5 days.
That year we bought a generator to run the entire house. We have a wood stove but Ugh.. I am not the little house on the prairie type. :ding: Thank goodness for electricity.

Speaking of ice storms---we had ours last night--but it was not near as severe as they predicted.---All the schools are closed but that may be more dur to temeratures than to ice.

We had no power here from just before midnight until 6:45 this morning.--
Thank goodness we were under the warm covers sleeping for most of that time.

Good morning Kim--Good morning Merme

I'm sorry you also got hit with ice last night, Carol.

We still have 57,000 homes without power. Better than a million though.



Merme

I don't know how many here--the only lighrts we could see this morning were in the hoizon from a town about 30 minutes away---But yes, 57,000 is far better than 1 million

Schools are having a 2 hour late start here today. Yesterday it rained and then it got really cold and was snowing last night. The winds were terrible. It was a white out. It is -8 here right now with a wind chill of -40. The high for today is -3 with wind chills ranging from -15 - 40 all day! I can take the snow but this cold gets to me. It gets into your bones and it seems that I can't warm up for anything when it is like this.

Jessica, I am so sorry to hear of your bad (extra cold) weather.--I wish the schools would just close when it is that cold.

Rod made it to work today--he was hoping to get to stay in where it is warm----

I am so happy the schools where both of my girls work have closed for the day--I now watch the school closings as if the girls were still in school themselves.

Yes, our news keeps on reminding us that so many others have it much worse. Hunker down and keep warm.

I wish they would close when it is this cold too. The kids shouldn't be out in it. I know that they stay in for recess when it is this cold but still. If a bus would stall or something it would get pretty darn cold. I had Tristen all bundled up this morning. He doesn't like to be like that in the car. I usually let him just carry his snow pants to school with him but not this morning. I made him wear them. I know it isn't the most comfortable to be in the car like that but it is too cold!! Oh....I took him to daycare and he will get on the bus from there. That is why we are already out this morning. I am at work.

Glad to hear that the ice storm missed you Carol. Stay warm today!

Yes Tina that is true---there is always someone who has it worse than us.---

I do try to keep that in mind if/when I begin to complain to myself about whatever is upsetting me at the moment----

Well, I was thinking specifically of weather right then. A little snow or rain and our roads just shut down. Because our drivers aren't equipped for it. You would laugh at it unless you were stuck out in it on the roads-turned-parking-lots.

No Tina, I would not laugh at it.--I have had a couple of weather related car accidents in my many years of driving. as a result I am very concious of bad roads and people's lack of desire to be on them.

so what will you and your homebound family do today, Tina???

It is just beginning to lighten up outside but still foggy gray and very wet. My family are still all bundled up under comforters in various rooms although my sick daughter is on my favorite napping couch or I would be there right now.

Same Here,,, except for the rain,
last night's weather created patches of Black ice, As I'm watching the news there are wrecks everywhere here in the metro-plex.
The HOV lanes are all closed so emergency vehicles will have a way in to assist with accidents, some over passes are closed, the ones that are open , accidents are continuing to happen.
I just watched a news crew filming an "after Accident" when a truck approached and slid right in to one of the cars that had already been in an accident,,
they say the main freeways are down to 5 miles an hour,,,,,,, and backed up 7 plus miles,,,,..
Welllllll I'll guess I'll head out soon like an hour early,,
Good thing is IF I get to work an hour early I can also go across the street to I HOP and Get some of their awesome Butter Pecan Pancakes

These drivers here just wouldn't know what to do, if we had cold. snowy weather like a lot of you do,, Everyone be careful today and stay warm

Jess I think it was smart of you to put Tristan in his gear on a very cold day like you are having. Of course it is hard to be that bundled up in a car, but better to be safe.

Yesterday my driver was involved in an early morning heart transplant and they had quite a time of it because the airport's runways were all iced and not open yet. Everything had to be coordinated exactly because the heart was coming from Central Maine via the turnpike to our area on the southeast coast to the airport to be flown to Boston. The transplant surgeons were in the OR on standby waiting to hear a runway had been cleared before they could harvest the heart, then the drivers made the hour long run down here with lights and sirens going.

We were all talking about the recipients of the heart and lungs getting a new start at this season and the sorrow of the family who lost someone at the same time.


Merme

well I had to turn around and come back home,, I was in my car for 2 hours and didn't even get 1/3 of the way to work,,,, rediculous!!!! Every alternative route I tried to take was backed up with yet another accident miles ahead blocking n/s bound lanes.. Not whining here , But I hate losing a 1/2 days pay due to people not being cautiously aware and thinking they are invincible
I'll head back out around noon,,, I hope All the accidents should be cleared By then,,

Yes, yesterday the people were stuck on the roads for about 5 hours before being able to move an inch. When that happens, you get people that run out of gas running their cars for the heaters. It is a huge mess. And although I don't live right in the mess, I do live right by the mess. And people clog up our roads looking for an alternative. Our road dead ends to a narrow dirt road and that passes through streambeds and things. Not a road to travel in any real weather at all.
I stayed home and left the roads to those who really needed them.