Monday, March 2, 2009

Snow, snow, snow, and more snow .........


It started snowing yesterday afternoon. My hubbie works for the electric coop., so anytime there's bad weather, I'm left to manage on my own. He went out to work at 3 PM. At 10:30 PM my electricity went out. I curled up under a blanket, but I was concerned about my Dad. He is 95 and lives at home with 24 hour nursing care. He normally heats with electricity. I had bought a kersosene heater with kersosene for him to use if the electricity went out. The aide who was staying with him did not know how to fill and light the heater, and she said the lantern didn't work. When hubbie got home after midnight, we went to my Dad's - took him a lantern and candles and got the kerosene heater going. When we got home, we went to bed since hubbie was due back at work at 5 AM.
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When I got up this morning it was getting rather cold in the house. My house is heated with an electric heat pump, so when the electricity is out - I have no heat, no lights, and no water. I got bundled up and went out in the garages looking for our kerosene heater. I found the heater and a container of kerosene, but could not find a siphon to get the kerosene into the heater. I looked everywhere, but couldn't find anything that would work.
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Meanwhile, the aide staying wih my Dad called and said her husband was there for her, and she needed to leave. Dad cannot be left alone, so I had to get to his house. I got my car cleaned off and headed out. Of course, the roads had not been plowed and the bottom of my car was pushing snow. Then, there were limbs broken off trees all over the road. 4 wheel drive trucks were in the ditches, and here I was creeping along in my Nissan Maxima. I made it to his house, but almost got stuck in the driveway. During this time, they had found another aide who would come if someone could pick her up. We got her to my Dad's to stay with him. I got his siphon and made it back home.
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I got my kerosene heater filled and lit. In no time the house was warming up. Maggie May, Mazie Grace, and I bundled up on the sofa. I even had enough water in the teapot to heat on the kerosene heater and make a cup of coffee. Things were looking up. If only I had more water and was able to flush the toilets, things would be great. Finally around 6:30 tonight my lights came back on.
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I went to check on my Dad again around 7 PM. He still didn't have electricity. It's now 9:30 PM - I just talked to the aide and they still have no lights, but everything is OK. I just hope he gets his electricity back on tonight. I worry about my Dad. I would have brought him here, but he is unable to walk and there is no way I could get him out of his house, in the car, and into my house - especially with the snow.
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These pictures were taken this morning. We got several more inches of snow after I took them. This is the most snow we've had in years. I was unprepared for this, but I have learned my lesson.

3 comments:

Patty said...

Oh my goodness what a mess. I am glad at lest that your dad is ok. I hope he gets the electric on soon. It is horrible how we take lights and water for granted, but I know I really would miss mine if I didn't have them. How in the world did our ancestors do it.
We got snow too. Almost four inches. You know when Hampton Roads gets snow, it is a national disaster ha ha. I did manage to make it to work and back and the roads seem ok, but now it is trying to melt and will freeze..siip and slide...sip and slide I dread the morning..
Take care and stay warm

Nonie said...

I can't believe all that you had to endure and you didn't even sound rattled. Hats off to you.... and it would be nice to have you around whenever one is experiencing any type of emergency. Cool, calm and collected. Thank goodness your dad is also doing just fine.

Sweet Virginia Breeze said...

Patty, hope you enjoy your snow. Just be careful on the roads - some Virginians think you are suppose to drive 60 MPH or more on ice and snow.

Nonie,I usually stay pretty calm and just deal with things. I do tend to worry about my Dad though.