2022: BLIZZARD JANUARY 29TH

 So not like we didn't get plenty of warning and facebook posts from all the weathermen predicting the end of the world. The day before my brother was getting things ready for it and had jacked up the heat below so at least my floors would be warm! He left saying all was secure. Later that day I looked out the door and saw the door to the trailer flapping in the wind. Went below to try to secure it. Was able to lock it but I am not strong enough to lock the vertical bar in place, At least nothing would be stolen. So messaged him on facebook and he showed up and fixed that.

Day one of the blizzard

Got up the usual time 3:55am and quickly got water boiling knowing what could happen in an instant. Did my usual routine of exercises and knit & walk. Ate my cereal and preheated my bagel . Went to pour my coffee at 7am and boom out went the power. I refused to look outside- what good would that do me?

So the water was hot enough for cup # one of coffee but the second one was awful and the bagel was chewy- I like them thin & crisp so...

I knew it would get cold in here - been there done that. I know to keep moving and have layers on , flush the toilet often, and keep water flowing. Stay hydrated.So I filled sinks with hot soapy water- when it cooled I let it out and started over. Kept the room a bit less frigid and hope saves the pipes.

I decided to keep myself busy. First item on a mental list was to take inventory of my circular knitting needles. Make notes on size and length.

First list was legible  but transferring the information in order was a mess. so I may straighten that out and I may not.

Next project I had to get out the ironing board. Sew together neck warmers that had shrunken too much to wear. Need this for under me in the truck or wherever. Took about an hour then I gave up- too much on my neck and eyes.

oh before I get ahead of myself- I called Roger he has a landline number so not a pay call for me. It was 7:30am and I figured I would get my calls in before landline went down. He had power but found out later he lost his power at 9:30am when I called him around noon. he had his generator going but had to keep shoveling it out. He got his power back the next day I think- hard to communicate! But they had television and internet.

Had to get a throw rug to put on the floor- it was cold standing still! Then decided to get on my snow pants- I broke a sweat doing that!

took a nap somewhere here. sleeping bags are perfect for this. but cold face.

snack- 2 Wasa light & crisp with catsup and mustard on them.

12:45pm I can hear the plow below. Must be for the health club. haha.

Dared to open the kitchen door. A bird was feeding at the feeder! Noticed part of the fence is down.

 

Knit on leg warmers from 1pm to 1:30pm. light dim eye strain fun.

Turned on computer intending to delete a lot of duplicates. It was running on 11% so played a couple of games of Solitaire and Spider Solitaire then shut it down.

 

Thinking of food I have to throw away :(

Nap 2:30pm to 3:30pm

Exercycle in work boots for 10 minutes. new clanging sound like metal drums. Still cannot figure out where that is coming from.

3:50pm paced for 25 minutes then started thinking about supper. mini cucumber with Dash olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Pumpernickel bread to dip in what remained. yum. seriously. check freezer thermometer for room temperature it was 36 in here by the kitchen door. oh and lit another candle- a hand made soy one this time. Placed it in a saucepan for safety.

Then decided to look outside again.

 

 Day 2 -January 30 above and on down

Thermostat for living area doesn't even register it is so cold. 

Brother shows up around 10 am and is out there with his snow blower shovel. slowly walking it. Ate half an orange and Jer hooked up the generator and I made tea, charged Kindles, turned on heater I think that got that area up to 44 degrees.Went out and took some pix. opened curtains to sun room and that was toasty!

 

more pix outside before noon

 

 

 
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okay this is getting tedious!

 

3rd panic attack intense! I may have lost count. But sitting in the sun room with the sun on my face felt so good. The expression in the selfie may not look that way but that is my happy face when it is 44 degrees in here and waiting for power.

2:34 power came back on just as I was preparing a broccoli carrot and onion soup! Tried to get the flashing "7:00" clock to show.oh well.

paced from 4:42 to 5:10pmmore pacing 5:30-5:45

noticed what looked like power surges before the power came back. My lamp shades would "glow". Thought it was the flickering reflection from the two candles I was burning but nope it happened again right before the power returned and candles were out.

The Kindles took forever to charge.

Police officer Cathy showed up Sunday afternoon around 1:43pm saying someone called that was my daughter and said she could not contact me since before the storm. Told her I have no daughter and the two people who would call were Jerry my brother and my uncle Roger locally. Dara and Paula out of state. Finally called the police today and the dispatcher said it was a Roger Chrystie. LOL

Other things I accomplished- I can barely read my notes! LOL. I updated my list of short stories I have read in that endless "Bundle" on my Kindle Fire.

Tim Kent's man Tim Reese showed up at 4:00 and left at 4:35. Jer saw him and directed him to his driveway before it deep freezes for Monday ( which it did)

I went below when power came back and turned the generator off. and sling the power  cord over the railing. When Jer showed up with plow I handed it down to him. He put generator away so it would not be stolen overnight.

He had to fill it once more by the way. Had trouble finding gas stations with power to get more gasoline on hand. ended up in Harwich center.

Day 3 January 31

Cleared out refrigerator of things that were soft in the freezer and iffy in the lower part. About 20 dollars in frozen things. 2 pea soups, acorn squashes and sweet potatoes. Threw away all my spices in the refrigerator and they made everything in there smell alike.

The refrigerator after. I have determined that I should buy frozen as little as possible and just eat fresh fruits and vegetables. They keep better. I will have to buy yogurt and shelled edamame. And of course my soy milk- wish that was sold in small, maybe two serving containers. I only used 4 ounces on my cereal. A quart lasts me over a week.

oh well.

 I managed to fill the bird feeder at an angle . stepping back I noticed lots of bird tracks but also some unfamiliar track. It. looks like one paw  with 7 claws!

nice reflections and the icicles and the hacienda. also looks like storm damage to the firefighter's association building corner

The purple pom pom- the only colorful creative thing I started and finished during all of this.

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February 1- forgot to add- when my brother was up on the deck to hand me the extension cord from the generator.As he turned to go down the stairs the cord was wrapped around his ankle! I yelled STOP- cord around ankle!

ugh

have to watch out for each other.

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note: forgot to add that when my brother was here for the generator he told me if I wanted to I could go to a motel for the duration and he would pay. I thanked him but stayed put.

video I just found today April 19 2022

January 29th storm

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 May 10

finished the shawl that I started that day. so it took me almost 4 months to complete

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