The Perfect Storm

Okay, it wasn't perfect, but it sure was a storm!

We knew Hurricane Irma was on it's way. That's all the whole media world was talking about. Sorta refreshing, in a way. A break from throwing stones at each other, like when we had the eclipse.

Anyway, We did everything we could to prepare: made sure the generator was up and ready, food in the pantry, laundry all done, and cars parked low in or at the garage.

Sure enough, Monday at 2:20 p.m. our electricity went off. We waited a few, but upon looking up in the sky at the top of the trees, which were being thrashed about furiously, we decided that would be a no go and Husband started the generator.

Now, way back in 1993, when the blizzard hit, our house was totally electric. BIG mistake. See, I was a town child and town doesn't lose electricity like country. And our house really was in the country then. We were at the end of the power line, and only one other house here. So when the blizzard hit, by 5:00 a.m. our house was at 55 degrees and dropping. If not for our neighbors who "just happened" (thank you, Lord) to be up from Florida and got caught, I don't know what we would have done. They had a wood heating furnace in their basement, and once we could manage to get there (a two minute walk that took us twenty) we could be somewhere that was warm.

This taught us a lesson, hence the generator. It runs our fridge and water pump, plus a couple of other outlets in the kitchen so we can use the microwave and coffee maker. It also gives us overhead light in the kitchen.

In 1995, when Hurricane Opal hit, we were without electricity 8 days. I still had an electric hot water heater and cook stove, so we had to heat water and grill outside. 

I got even smarter, and we bought a gas hot water heater and a gas cook stove. 

We also have a gas log fireplace in the sun room and a "real" fireplace in our living room, so if something hits in winter again, we can stay home.

That means a lot. You can hunker down and make do when you can stay home.

So, if you are a praying person, stop right now, for just a minute, and pray for all those who no longer have a home to make do. They have lost everything. 

And if you've never been there, you have no idea how hopeless and helpless that feels.

So, please.  Say a prayer.

Let it You Know What, Let it You Know What, Let it You Know What...

The phone rang a little while ago. It was my Bestie (you know who you are). Me: "Hello?"
Bestie: "From your blog to God's Ear?"

Referring to the last couple of blogs where I kinda hinted I'd like to see a couple of inches of snow. Okay, Okay, I begged for it. Pouted when I didn't get it.

So, like, today, we got some snow. Not two inches, maybe an inch. It was beautiful falling after the hard, icy stuff finished. Then we got the fat, fluffy soft stuff that is so beautiful falling, it looks like magic from the sky.

A few more lazy flakes have fallen this afternoon, even as I type.

What I did not ask for was three degree temperature tonight. I cringe to think about it.

I live in the south. I have been in a blizzard. I live in the North Georgia mountains. I have been in a hurricane.

This all goes to show you cannot trust Mother Nature, much less some half cocked ground hog.

I don't even trust the half cocked meteorologists.

Stick your arm, and if necessary, your head out the window.

What you find there is all you need to know.

So, do I still want more snow? Looks around furtively.

Well, maybe just a few more inches.