Ice Storm 2004

I must admit it feels like Christmas around here. I used to feel a sense of apprehension and dread with the approaching Christmas season because of the increased workload while working for the postal service. Now, especially with the break in between semesters, Christmas is much more relaxed instead of so hectic.

We're in the middle of a cold snap following some very nasty weather. It started out with a lot of rain yesterday during the day. Sometime after 7 p.m., however, it turned to sleet, and we soon found ourselves in the middle of an ice storm.

When we came home from Bowling Green last night, we made a courtesy run to Wal-Mart to get some batteries for Dad's flashlights in preparation for the storm...just in case we should be without electricity. Sharon asked Dad if he had a generator on standby for our sump pump in case we lost power. "Two of them," he said. This, it turns out, provided us with a false sense of security.

We headed for Wal-Mart. At that point, the roads were beginning to get pretty nasty. We found the 6V batteries back in the camping section, and as we stood there looking at our options, a man edged his way behind us. He told us he was looking for something to cook with. He was from Portland, and they had just lost their power. Oh, that might be something to consider...what to do with no electricity?! We should've taken our cue from the Portland man, gotten our Selves home, and actively prepared for the possibility of losing power.

But no, like dunces, Sharon and I took our time about everything. We ambled about putting groceries and the like away. I wanted to get a load of dishes through the dishwasher just in case we lost power, but I saw no need to hurry. I was about to start the wash cycle when just like that...we lost our electricity. And our basement is pretty dark, to be sure! It's embarrassing to admit how totally floundering and unprepared we were even though this storm has been the talk of the town for almost a week now. Thankfully, my computer was on a battery backup, or I would never have found my candles. With the aid of the light from my computer screen, I found some candles and got them lit. Then... what to do? It was 11:30 p.m. Sharon called Dad who was already sleeping.

No electricity for us is a critical thing. Our basement is kept dry with the aid of two sump pumps. If the one outside quits for some reason, the one inside kicks on. But with no electricity and with the amount of precipation that was falling, it was imperative that we get a generator. Dad, it turns out, woke up disoriented and in a daze. Once he understood The Situation, he tried to come up with the clothes necessary for such an endeavor. He absolutely could not think what he had done with his shoes. He had fallen asleep on the couch because he had a feeling something like this would happen. That, however, did nothing to help him get his bearings, and he just could not think what he had done with his shoes! Mom & Dad were also without electricity at their house, so there was a bit of floundering about until the shoes were finally located.

When he stepped outside, he knew he would need his hooded coat which was in his truck. He went to the truck, but alas, the truck was iced shut. He had to go back inside and fish around in the old coats until he found something that would work. He went back outside, climbed on the backhoe, and promptly sat in a seat filled with icy rain water. Not a good way to get started! He tried to start the backhoe, but the the key hole was iced over, and he couldn't start it. So he went to the tool truck to get a hammer to start chipping away the ice. It too was iced over. Ok, on to the barn then; he would at least get the generators going. Alas, the barn doors were iced shut. It seemed everything he attempted was iced over and/or impossible to get to. The frustration was beginning to mount.

In the meantime, Sharon and I were geared up with our winter garb. I know I have a pair of winter boots somewhere in this house, but they were nowhere to be found when needed. They're probably upstairs in the attic [go figure]. I ended up getting my pair of workboots out. Have you ever tried to lace up a pair of workboots with only the aid of a feeble candle? Sheesh. Sharon and I went out to check the water level. It was at 8 feet. Yikes! At 7 feet, we're in water. I had brought our puppy over earlier, and I think he could sense our agitation as we stood there chewing our fingernails, wishing Dad would hurry. Bailing water out is not my idea of a very Merry Christmas.

About that time, Stacy, the lady who lives upstairs, came out to the garage to offer her support. We explained the situation to her, and we waited there in the garage together, wishing--praying--that Dad would hurry.

Sharon called Dad to see what was up. He told her he couldn't get anything going--everything was iced over, etc. She asked him if she should call Martin to go help him, and he said yes! He was in a bit of a panic himself at that point and decided that this was certainly not a laughing matter and that we could officially declare it a state of emergency.

So Sharon calld Martin and woke him up. He had had electricity when he went to bed, so he was also ill-prepared for the current state he found himself in. He had to go out to the kitchen and get a lighter in order to find his candles. He finally managed to find clothes; he also had to get something in his truck--can't remember what--and couldn't because of the ice.

We checked the water level again. Seven feet, ten inches. Oh, the agony of waiting. Stacy, Sharon, and I briefly considered bailing water out with some type of pail, but decided to hold off a bit yet.

I decided to take the puppy back over to Mom's, as he was getting very restless, and our nerves were too frazzled to provide him with any comfort. Our electric garage doors would have to be opened manually if I took the car, so I decided to just tromp over through the ice instead. I bundled up and started the trek over to Mom's house. I had to jump over a ditch filled with water and ended up getting my feet wet. The trees were all iced over, and the branches were beginning to break and fall. I skirted the outside of them, not wishing to add getting knocked out by a falling branch to my list of Troubles. I got to the porch and looked in the window. Jolene was wrapped up in a big furry blanket in the recliner beside a lonely little candle. I knocked on the window and told her to unlock the door. After she determined I was a Friendly Person, she came to the door and took the puppy.

As I turned around and headed down the steps to go back to the Emergency Area, I stepped on the end of Jacob's wheelchair ramp. It is aluminum at the very end, and you can well imagine what happens when there is slush on top of it and someone steps on it. There was no argument as I went down... hard; I found myself in a very uncomfortable position and wishing it could've been otherwise. Jolene, of course, had a merry time with it and didn't mind letting me know she had enjoyed the whole thing.

I hauled myself up and started the trek back. As I dodged the puddles, I found myself out beside the road where the telephone company had dug up half our yard. As I began to sink in the mud, I determined I needed to change my course quickly. I grabbed on to a nearby bush and realized I needed to let it go or the whole thing would start breaking into tiny pieces.

I jumped over the ditch again and finally made it back. We checked the water level again. Seven feet, nine inches. It seemed to be slowing down a little, but the fact remained that we must get that sump pump working soon! We kept a watch on Dad and Martin over at the barn; we could hear the backhoe (?) running, and we could see lights, so WHY didn't they come?? We located some of Stacy's indoor/outdoor extension cords and had them ready to go.

Finally, finally, the beauty of headlights hit the drive, and Martin's explorer rolled in, pulling behind it his very large generator. We QUICKLY hooked our extension cords up and got that pump plugged in. We exchanged horror stories while we waited for it to do its thing. We also ran an extension cord down to the pump inside, and it kicked in and began to help. It was completely immersed in water by this time, so it sounded a little odd. We decided that next time, we would be much better prepared for this type of thing. It is not necessary to be floundering around like fish--some of us quite literally--in times of extreme duress.

When we had it working to our satisfaction, Martin and Dad went home, and the three of us retired to our respective bedrooms. It was 1:30 a.m. by the time we had the generator hooked up and was well on its way to 2:00 by the time we were satisfied with our setup. The generator ran all of forty-five minutes when suddenly, ta da! Electricity! Beautiful, but a little behind, I'd say. Martin came back over then and Sharon had the pleasure of getting a quick lesson on how to run the generator. How wonderful lights and heat are! We just aren't cut out for this Amish thing of no electricity.

I had fully intended to go to work this morning, but I turned into a wimp and instead called Dr. G to tell him I wouldn't be coming in. We ended up just closing the office down. How nice this day was, but it was almost hard to enjoy it fully because of all the work I knew I could and should be doing. We're closed tomorrow also, so I won't be going back to work until Monday morning.

Alvin and Doretta are flying in tomorrow morning, and Sara is driving up from Chattanooga on Saturday morning.

This is all to say that, indeed, All Is Well (now)!