Topic: Life
Many of you may know if you've seen the national news that the midwest has been invaded by dangerous ice and snow, the likes I haven't seen since I was a small child.
The power here went out early Wednesday morning (about 2 am) and just got restored in my home at around midnight yesterday... though I wasn't here to celebrate the event, since I was holed up at the home of my vacationing parents (who, before they left, had shut off their water in order to save on bills while they were away).
It was the WORST birthday ever in my 41 years.
Ken, myself and Tommy managed to slowly make our way completely across town (West to East). Our first stop was my Aunt's apartment to get the key to my parent's house. Only when we arrived we learned the rather unfortunate news that the key was locked in her car which was completely coated with about an inch and a half sheet of ice and six inches of snow. So, while the manly men went to the task of chiseling their way to get into the code locked door, I grabbed a desperately needed shower (my son managed to get the last one at my house with the last of the hot water).
Now, my mother and her sister are very close. When I had complained to my mother on the phone about how these things always happen when you are the least prepared for them and how difficult things were going to be since I was broke until Friday, I should have predicted she would inform my Aunt of this... but the day had been so troublesome, that I just wasn't thinking clearly. So, after I stepped out of the shower, my Aunt was, of course, there with $100 and insisting that I accept the money. I relented reluctantly and accepted only $60 since I knew that there was no food accept for some dry and canned goods at their house. It would have been only $50 had the sum not been in only $20 increments.
After Ken and Tommy managed to retrieve the well preserved key, we made our way to Ken's parent's house (which is still without power as I write this). His dad, who is a Polio survivor, was home by himself at the time and with his circulation in his legs being so bad we were both worried about how he was enduring the cold. He's a very tough and independent man, but over the years it's gotten increasingly difficult for him to get around and a lot of the things he uses to make that endeavor easier either run on electricity or require a rechargeable battery which meant that he would be entirely dependent on his crutches to get around.
Ken retrieved his "Mr. Heater" from the garage which is kerosene powered so that they could periodically run it in the house to keep at least some heat circulating inside. I was still worried for his parents though, I will admit that I don't at all like kerosene heaters. You have to be very vigilant when running them indoors as they can cause Carbon Monoxide poisoning or if tipped over can start a fire. I told him that he and his wife were welcome to come with us and stay the night at my parent's house, but he wanted to be in his own home in his own bed and I can hardly blame him.
Ken's mother brought us dinner from Wendy's, and even though the hamburgers and french fries were stone cold by the time she got them home, the chili was still hot and after the day we had all had it seemed like the best meal ever.
At around 7 pm we left there and finally made our way into the next county to my parent's house. Now, no running water means no running toilets, but we seemed to have a plan to deal with that. We had a milk jug filled with water and a large sealed pitcher of water (so, roughly about 2 gallons) and my parents had left a large tub filled about one thirds full of water so that my Aunt could water the plants while they were away. So, we saved one gallon of purified water for cooking (or more importantly to make coffee with), and the other gallon and the remainder of the water in the tub we used to fill up the back of the toilet so that it could be flushed periodically and could still be used. We then filled the tub with snow and microwaved the snow packed pitcher when needed to keep the toilet filled. A fun birthday, right?
Well, anyway, Ken and Tommy decided to run to the convenience store down the road and get a couple of liters of soda for themselves since there wasn't much to drink at the house and I declined to come along as by this time I was completely and utterly exhausted. I got into my pajamas, stretched out on the couch, turned on the TV and was out like a light. I awoke about an hour later to Ken and Tommy singing "Happy Birthday To You" and handing me a clear container with a round red velvet cake with cream cheese icing (I know, but it's a southern thing and my favorite).
We all had cake, talked about the day while watching "Parking Wars" on TV and then went to bed. Which turned out to be another adventure, for me anyway. I don't know how many people reading this have ever slept in their parents beds as adults, but for me it just seemed... well, creepy. It didn't help matters that there was a professional photograph of them on the dresser looking on as we both drew down the covers and climbed into bed (nor earlier as I got dressed into my pajamas).
I slept miserably, tossing and turning most of the night as I tried to get comfortable on their double pillowed topped mattress. It's just too squishy for me. At around 4:45 am, I finally gave up and got up, made some coffee and enjoyed a breakfast of half a stack of Fat Free Ritz Crackers. Nummy...
At around 5 am I turned on the local news and learned that over 56,000 people in my city were still without power (down from 64,000), every motel and hotel were completely booked and shelters were overflowing. In Henderson Kentucky, the city that neighbors us to the south, 75% of the city was without power. Trees, laden with ice swollen branches were sagging and breaking all over the city snapping power lines or pressing down on them and stretching them nearly beyond capacity causing risk of electrocution since they are such wonderful conductors which makes many roads around here dangerous to navigate. Our city, and most of Kentucky are under a State of Emergency. Vectren, our local power company is saying that in some areas, and in cases of individual power outtages, it could be weeks before they can restore power. Which has me very worried about our independent living elderly.
I found out at around 8 am that power had been restored at my house, which I had mixed feelings about. On the one hand I was happy that I could return home and to the comforts I was accostumed to, but on another hand felt guilty about so many other people were still out there struggling to survive without power. I got the men up, and after getting themselves ready they set to the task of clearing the walkway and the driveway of my parent's house (we felt it was the least we could do since they had provided shelter for us for the night). It took about three hours due to the three inches of firmly packed ice underneath the snow. longer than we anticipated or could really afford since we still had to dig out his parent's van because they needed to drive to Indianapolis so that his mom could have surgury the next day. She had recently had a cornea transplant and her body has been rejecting it. So after we grabbed lunch at Burger King on the way, we finally made it to their house and at around 2 pm we managed to finally get both vans ice free and moving.
By the time we finally made it back to our house, I was wiped out. The tasks of clearing out snow and ice and dodging downed ice coated trees and branches arched over the roads had just competely taken it out of me. I took a nap for a couple of hours and at around 8pm, Ken woke me up determined to feed me. Neither one of us felt like doing much of anything so he had made a trip to our favorite Chinese resteraunt and brought home sesame chicken and soon after my belly was full, I fell right back asleep... which was not a good thing, because here I am awake since nearly 2 am and it's close to 5 am now. But then, I'm used to nearly constantly having my days and nights messed up.
I guess that's all for now. I'm not sure how long its going to be before everything is going to be 100% here locally. There are no heaters or generators to be bought anywhere in the city. There are thousands still without power, many stranded away from home having to share food and shelter with strangers in silmilar plights. My only hope at this point is that we have no casualties due to the ice or the lack of electricity in the surrounding areas.
Posted by spiritiger
at 5:28 AM
Updated: Tuesday, 27 October 2009 4:30 PM
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Updated: Tuesday, 27 October 2009 4:30 PM
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