Take Care THURSDAY PWYC

[LadyMaverick]

Those sound like great books to read!

When we lost electricity & the internet, we didn't have extra books downloaded on the Kindle to read. I switched to using the Kindle app on my phone because I could download books using a cell connection. The first thing DH did when power & ISP was restored was to download several more books onto his Kindle so he would have plenty to read. DH reads more books than I do. He averages 2-3 books a week. He is currently reading through books by Stephen Coonts. He is on the Jake Grafton & Tommy Carmellini series now.

DH and I are in the thinking phase of adding another utility to our home. During this extreme weather, we have learned (the hard way) that electricity and natural gas are not a sure thing. We thought by having a whole house generator we were covered, but for the first time every the natural gas couldn't keep up with demand. Our generator didn't fail us but it was a very close call. If we added a big propane tank and switched the generator to propane that would give us another option. It would also mean we could purchase gas when the price was lowest (during the summer). hum....

I'm seeing reports from locals who have apps that track their daily utility usage. Many are claiming the utility cost has gone up 10 times. They are showing their screen as proof that it was about $6 a day before the storm and now is $50+ a day. I have never tracked our daily utility usage & cost in live mode so I don't have anything to look at. I guess I'd better prepare myself for a shock when the next utility bills arrive.

Alarm just went off for the end of lunch. Back to school mode.

[Ramblinrose]

Taking break ...

So far I’ve completed two loads of laundry
Made cranberry nut bread for Sweetie
Made soup which is still on the stove
Banged and remade the bed
Watered my plants inside and out
Unloaded the dishwasher
Cleaned the kitchen
Hand washed the dishes from this morning

Little off of what I wanted to has been done but it’s still early

Just got an alert that the state of Az is asking everyone to cut back on natural gas as the State buys much of it from TX. The governor of TX has called a state of emergency and stopped all sales of natural gas to other states including NM. AZ, and CA

We only use natural gas for hot water and heating our home. However we never sleep with the heat on even if it’s in the low forty’s area night, but Sweetie will need to cut back on his showers because we have a tankless water heater and he loves to take long showers

Off to do my vacuuming ... my dusting my wait till later because I want to work in my office. Such excitement in this world. My son north of Dallas has had his electricity on since 3am this morning

[CathyS]

I hope Ted Cruz isn't the governor of Texas. He's in it up to his neck because he took a flight to Mexico. It's all over FBook.

[Sunny]

Hello everyone!

We had the predicted snow overnight, just a few inches, and then we had sleet most of the morning. So I guess there is a crust of ice on top. I have heard the snow plows on our street at least four times today. So far we have not lost power, though there are some places in our state that have. The temperature here is 30*. DFamily here likes it cool and thermostat is set at 66* here winter and summer! Most of the time I wear sweat pants, a long sleeve shirt or a sweater and a sweat shirt jacket. I just talked to my dson#2 and he said it was in the 80s there in FL!

I'm finally spending some time here in my room where my computer is. Some days I don't even turn it on. I had a few things to do today. I changed the bedding, watered my plants, paid a couple of bills, put some clean laundry away. I also wrote a note and gathered a few things together for a small package to send when I'm sure the roads are clear.

I have also spent some time reading here, so hopefully I'm cuop again. I was sorry to read that Blessed had to have surgery for a broken ankle. Hope you recover quickly! Happy Birthday to Elizabeth's DD19. Lady M, I'm glad your water pipes didn't break. I did see on tv where some people weren't as fortunate and had flooding in their homes.

It's just about 5 pm here. I think I'll go downstairs and see what's for supper; I never know whether someone will be cooking, or if it will be leftovers. I don't do much cooking anymore; sometimes I just help by cutting some veggies or getting the plates and silverware out.

[lucylee]

Dgrands have been out in the snow -- dgd & I built a reasonably adequate snowman this morning. Together, dgs & dgd have knocked him over and dismantled him now. Snow is pretty icy, but it rolled together very well to make the snowman. Three distinct balls and he was about as tall as dgd.
I have their wet clothes in the dryer now -- dgs is wearing pj pants. I would have just washed all their clothes but I am HOPING that ds will call soon and come take them home for at least a little while. They had me up at 7:30 a.m. and all told, I got about 5 hours sleep.
DDIL and DS have to work tomorrow, and I can't believe there will be school, so I imagine tomorrow will be a repeat of today.

We went to Wmart so I could get someone in the electronics dept to get my phone out of the Otterbox case.
AT&T was closed and I could do NOTHING with my phone. Apparently it had some moisture under the screen protector and it was just completely frozen up -- couldn't make a call, couldn't do anything. Although it did send a nonsensical message to dbil's gf. (I had been texting her before we went outside.) The Otterbox fits so tight, I couldn't budge it!

Then we got dmom, took her to get the shot, took her back home, and took the dgrands to 2 different places for lunch.

I have not even s2s yet!!!
I may not even bother till bedtime now.

It's 34 here, says "feels like 26" -- but it feels much better than it did last night!!!
I felt so bad because my FB was full of people out having fun in the snow with their children, and dgd had already fallen asleep. I told dgs I felt bad, not "making" him go out and play in the snow and he said,
"At this hour??? It's freezing out there!!! I'd rather not!"
A little later, he said, "Thank you for not making me go out and play in the snow."
I was LOL!!!
But this morning, dgd was very excited to go out, and when she tried to wake him up, he sat up and looked at her, and then curled up under the covers again. He does not remember this at all, and was a little disappointed we built a snowman without him.
Anyway, he's had enough now, and it's just a gray, slushy mess anywhere anyone has stepped or driven.

We keep our house at 74 in winter and 72 in summer, I think. I can't imagine living in your area, Cathy, and not using heat at night! I know it's supposed to be healthier to sleep in a cooler room -- and a lot of times I am too hot at night -- but brrrr... I want some heat! And dh often complains about being cold, even at 74 degrees!

Hmmmm... they are talking about Ted Cruz on tv right now... I missed most of it though. (He is not their governor, Cathy.)

I wish we had some back up heat source here. We have NOTHING if the electricity is out.

[Nancy]

I have shoveled a trail for the dog to use, got my exercise. Also shoveled the stuff snow plow left in the front.
Deboned the wings
Checked gutter spouts to make sure they were clear one needed help it ou s good now.

Ted Cruise is sen. It said on y tube.

Time to add veg. To the crockpot. X
Had dinner made sniw flake shaped biscuits & dumplins, decluttered the soup can I normaly use. Could noit locate the
snowman shape cutter either. Soup was good. The dumplins t so much. The dog is delighted! I containerized it and that
is cooling on the deck now. I think there is enough to get me through thiis next snow that just started. Did up the dishes & working
on ckean up after today's cooking adventures.

[LadyMaverick]

School is finally finished at 5:30pm. DD9 was able to catch up on the assignments she didn't finish yesterday. I am hoping for a shorter school day tomorrow.

DS12 is playing in the snow with neighborhood friends.

I am so ready to get out of the house and go somewhere. I haven't left our home for 6 days. Even a walk around the block is sounding good to me. Well, not really because there is too much snow to walk in. A trip to the grocery store is looking mighty exciting right now. I am definitely planning to at least leave our driveway tomorrow!

I'm glad your water pipes didn't break. I did see on tv where some people weren't as fortunate and had flooding in their homes.

We don't have it as bad as some places, but there are MANY people I know here without water because it is frozen. These are smart & resourceful people who take care of their things and it still happened. The majority of them don't complain but it is frustrating as the days click by without relief.

[Ramblinrose]

Well my afternoon took a turn...

I was vacuuming when Sweetie came in to tell me how his weed killing went with his new sprayer. I asked if he got it near one of my old beds and he said he wasn’t sure and asked why. I said did you see those two small flowering plant near there and he said no worry he had pulled them up and tossed them over our wall to the common area.

I yelled and said I was planning to transplant them tomorrow. He quickly retrieved them but that meant I had to stop what I was doing and take time to replant them!

I did get my desk work done and am working on a new design for my garden. It requires brain work and my brain really wasn’t in the mood to help.

[Harmony]

I don't know why people are experiencing floods inside their houses, either filling up at the bottom or pouring down from upper plumbing. I asked DH why people aren't shutting their water supply off so that their house doesn't keep flooding or dripping. I know how to shut off the water into the house right at the outside wall. I didn't know how to go out to the street and shut it off there. DH explained the process and what tool to use. So now I know... in case we get freezes and snows...

I had more paperwork to straighten out and I paid a couple bills. It seems never ending here.

Cleaned out some food in the refrigerator and we ate some of the older stuff. I made some chicken broth too.

Is it Elizabeth's DD's BDay? Happy Birthday!

Got a phone message from the county that they had our registration and would call us weekly to update us when there were reservations to make.

[Elizabeth]

Hi everyone. Today has NOT been my best day! The request from the biggest boss led me to realize there were some problems with the source database in combining some data. And guess who wrote the routine that combined them - yep, me. I have determined the cause (down to the line number in the script), what is effected and what is needed to correct it. I will still have to verify against some other data. I will have to fix all past data and fix the month end scripts That means I did not get a chance to work on the stuff due Tuesday. I am hoping to get that done while the back fix runs. I also found another problem, but since it affects exactly 20 records out of about 20 million, it is a much lower priority. I have documented it though.

In better news, I got the new job and should get paperwork shortly.

At 930 tonight, I sent a status report to the big boss. I did my AP Challenge (animal org minutes) and posted that. I may do some thank you notes for Day 3. I will be working this weekend, I have already cleared it with my immediate boss. In answer to LadyMaverick's question, no I cannot turn my brain off. I am going to have a glass of wine with Hogan and work on computer jigsaw puzzles for an hour.

I still have not heard from my 85 yo traveling companion friend who was (is?) in the hospital. Given her extensive circle of friends, family, and students, it may be that my text has been buried under 1000 other texts asking how she is. Will send another message tomorrow.

CathyS: Why do you not burn pine? I need to know because I have a dead pine tree and a fireplace. I haven't burnt any yet.