Giving ice after an icestorm? - whooda tho't...? :)

The recent ice storm & back to back heavy snowstorms has left us w/ intermittent electricity & phone - & I believe this is day 12 or 13 w/o power for some!!

One may think that giving bags of ice after a terrible ice storm would just add insult to injury...but that's what we did (well - sort of :) yesterday! The girls donned Santa & elf hats to deliver truffles to men working long & hard out in the cold to restore power - & "bags of ice" in memory of the incredible ice storm of 2008 to neighbors...that included some combination of Ice Breaker mints/gum, polar ice "Extra" gum, "frosty" ornaments, Dentyne Ice gum, icicle ornaments.....all w/ a candle tucked inside...the gift of light & warmth --- things we all appreciate much more now! ... wrapped in clear celophane & snowflake bags w/ wishes for a Christmas that's warm(!) & bright(!) & the reference for John 1:9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. This theme carried thru' to co-worker's/friend's gifts - & shopping, preparing & giving has served as a power-full(!) reminder that it truly is more blessed to give than to receive.

A Power-FULL post :)

We got power!!! I scurried to get gas, cash, food, etc. ahead of the back to back storms expected & Hubby was on his way home early as the snow was getting heavy- to pick up a loaner generator from a friend -- when our power finally (Day 8!) came on. God is good & His timing is amazing. So thankful!

Only God could cause?/allow? such quiet (snap, crackle, pops in the night - but NO idea what we'd wake up to!) beautiful (an ice storm is a truly a sight to behold ... esp when the sun comes out & the outdoors glistens like diamonds!) destruction - while preserving sooo much life! To my knowledge no lives were lost in this storm ... altho' I gather a few perished in the aftermath from carbon monoxide poisoning.

People who've lived here 60 - 80 yrs never remember anything like this incredible storm. There was a terrible flood years ago & the blizzard of '78 - but this was different. Trees all over the region broke like matchsticks! Saving newspapers for our kids. Still many w/o power! Keep praying!

A few words stuck to memories: cold - dark - ice - shelter (the school at the end of our street) - CRUSHED (Newspaper headline the day after) - State of Emergency - National Guard - board games - books - perked coffee - hotdogs & hobo peach pie cooked over fire - kind neighbors & friends - candles ... candlelight showers - candlelight conversation w/ friends after enjoying a hot meal together.

I learned some things ... I really like perked coffee! - How to use the car as a generator to run a house fan as a heat blower ... Times like these seem to bring out the best in most people - & - I take sooo/tooo much for granted.

Dear Santa,

May I pleeeaase have electricity for Christmas?

Sincerely,

Powerless

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STILL no power here. We've been w/o electricity for a week now since the ice storm (see pics on previous post). It's amazing what one takes for granted! We're in for another storm tomorrow so no telling when we'll get power. So grateful for my boyscout extraordinare hubby! He makes this whole thing bearable. He hooked me on the laptop tonight here at home for the first time since the ice storm ... using his car as a generator!!

Deep Freeze

We are ok. You've probably seen on the news. We are still feeling the effects of an incredible ice storm! State of Emergency. Pics out of order --but you can see what we woke up to Fri AM. Our neighborhood looked like a warzone! No power since Thurs eve. We do have gas & so we're better off than so many - and thankful. We have hot water - stove & some heat. We harvested ice for our cooler & fridge and put some food outside b/c it's been sooo cold! I'm in B&N now online for the first time since the storm. All the pics are from our neighborhood.







More Pics

More Pics

Smile!

As I was grocery shopping this early (best time to go!) morning, I passed a mom w/ two children (total strangers) in one of the aisles. The little boy was just SO cute! I kinda smiled at him, complimented the mom on her cute boots & walked on. Soon passed them again, going the opposite direction, & the little boy stood right in front of my cart, held onto it, peeked over the front - & wanted to go w/ me! Of all the things in that store, I woulda loved to take him home! :) - but as the distance between his mom & us grew, she quickly realized he wasn't w/ her & encouraged him to 'get back here'. He obeyed...but then as the distance between he & I grew, he waved & yelled an oh so friendly 'Bye!!' back down the aisle to me. In the short span of about 30 seconds I kinda felt as if I made a friend I might never see again - but I walked out of the store w/ a big smile on my face that it seems another woman "caught" b/c she smiled back at me. I smiled as I told my husband on the phone about the little boy ... & hours later, as I share this (b/c it's too fun not to share!) , I'm smiling about it! Hopefully you are too now.... & someone will catch yours - & so on - & so on - & so on.... :)

How did he know?

Playmaker had a (boy) friend - two separate words :) - over the other night & we baked Christmas cookies. Nice kid. Nice time. Playmaker told me that he told her that when her dad came home from work that evening, he could tell her dad & I are in love & he tho't that was neat. He's right! but -I wonder just how he knew. It doesn't really matter - I'm just glad it shows b/c I adore my hubby & I want him to know - & I want the world to know - & given Playmaker's friend's observation - I/we must be doing somethin' right :)