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Anybody have a big new year's? I stayed up till midnight, gave my wife a kiss, then went to the bedroom to find something to watch on roku. Finally got to sleep around 2, as usual.
Anybody have a big new year's? I stayed up till midnight, gave my wife a kiss, then went to the bedroom to find something to watch on roku. Finally got to sleep around 2, as usual.
That pretty much is the gist of this year’s festivities for everyone I know. We played cards.
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At one time, I considered advertising that I'd be a designated driver if anybody needed, or wanted one. Don't drink and was thinking I could help others enjoy the night. Wife (at that time) said she'd rather have me stay home. So much for that. lol
If I recall correctly, it has only been a decade or so ago that we were in the midst of an ice/snow storm event and we were offering our houses up for people to stay in if they had lost power. The winter weather will come around eventually, rest assured.
The forum has been real quiet lately, and I’m feeling pretty homesick at the moment, so if any of you have any good news to share about the Commonwealth (particularly Franklin and Madison Counties) I’m all ears.
nalabama, I retired from the state highway department in January, 2008. There was an ice storm the next month. This was the year before the big one. Since I was enjoying not being called in to work in the middle of the night any more, I had my wife take a picture of me in my sock feet, t shirt and gym shorts, with my laptop in my lap. I emailed that picture to workers from the truck drivers up to people in the district office with the caption, "Wish you were here!" I heard I was called a few names that can't be repeated before everybody laughed about it.
Speaking of ice storms would anyone like to share how they fared during that "big one"? I'm curious about alternative ways to heat a house at least temporarily for a few days just in case it happens again. Did water pipes break inside homes for lack of heat during the power outage? My house was built in 1880 and I'm certain has seen a few major ice storms over the decades. It does have a couple of fire places but they are non functional at this point.
I've been thinking about looking into adding a wood burning stove but it seems so invasive having to put holes into the ceiling, roof or walls and taking everything into account with installation, it's very expensive.
I was thankful to have a wood-burning fireplace - until I ran out of firewood. Thankfully, my good neighbors had just converted their fireplace to gas logs and had left-over firewood, so they sent their visiting grandchildren across the street, loaded with logs, to help me out. I managed to keep it around 60 degrees inside during the worst of it (the ice storm was followed by nighttime temps in the teens). I slept on the couch in front of the fireplace - no idea why I didn't open it up, as it is a hide-a-bed and I would have been much more comfortable.
Two big oak limbs crashed through my roof and upstairs ceiling, just to add to the merriment. After the limbs were removed, a huge blue tarp covered my entire roof for a couple of weeks until repairs could be made, and I duck-taped heavy plastic over the hole in the inside ceiling, and draped plastic over the heavy bookcase immediately beneath.
Meanwhile, it was like abruptly being taken back to the 1800s. So oil lamps, cast iron, brass ladles, and candles were called into more than decorative use : they earned their keep originally, and hadn't lost that ability with the passage of time. Good thing I like "country" antiques! It was eight days before electricity was restored, and longer for the landline to be replaced - both broken lines were on the ground for quite a while.
I kept the below-kitchen-sink cabinet doors open and none of my pipes froze, thankfully. I probably kept a slow drip going, as I usually do during extremely cold weather, but can't remember - the hole in the roof took most of my attention.
I found an iron plant stand to use over the hot ashes as a skillet stand, then warmed up thawing frozen spaghetti in the iron skillet, boiled water for oatmeal, hot chocolate, and tea in the brass ladle, draped an old woven coverlet in a door-less doorway to conserve heat (all inside doors were closed and I lived in the back room and adjoining kitchen for the duration), and was very, very thankful to have a gas hot water tank. I also baked potatoes in the fireplace ashes, scrambled eggs and cooked bacon over the fire, and survived.
I was still picking up sticks a month later, and ever since, have never, never entered winter without an adequate woodpile. Plus lamp oil.
Last edited by CraigCreek; 01-23-2020 at 10:38 AM..
We were living in Cadiz during the ice storm. We were only without electricity maybe 24 hours. I think what may have helped us get power back fairly quick was the fact there was a nursing home about a quarter mile past us. Anyway within a few days, in our 3 bedroom bath and a half house, we had my stepson, his wife, and 3 teenagers, AND their two dogs, a friend, her husband and their two daughters, and we finally talked my parents into driving from Mayfield to stay with us since they were without power too. Everybody got along just fine, except when the dogs needed to get rid of energy and stepson wouldn't take them out. lol
CraigCreek, a friend of mine where I used to live in Sturgis used his gas grill to cook for the family. Kept his cast iron skillet handy to go out and cook all three meals. Kept the grill right outside the garage so he could stand in there out of the breeze.
Speaking of ice storms would anyone like to share how they fared during that "big one"? I'm curious about alternative ways to heat a house at least temporarily for a few days just in case it happens again. Did water pipes break inside homes for lack of heat during the power outage? My house was built in 1880 and I'm certain has seen a few major ice storms over the decades. It does have a couple of fire places but they are non functional at this point. I've been thinking about looking into adding a wood burning stove but it seems so invasive having to put holes into the ceiling, roof or walls and taking everything into account with installation, it's very expensive.
Perhaps a wood stove could be placed partially in the fireplace opening or on the hearth, and the venting could go up the chimney, thus avoiding punching additional holes. This works well for some friends who have both an older house and heat with a modern woodstove. The stove was in place when they bought the house, so I have no idea about pricing.
Perhaps a wood stove could be placed partially in the fireplace opening or on the hearth, and the venting could go up the chimney, thus avoiding punching additional holes. This works well for some friends who have both an older house and heat with a modern woodstove. The stove was in place when they bought the house, so I have no idea about pricing.
That was quite the adventure you had during the ice storm. Glad you and your home made it through despite the damage to the roof. Hopefully it was a once in a life time experience.
I'm certainly going to look into alternative heating options including the suggestion you made. I don't need it toasty warm, just warm enough to prevent the pipes from freezing in such a catastrophe
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