My email buddy up in the northern clime, who is also the other living grandmother in my family, has a keen sense of humor and a zest for life. She sent me an email today which says it all. It was labeled as a short poem. It is.
Crap, it's cold.
the end
We have not had this much cold weather for 25 years, or so the weather prognosticators tells us.
I believe them, for about 25 years ago my husband had a doberman pincher which he kept up at the lake as he was planning for our home to be built there. That winter he came up to check on the dog and things in general. He came home in a very somber mood. He discovered that the doberman had given birth to a litter of puppies. The mother was fine but her puppies had all frozen. She had a dog house, but the extreme weather was just too much for her babies. I do not know how it could have been avoided but surely there was a way.
I believe that was the same winter that I spent a week at home because of the ice that kept me and my students from attending school. I spent part of the time making games, etc. for my classroom. Most of the time was spent close by up at the North Decatur Presbyterian church because they had electricity and we did not. I became better acquainted with some of the members there, as we passed the time playing bridge. I recall that everyone who was out of electricity took food from their refrigerators up to the church. We combined our food and cooked our suppers there. One of those good friends I still see occasionally. She and her husband came by to visit with me the day after this past Christmas.
My son-in-law, who is no wimp, told me he went shopping and bought long johns, a special cap with ear flaps and warmer gloves. This for when he took his two dogs out walking (and also his neighbors dog as the man had broken his ankle).
His idea inspired me to go shopping for additional warm under clothing. Since they always shrink after some washings I purchased the male version so they would be nice and loose after shrinking. One year I had a pair of bright pink under pants which I wore on Sundays, not that they were exposed for public viewing but they were cut off above the knees and would be hidden under a skirt. They served me well for several winters.
Most all of the folks in this area had some kind of problem related to the freezing temperatures, if not in their homes, then in their cars. I was spared car trouble as I had the 15,000 mile check up just the other day but the propane tank here ran out of gas. I was not the only one who was calling the provider for help. They were deluged with phone calls. In my defense the provider was supposed to automatically fill this tank, but did not. However it gave me an excuse to be a bit of a pioneer and do some things I had not done before, like turn on the valve at the tank after it was filled again. Also to fire up the pilot light on the gas logs, not a difficult task once I moved all of the logs out of the way in order to see the thermocouple.
My hair dresser had no hot water when I got to her shop today. She had to go next door to the gas station and borrow jugs of warm water. While I was there they discovered the problem. Water pipes were frozen outside so a heater had to be pulled under the building.
We all may feel a bit like pioneers from our collective experiences, but really thankful to have survived thus far. Some families have experienced tragedies from this most unusual cold weather pattern. So, when I snuggle up under my electric blanket, in my new long johns, I will sleep protected and happy with the knowledge that spring must follow all of this.
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