How you holding up with the aftermath of this storm? Personally, I found it fabulous and wonderful. An excuse to hole up in my house for seven days. The world was happy to get a break from me, too.
Couldn’t open my back door and the front sidewalk had knee – deep snow. Good reason to stay in the house. My water was off for a bit, but electricity stayed on. So, it seemed more of a cold vacation than anything.
My son came and shoveled for over two hours so that my sidewalks were clear, and he went and bought me a lot of groceries. I really took advantage of him and he didn’t seem to mind. I love that boy (he’s 38 years old) for helping me so much!
Sitting in my chair, reading, on New Years Eve at 4:45 I heard a funny sound in the kitchen. I got up and saw water dripping from the door in front of the water heater. I called my son – in – law, Cody. He came over and was the hero of my day. Got it fixed and, thank goodness, the Texhoma store owner opened back up so that Cody could get the part (I love small towns). Little vacation hiccup but think about it, it was great that I was home when it happened or it could have been a real mess.
On January 2 it was time to face the snow and ice and get to work. My back door still won’t open (ice keeping it from opening), so I head out the front door and hike around the house and back to my detached garage that opens into the alley. Garage door goes up fine … I was sort of hoping it would be frozen shut, but, alas, it was working fine. I back out the garage (where Lucas had also shoveled) and look at the drift I need to go through to get to the alley and the street. I give it a good run and … STOP. Stuck. Try to rock the car and that’s not working at all.
I find the shovel and start to shovel. Here is the point I admit socks would have been a good choice, but that wasn’t me and we have to live with our choices. Shoveled some more and then was able to back the vehicle up. Why did I think I could still get through that drift?
Wrong. Stuck again, only this time stuck and I can’t even open my car door because it is so deep. Bad idea. I should have tried to back all the way out, but I am really not very good driving going forward, so in reverse isn’t usually a good option.
Super Cody to the rescue once again. I finally opened the office door at 10:30 in the morning. Took awhile! Vacation over.
And I know that while I was taking my wonderful little cold vacation and putting puzzles together, reading books (oh, it was heaven), quilting while watching movies, getting my taxes itemized, cleaning out files and a closet, there were people out there stuck in the snow, stopped on the highway, others pulling people out of the snow and helping stranded folks. There were those who did make it in to their business and kept it open through all this. I commend each and every one of them. Those whose jobs are thankless and fixing all the storm – caused problems (electric guys, street and highway people, all of them) and those who were doing it because they’re just nice folks (like Cody) … to each of you, THANK YOU. I pray blessings on each of every one of you and your families for the good work that you did.
And those who complained and griped about people during this time … shame on you. The post office can’t get the mail when the highways are closed … get real. Why are you frantic about your mail when most of our world has halted, anyway? For those of you who are complaining about the streets, grab a flipping shovel and get to work. Shut up from the complaining because you’re just using oxygen that nice people could need.
It seems to me that we’re judged by the same standard that we judge others. That makes me be nicer than I really am. Because I know how many times I make mistakes and I don’t want people calling the dogs out on me when I know that I really didn’t mean to do something wrong. So, you gripers and complainers, be ready. You’re going to mess up sometime and you better expect all those who you’ve bad mouthed to be grinning. And they won’t grab a shovel for those who wouldn’t hold one for them.
Whoops, those last two paragraphs sounded a lot like complaining, didn’t they? I better hush on that topic.
Did you know the reason you should put the snow in the middle of the street rather than to the side? If you pile the snow where the water as the snow melts needs to drain, then you’re just causing a lake. Just thought some of you needed to understand that little tidbit. But, hey, we’ll take a lake. We needed the moisture, for sure!
Hope you all fared well and are looking at 2019 as a wonderful opportunity to make some great changes in your life. Be a nice neighbor is a good thing to put on our lists.
This little bit was posted on facebook and it’s worth repeating: “If you want 2019 to be your year, don’t sit on the couch and wait for it. Go out. Make a change. Smile more. Be excited. Do new things. Throw away what you’ve been cluttering. Unfollow negative people on social media. Go to bed early. Wake up early. Be fierce. Don’t gossip. Show more gratitude. Do things that challenge you. Be brave.”
We can all be better people this year. Let’s work on it.
See you on the bricks!