Tuesday, December 11, 2007

ice, ice, everywhere

We are having a big ice storm. The deluge started Saturday night with freezing rain followed by sleet and a few snow flurries. On Sunday morning, before the roads were too bad, my husband drove me to the grocery and the hardware store for supplies. I loaded up on kiddo food and canned goods plus milk, eggs and bread. We bought de-icer, ice melt for the sidewalks and driveway, and a key for the gas fireplace at the hardware store. The kids were out of school on Monday, and they're out again today. We are lucky; Monday morning the news programs were reporting 137,000 customers without power in the state. Now, that number is up to 500,000, but our power is still on. (Knocking wood as I type.)

My parents have no water or electricity and are staying at a hotel for the next two or three days. We haven't been able to reach my husband's mother, but we're fairly sure she is with his sister. The power outages are particularly bad in Tulsa this time. The Tulsa International Airport was completely without power on Monday and is expected to be today as well. One of the water processing plants has no power and Tulsans have been asked to conserve water.

Ice is dangerous and brutal. There have been twelve deaths as a result of traffic accidents since the ice started just in the Oklahoma City area and another death from exposure. Monday morning I heard that the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the OKC police had responded to more than 100 accidents. I'm sure by now it's many more.

Our neighbors two doors down lost one of the big trees in their back yard. Luckily, it didn't fall on their house or the shop. I spoke to my father, who lives about 140 miles north of us, and he's lost so many trees on his land that he thinks he'll have about twelve ricks of wood to cut when the storm and its aftermath are over. It's no wonder the trees are coming down.










The ice is thick on everything. When I took the dogs out Monday morning in the ice covered grass, I laughed so hard I nearly cried. Jack gingerly picked his way across the yard, refusing to pee until we found some soft grass under the blackjack oak. Maddy didn't really walk across the yard. Once we were off the patio, she jumped and hopped. I think she was trying to get across the ice, thinking if she hopped just once more, things would return to normal. It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen a dog do.






Our yard backs up to a hay field. We haven't yet put up a fence, so the back of our yard is still marked by barbed wire. Just behind the fence there are little trees and bushes. They are all covered with ice and glistened in the little bit of sun that broke through the clouds.





The ice is on everything. I couldn't open the doors of my car this morning, even with de-icer. I had to resort to heat and a windshield scraper. Icicles hang in a thick fringe from the eaves. We had to pull one of the trash cans inside the garage and let it thaw just to take the trash out of the house. The little bushes in the front yard are so heavy with ice they are bending to touch the ground.









More freezing rain was forecast for Tuesday, but at 11:30pm the temperature in the Oklahoma City metro was 34 degrees F. It looks like the worst of it is behind us. For this storm, anyway.

My lovely daughter turns seventeen years old today. She told me she thought the weather turned at just the right time. Late enough that school was called off . . . so she gets a snow day for her birthday.

12 comments:

wakeupandsmellthecoffee said...

Happy birthday to your daughter, kaycie. I hope the weather improves. My mother, who lives in Wyoming, said they got 11 inches of snow the other day. We just get rain, which can get boring. All this talk of ice storms (RC too) got me thinking about the film The Ice Storm. Have you ever seen it?

elizabethm said...

Oh, I felt cold just reading this! We are crisp and cold but far from icy here. Hope you are holed up nice and warm. Loved your description of your puzzled dogs.

laurie said...

my brother reports from Weatherford that they still have power, too. he's worried about the roof of the little greenhouse he built a few years ago in his back yard; ice, as you know, is extremely heavy.

funny thing about your dogs and ice. riley refuses to walk on ice. if we see a patch of ice on the sidewalk ahead, he jumps into the snow and goes around it. i wonder what he'd do in a world of ice?

oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your girl!

thefoodsnob said...

Happy Birthday to your daughter, how lucky for a snow day!
We had some ice, but not nearly like you. It's very dangerous out there.
(Crossing my fingers you don't lose power!)

Lisa

Kim said...

Thanks on her behalf, wake up. The weather is already getting better. I've never seen that film. We have these nasty ice storms every two or three years. I'd rather have snow any day.

We are warm and cozy, Elizabeth. The dogs are so much fun. They are doing a bit better today, although Jack wanted to pee on the patio because he hates the rain. Silly dog.

I'm glad your brother has power. I heard 1 in 3 OK customers is without power. How is the greenhouse?

Riley would be in trouble here, Laurie. And thanks for the birthday wishes.

Glad you stopped by, Lisa. I think the danger of losing our power is past. Yay! That girl of mine is having a very happy birthday on this snow day. A friend took her to lunch and a movie and I am making whatever she likes for dinner with creme brulee for dessert.

Rick said...

Thank you Kaycie for your interest in my daughter's wellfare. I just got a call from my daughter this morning. Her elbow is just badly bruised - PTL.

She said the nurse kept saying - "Ewh, that looks bad. That looks bad." Then she said, "I can see you fat pocket." I don't know how much fat one has on their elbow - especially THAT girl, but the point was it looked bad, but not broken.

It's interesting how those photos of yours, that something so pretty can be so deadly.

Thanks again.

Potty Mummy said...

Hi Kaycie, first visit to your blog, as I thought it would only be polite to reply to your comment on Rotten Correspondant's last posting here rather than over at hers. Am glad I did - now I know what an Ice Storm actually looks like!

As for the skiing thing, I'm inclined to agree with you, except for one thing: it's the best fun, ever. Oh yes - and it totally takes your mind off any troubles you might have. You're far too busy worrying about staying alive...

Life As I Know It said...

wow. I've been hearing about the ice storm on the news. What a disaster. Hopefully the temperatures will continue to rise there.

Just found your blog today. Good stuff.

Katie said...

Ice storms at the worst. A few years ago when I lived in Pennsylvania, I remember getting a snow storm, followed by an ice storm, followed by a snow storm. Digging out my car was a nightmare.

the rotten correspondent said...

Happy Birthday to your daughter,kaycie. And in a round about way to you, too.

Your pictures are wonderful. I'm glad you've got power and were able to enjoy the day off school.

My dogs aren't happy either. I don't know what to tell them.

Nekked Lizard Man said...

Growing up in southeast Okla, I know the panic and mayhem an icestorm can bring - namely that it seems more dangerous and destructive than the snow I have now in the square state. keep candles and blankets on hand - and can food; in your case, a 100lb bag of dog food just in case.

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