mydaddysjag
Well-Known Member
My husband and I just moved into our apartment about a month ago, and never realized how ill prepared we are for a storm until now. I just got power and heat on after 48 hours of it being off, and I expect it to go back out again. Its been flickering, which is what it did before it went out.
I realized that we were supposed to get a storm, but we didn't realize the extent of how bad it was going to get. Had we known we might have been more ready. The extent of my winter supplies are a coat, gloves, a hat, a snow shovel, and a bag of salt. No candles, not a single flash light, we only had two fleece throw blankets along with out bed comforter. No cooler for food, heck, not much food that we could even make.
I was forced to go to work at 7pm last night. I had my husband stay there because I had him drive me in (I work at a restaurant, he stayed in our dining room) because I didnt want him driving home and back. It already took me 30 minutes to get there, and I only live two miles away. My car really does not go in the snow. We pleaded for our upper management to allow us to close early. Our general manager (above me) wanted us to close at 5, but the district manager wouldnt allow it. I was told if I left early, I would be fired for job abandonment. Finally they had to let us close when the power went out and remained out. On my way home we encountered quite a bit. I hit two trees, and was almost in a head on collision. The trees I hit due to ice when I got stuck, and when I did get traction, the front of the car slipped sideways into them. Not a huge deal, looks like minor damage to my bumper. About 50 feet later someone was coming down the road in our lane, and we had nowhere to go. we stopped, and hoped they would make it around us. Luckily they did, but now we were beyond stuck. Tried to move, and ended up in the middle of the road, stuck there for about 15 minutes. Tried everything to get out of there, and overheated the car. Ends up, that without help, its not going to budge. Here I am almost 6 months pregnant, stuck in this darn blizzard in the middle of the road with my 4 ways on. I made the call to my parents about a half a mile away, and they are coming out in the truck to try to get us. Before they got there, I see headlights maybe 1/4 mile away. GREAT I think, here they come. Well, this vehicle isnt slowing down, and they are right on track to hit us. My husband is beeping the horn, and flashing them and they are SPEEDING UP. About 20 feet from our car hubby and I decide to bail, they are going to hit us for sure. Im pregnant, and I dont know if an ambulance can make it to us if we get hit. The car is replaceable. Were behind trees in the cowfield on the side of us, hoping we're far enough out of the way that nothing is going to hit us. The minivan stops maybe 6 inches from my front bumper, winds its windows down, and starts laughing hysterically. What I wanted to do was rip these idiots out of their van and beat their heads in, but instead I stay cool and say, you might want to turn around, there is a power line down across almost the entire road that way, and a bunch of trees. Cooks road is clearer. they laugh some more, spin some snow in my face, and go that way anyway. I hope they got stuck...
My step dad finally gets to us, and we get my car going. I drove in the truck with 4wd with him, and hubby drove in front of us. We finally got to our apartment complex, and got the car stuck here. We shoveled out a spot, and got it in and parked. My stepdad called and said he made it home. They just live around the block. Walk into the house, and found no heat or electric.
Now, im fretting, I layer everything I have on our bed, we both dress up in layers, and took the bird into our room. We figured everyone in one room would keep it warmer. I covered the bird with a bunch of towels, and we cuddled up in bed with the dog. I couldnt sleep all night, I went to the dentist last week and had three fillings, all of which fell out. (Dont get me started on my dentist) so I was in pain all night. We managed through the night using our cell phones as flashlights. This morning when I woke up I got a big rubbermaid bin and filled it with our "best" items from our fridge. The milk, lunchmeat, cheese, etc. and then filled the container with snow. My hubby took it out to our yard, and buried it in the snow. So far, its holding up keeping everything cold. Now my freezer is a differnt story. I expect everything to be thawed by morning. Atleast right now I have electric, so can hopefully cook what thaws. My family around the block are all still without power (my entire family - mom and dad, uncle, great aunt, grand mother, and great grandfather, all live in a row, one road over.) If this food does all thaw we wont be able to eat it all. Ill cook it, keep some for us, and take them all something warm to eat. Ive invited them here for heat, but its not feasible for most of them. My parents have 6 dogs and 4 cats, my great aunt and great grandfather both have a dog, and my uncle has my grandmother staying with him, shes on hospice with end stage cancer and is physically unable to get out of the house.
We dad did brake the roads with me today. My apartment complex does not allow us to have karosene heaters, but we were going to get one anyway if anywhere had them and worry about getting in trouble later. We also needed a flashlight, batteries, a battery radio, and wanted a few extra blankets. Our town is a ghost town. Only lowes was open, but they had no heaters of any type, generaters, radios, or batteries. We did pick up 2 of their cheapest flashlights that had batteries with them, a $18 carbon monoxide detector (we were worried out furnace might be putting off carbon monoxide since it was "on" but not running. Oh yea, I got a pack of toilet paper too, since we dont know how long this storm will hold out. I walked out of there spending $93 on stuff that would have cost me $40 at walmart. Really ticked me off, but it was the only place open.
I guess this was a long rant, but I needed it off my chest. Never again will we be unprepared like this. Our state has emergency shelters with heat, but none within 25 miles of me.
Anyone have any tips to use in a situation like this? We cant get ahold of a heater, generater, extra batteries, and all stores including gas stations are closed.
Im crossing my fingers our power stayes on, but it does not look promising. If the power goes out, so does the heat. Right now I have my heater cranked up on high, so that we get some heat built up in here, then hopefully if the power does go out, it will stay warm throughout the night.
I realized that we were supposed to get a storm, but we didn't realize the extent of how bad it was going to get. Had we known we might have been more ready. The extent of my winter supplies are a coat, gloves, a hat, a snow shovel, and a bag of salt. No candles, not a single flash light, we only had two fleece throw blankets along with out bed comforter. No cooler for food, heck, not much food that we could even make.
I was forced to go to work at 7pm last night. I had my husband stay there because I had him drive me in (I work at a restaurant, he stayed in our dining room) because I didnt want him driving home and back. It already took me 30 minutes to get there, and I only live two miles away. My car really does not go in the snow. We pleaded for our upper management to allow us to close early. Our general manager (above me) wanted us to close at 5, but the district manager wouldnt allow it. I was told if I left early, I would be fired for job abandonment. Finally they had to let us close when the power went out and remained out. On my way home we encountered quite a bit. I hit two trees, and was almost in a head on collision. The trees I hit due to ice when I got stuck, and when I did get traction, the front of the car slipped sideways into them. Not a huge deal, looks like minor damage to my bumper. About 50 feet later someone was coming down the road in our lane, and we had nowhere to go. we stopped, and hoped they would make it around us. Luckily they did, but now we were beyond stuck. Tried to move, and ended up in the middle of the road, stuck there for about 15 minutes. Tried everything to get out of there, and overheated the car. Ends up, that without help, its not going to budge. Here I am almost 6 months pregnant, stuck in this darn blizzard in the middle of the road with my 4 ways on. I made the call to my parents about a half a mile away, and they are coming out in the truck to try to get us. Before they got there, I see headlights maybe 1/4 mile away. GREAT I think, here they come. Well, this vehicle isnt slowing down, and they are right on track to hit us. My husband is beeping the horn, and flashing them and they are SPEEDING UP. About 20 feet from our car hubby and I decide to bail, they are going to hit us for sure. Im pregnant, and I dont know if an ambulance can make it to us if we get hit. The car is replaceable. Were behind trees in the cowfield on the side of us, hoping we're far enough out of the way that nothing is going to hit us. The minivan stops maybe 6 inches from my front bumper, winds its windows down, and starts laughing hysterically. What I wanted to do was rip these idiots out of their van and beat their heads in, but instead I stay cool and say, you might want to turn around, there is a power line down across almost the entire road that way, and a bunch of trees. Cooks road is clearer. they laugh some more, spin some snow in my face, and go that way anyway. I hope they got stuck...
My step dad finally gets to us, and we get my car going. I drove in the truck with 4wd with him, and hubby drove in front of us. We finally got to our apartment complex, and got the car stuck here. We shoveled out a spot, and got it in and parked. My stepdad called and said he made it home. They just live around the block. Walk into the house, and found no heat or electric.
Now, im fretting, I layer everything I have on our bed, we both dress up in layers, and took the bird into our room. We figured everyone in one room would keep it warmer. I covered the bird with a bunch of towels, and we cuddled up in bed with the dog. I couldnt sleep all night, I went to the dentist last week and had three fillings, all of which fell out. (Dont get me started on my dentist) so I was in pain all night. We managed through the night using our cell phones as flashlights. This morning when I woke up I got a big rubbermaid bin and filled it with our "best" items from our fridge. The milk, lunchmeat, cheese, etc. and then filled the container with snow. My hubby took it out to our yard, and buried it in the snow. So far, its holding up keeping everything cold. Now my freezer is a differnt story. I expect everything to be thawed by morning. Atleast right now I have electric, so can hopefully cook what thaws. My family around the block are all still without power (my entire family - mom and dad, uncle, great aunt, grand mother, and great grandfather, all live in a row, one road over.) If this food does all thaw we wont be able to eat it all. Ill cook it, keep some for us, and take them all something warm to eat. Ive invited them here for heat, but its not feasible for most of them. My parents have 6 dogs and 4 cats, my great aunt and great grandfather both have a dog, and my uncle has my grandmother staying with him, shes on hospice with end stage cancer and is physically unable to get out of the house.
We dad did brake the roads with me today. My apartment complex does not allow us to have karosene heaters, but we were going to get one anyway if anywhere had them and worry about getting in trouble later. We also needed a flashlight, batteries, a battery radio, and wanted a few extra blankets. Our town is a ghost town. Only lowes was open, but they had no heaters of any type, generaters, radios, or batteries. We did pick up 2 of their cheapest flashlights that had batteries with them, a $18 carbon monoxide detector (we were worried out furnace might be putting off carbon monoxide since it was "on" but not running. Oh yea, I got a pack of toilet paper too, since we dont know how long this storm will hold out. I walked out of there spending $93 on stuff that would have cost me $40 at walmart. Really ticked me off, but it was the only place open.
I guess this was a long rant, but I needed it off my chest. Never again will we be unprepared like this. Our state has emergency shelters with heat, but none within 25 miles of me.
Anyone have any tips to use in a situation like this? We cant get ahold of a heater, generater, extra batteries, and all stores including gas stations are closed.
Im crossing my fingers our power stayes on, but it does not look promising. If the power goes out, so does the heat. Right now I have my heater cranked up on high, so that we get some heat built up in here, then hopefully if the power does go out, it will stay warm throughout the night.
