UPDATE: The winner is…Tamye Whitener!
*~*~*

I’ve been busy sharing photos of Snowmageddon on Facebook and Instagram these past few days. We had a “once in a lifetime” weather event, per the weathermen. We’ve had these cold temperatures before, we’ve also had this much snow, but we’ve never had two snowstorms hover over us for so long, which is what’s causing all the problems with accumulation. All schooling this week was virtual, which was no biggie for my kids since they’ve been virtual since COVID hit. There’s been no mail delivery since Monday because the roads are impassable. We’ve been dripping every faucet non-stop. We had the hot-water pipe into the kitchen freeze up, but on Wednesday it warmed up just enough the pipe unfroze, so now we’re running both the hot and cold water to make sure it didn’t refreeze. Looks like no pipe damage. Woot!

My SIL, dd, and the kids have had a blast. My SIL tied a river innertube to the tractor and “sledded” the kids around the yard. He cleared the driveway and built them an outside “igloo”. There have been snowball fights—everything they’ve seen on TV and never experienced before because we NEVER get this kind of weather. Never this accumulation for sure.

I haven’t had as much fun. Early on Wednesday, I sat at the kitchen table eating breakfast. The little one’s coat was hung over the back, so she came rushing in because she was heading outside to play. I rose partway to help her free the coat, but didn’t realize that when she tugged it away, she pulled the entire chair with it. I sat and fell, my tailbone, and then the back of my head, slapping the floor. My head’s okay other than a bruise. My tailbone? Let’s just say hydrocodone and tramadol are my best friends…

Puzzle-Contest

Solve the puzzle then tell me about your “relationship” with snow for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

I’m a cold weenie. That wasn’t always the case. I’ve lived in Montana, Colorado, Germany. I’ve slept in tents in the dead of winter. But now, I live in the South. I think my blood’s thinner or something. That’s not to say I love the heat. If I didn’t have a pool to cool off in, I’d be miserable in the summertime. However, I really, really, really don’t like frosty toes and fingers.

I’m talking about this because these next seven days, we’re getting some unusually cold weather. Like single digit temperatures at night and below freezing during the day. The forecast is for several days of snow. We haven’t had anything other than a sprinkle of the cold stuff in years!

So, naturally, we’re freaking out a little bit. In advance of the snow, my dd hit the store today to load up on food we don’t have to cook because we know if there’s any accumulation, or worse—if there’s ice—we will lose power. We live in a rural area, and energy companies are slow to fix problems out here. So, our gas cans are full to feed the generator. We bought extra straw for the goat shed to help keep the three little critters warm. We shuttered the window in the lean-to on the side of the barn for the horses and filled the “warm end” with hay. Last night, my dd went out in the dead of night to break the ice in the horses’ water troughs to make sure they have access to water. We’re staying vigilant so they stay safe. We winterized exposed pipes and faucets. We’re dripping water in the sinks and showers. She bought us all thermal longjohns. The kids have boots.

Can you think of anything we’ve missed?