Campfire

[Pooker]

Sparkle,

I do the same thing. With me it's often a song on the radio. I'd be fine if I didn't listen to the words of the old songs: They Can't Take That Away From Me; Someone to Watch Over Me, etc. The other drivers must think I'm nuts when I'm next to them at a stop light with tears pouring down my cheeks. We should give ourselves permission to cry whenever we need to. And stomp, yell, and throw a tantrum (hopefully in private) if necessary.

We can't expect you to sparkle all the time! Wish I were walking on the beach with you and Beth (although I couldn't manage the length you gals go!).

[Sparkle]

Oh yes, some of those songs! There was one called One More Day. Its about what someone would do if they could have one more day with a loved one. I was driving along just idly thinking, hmm, yes, we'd go to the beach and listen to the surf. Then I thought, no, all I want to do is talk to you. Just sit at home and chat liked we used to. Okay, lost it!!!!

[BirdbyBird]

i feel very blessed to have found such a wonderful group of individuals and to have the honor of sharing the campfire....life is way too short...

Tina

[Echo]

Ok ya'll scooch over a little so I can get my chair in here too. AHHHHHHHHHH Heavenly.....

No coffee and Baileys tonight, I'm just gonna sit here for awhile and sip on my hot cocoa. I'm tired. Not really to sure why? But I'm tired, only worked 4hrs today so it's not like I strained my brain or anything. sheesh

Went looking at pickups to day. Oh heavens I found a few that I drooled over. Good thing I had paper towels with me. If I hadn't I probably would have had to pay for a couple of wax jobs. ~sigh~ I will keep looking.

That fire feels so wonderful. It's not really all that cold outside but I'm feeling chilly. I hope the heck I'm not coming down sick. Now that would be a big bummer. I'm just gonna sit here for a little bit and be quiet. All the better to hear what else is going on.

[avalen]

the fire looks so warm and cozy, feels good on my feet and to just sit and relax.
I think I can go sleep now.

[Bethers]

Today is one of the one's that I can see the reason to take up space in a rig for a little fireplace. Would have it on and be cuddled in front of it right now. Instead, got my blanket around me and I'm going to go make something hot to drink. Going to watch what I eat and drink today, but my real diet won't start until Tuesday (we're going out on the town Monday - look out Port A!)

[Barbzeee]

Alrighty..bringing a few logs to feed the fire...and got my mug of de caf..with a little Baileys...now that's nice...and hey..the colors of this fires are sure purrrrty.... looking for some marshmellows...aaaaaaah now they toast up good...

G'nite all

God Bless

Zeee

[Echo]

Uh oh! Beth and Sparkle are going out on the town again!! Sparkle be sure to take that camera unless Beth has hidden it on ya.

It's starting to sprinkle here so I will throw a few pieces of wood on the fire to make sure it stays burning until tonight. Sure do wish I could stay a little longer and relax with friends. ~sigh~ Going out the door to go look at a truck. Found it Saturday but couldn't get a hold of David to check it out for me. So he and I are going this morning so he can give me an opinion. Hopefully we can take it to his buddy who is a diesel mechanic and have him look it over too. Gotta love them buddies some times.

Ok I'll be back to the fire later to enjoy.

[Fernie]

Since I can't sleep, I decided to throw some logs on the fire. It is blazing now. I got my blanket and am all snuggly wating the flames. It is cool here tonight---down in the lower 30s!! Where is our warm weather? LOL It is to turn around and warm back up which is fine with me. Got my hot chocolate and some peanut butter cookies to dunk.

My sis is doing as well as expected. She can't put weight on the foot yet where they removed the toes. They do have her in therapy though. I got a feeling it is going to be a long haul this time!!

Pull up a chair and join me. Barbzeee has the coffee going and their is hot water for tea or hot chocolate!!!

[Redetotry]

We've had quite a horrible winter storm in parts of Illinois and Kentucky. The ice hit a little farther south and we received 4 inches of sleet and 4 inches of snow. Our power did not go out here for which we were so thankful as no back up heat of any kind. The places where the ice hit looks like a war zone. Whole counties are without power and one has only one warming station which was running on a generator.Where they got the ice, what groceries that are open have long lines, they are letting people in 25 at a time and they can only have $25.00 cash worth of supplies, also they are running out of gas, some places have no water. Power could be out in some areas from 7-21 days!! There are so many power lines and trees down many people can't get out. Tonight on the news, after they talked about how power,cell and land line phones are not working, they say...if people are stranded & need help, put out some sort of a signal on your mailbox or a sign so rescue workers can find you. Wonder how they thought the people were going to get that message! We finally found someone to dig the bottom part of our driveway out so we were able to get one vehicle out this afternoon.
The dogs love it and have been in an out, tracking snow all over. Oh well it could be mud I guess! My little Winnie does not want her feet wiped off and growls as though she is going to bite my hand off the whole time I'm toweling her. So far she's never tried and I'm beginning to think she thinks it's some kind of game.

[Cedar518]

Pull your chair closer to the fire,... I know what you have been going through. In 1998 we had an ice storm like that and were without power for more than a week at my house and longer in other places. Always good to have emergency heat of some kind. Also a camp stove to cook, and emergency lights and radio. Just pretend you are camping!

[Nasoosie]

Like Cedar says.....I was alone here without power for 9 days in 1998, and no way to get to town for at least 5, maybe 6, of those days. Trees and power poles down for miles and miles. Luckily, I had candles galore, Coleman lamp and fuel, kersoene and lamps, battery-powered radio, and woodstove for heat. I also had drawn water to drink and make coffee (essential!) for quite a few days prior to the storm----melted snow on woodstove for baths. Shoveled off deck and cooked hot dogs and hamburgers on grill. Also always have a lot of canned stuff, so no danger of starving! Freezer things pretty much died after a week with no electricity.....if it had been colder, putting them outside would have saved them. (I actually tried this) But the temps hovered right around freezing for DAYS! (Which is why we got ice and freezing rain instead of the usual snow.)

The day the army guys came through with chainsaws and bulldozers to open my road, I ran out to greet them with Coffee and cheers!

It was an eye opener, for sure. A generator would have been invaluable back then, but I didn't have one. I now have one every winter on my front porch----in fact, I have TWO of them, and cans of gas to run them!! We have NO cell service here, so I had no phone, either. It was January, and when it gets dark at 4:15 and doesn't get light until about 8:00 am, it's one DAMN long night! No TV, no radio other than emergency broadcasts, as not many batteries for backup---I actually set up a card game of cribbage and played with myself, going from one side of the table to the other! An experience that I will never forget, nor will any of us who lived through it, isolated in our own little worlds away from everything. Trees bursting under the weight of ice make a sound like cannons in the night......all night long.....absolutely amazing sounds......and then, in the daylight, you see that you can go nowhere due to all the downed trees! It was an ordeal I will never forget, and felt proud to have come through with my sanity intact! (Some might argue that point!!)

[Sparkle]

Soos, you are a Pioneer Woman!

[Redetotry]

Soos and you are still there! They would have to scrape me from the walls, I guess am no pioneer I wonder every day how you manage the cold & the snow but then in summer I always say next year I'll go some place cool. But alas here I am still dreaming.

[Bethers]

felt proud to have come through with my sanity intact! (Some might argue that point!!)

No comment - haha

I'm very grateful I never had to go that long without power in the winter. Can't imagine what that must have been like for so many days.