The Big Chill

[BarbaraRose]

Starting this early (haven't actually gone to bed yet).
We got freezing rain the other night and I had ice to scrape off my car windows yesterday morning and was a bit late for work. Luckily, my defrosters work much better now that I got the thermostat fixed, so the ice melted fairly quick on the windshield.

Now heading into the deep freeze. They are now talking about possibly keeping schools closed on Tuesday too. Our staff is cut down for today and Monday due to the cold and probably very few customers coming in. We may close early too. Lots of other businesses are planning to close early tonight and tomorrow. I stopped at the grocery store after work yesterday and the shelves were almost bare! I haven't even seen that when we have a snow storm forecasted. People are taking this very seriously.

I had a customer yesterday who's house burned down on New Years Day. He lost everything, but he and his kids are OK. I felt really bad for him and gave him a discount on his haircut.

Made a crockpot full of chili last night to last me a few days. I have to work today and tomorrow and don't want to have to go out for lunch, so will bring that in to eat instead. It turned out really good! It is a 5 minute variation of my mom's chili recipe. Quick and easy and almost as good as hers!

I better get to bed since I need to get up early to make sure my car starts (will be -20 below when I get up).

Hope the rest of you experiencing unusually cold temps are bundling up, hunkering down and staying warm and safe! And those out east, stay safe on the roads (or stay off) with the snowstorms and blizzards out that way.

[Cudedog]

Take care, Barbie!

You are in my thoughts.

Anne

[Colliemom]

Morning all,

Just a quick one this morning as I am getting ready to pack up car and hit the road for home, before that cold blast gets here. It will be following me south I know.

BarbaraRose, I know what you are going through with the windshield scraping as my Flex has been sitting outside here for the past month and I've had to so some window cleaning. One suggestion for you. Try some Prestone DeIcer that you can spray on the windows. I"ve been using it for years and it works great, reduces the time it takes to get that stuff off the windshield and doesn't harm the finish either. Wal Mart has it as I'm sure some other places as well. Prestone also makes a washer fluid that is way better than that blue or pink stuff they sell cheap in the stores. It works great even in below zero weather.

JudyJB, no I WILL NOT DRIVE THE MACKINAC BRIDGE IN BAD WEATHER Actually, it's its too bad they won't let you cross anyway, but today it should be okay. And I wouldn't be the 2nd to go off the bridge. I think there have been three as of now. Two due to excessive speed by the drivers and one they think may have been a suicide, but will never know.

Okay, I'm going to get busy here. Keep warm everybody and heed your forecasts. This looks to be a brutal cold snap this time. I feel for those of you down south who aren't equipped to handle this cold.

[grammynmaggie]

Good morning everyone.... I guess The Big Chill will hit Florida also by Tuesday
when I get up it will be low30's.... but that looks about it for at least the next 10 days
I'm still not posting much here or on my blog..... between windows 8 .1 ... also it will not take live writer download.... that really upsets me ...and my shoulder and arm and hand acting up so I can't type.... I am using voice command on my phone so please excuse typos and read between the lines.... but I'm still reading everything so keep on posting!!!
have a fun day and be safel in your travels..
donna

[carolb]

Good morning all

Okay okay, so we can't brag about FL weather much but my heart & heater go out to those of you in subzero weather! At least I haven't had to scrape my windshield or shovel snow I need to get to the Baja Babe Blogs to experience warmer weather vicariously!

GREAT to see CArol & Anita again who joined Kathleen & I at Irmi's famous kitchen! Short gtg, but we got a lot of conversation in--easier to get to "know" my fellow RVers in small groups. And if you don't know, Irmi's cooking is FAMOUS for always being great!

Plan is to start out tomorrow with Anita for our trek west. But we're debating whether to postpone due to some 20deg temps expected for the first couple nights along our route. Although that's why these rigs have furnaces???

So y'all have a great day, be safe & warm, praying for rain for NoCA.

[Redwahine]

Good morning everyone. Our house guests left to make it home to St. Louis before the storm hits. The big chill is headed our way as well. They next couple nights it will be hard freeze; 24 tonight and 15 Mon night. I say good bye to my daughter tomorrow. She will depart for boot camp at Great Lakes, IL. The big freeze will greet her there as well. 9 weeks of boot camp there with grad first week of March. Then additional 51 weeks training at Great Lakes. I hope to get to see that area several times during that year Everyone stay warm and safe. Aloha.

[avalen]

good morning ladies
I feel so bad for those in the deep freeze, I scraped ice off car mirrors and bus mirrors for years and that was one of the decision
makers for moving to AZ. Hope everyone stays warm today. I'm doing nothing special today except enjoying my last day of vacation.

[chalet05]

Plan is to start out tomorrow with Anita for our trek west. But we're debating whether to postpone due to some 20deg temps expected for the first couple nights along our route. Although that's why these rigs have furnaces??? ]Good morning all

Yep, that's why we have furnaces so I think we are a GO!

Really was an enjoyable afternoon yesterday and thanks so much to Irmi for giving us a warm spot to visit! Not being a 'foodie' or hostess material, I always feel some guilt when someone goes to so much trouble for a meal, but Irmi is a wonderful cook. It is always a treat to meet sistahs for the first time - CArol and Kathleen this time. I know I really missed out with others down here, but I hadn't planned to cancel attending the Hillsborough GTG.

About to spend several days on the road so I need to get organized.

Barbie, I think you get some of the worst cold weather, but to everyone stay safe and warm!

[dayspring39]

Good Morning... coffee is gone and I am enjoying fond memories of yesterday from our small GTG at Irmi and Steves...
Those on the road stay safe and the deicer that Sue mentioned sounds like a winner... I never felt unsafe crossing the Big Mac... slow is better...
Kathleen

[BarbaraRose]

Barbie, I think you get some of the worst cold weather...

I think you are right. Comes straight down from Canada, but we also get spared a lot of the severe weather in the spring and summer that hits the lower midwest and central states with tornadoes, etc. That rarely seems to get this far north, so I guess it is a tradeoff of sorts.

Good luck on your trek west Anita and Carol! Hopefully, I will meet the rest of you Florida gals in a few weeks!

[havingfunnow]

Ivy says she is a warm-weather van and she is NOT going to start when it's -15 out there. I missed an appointment, but I could understand. Luckily yesterday was warmer and she started fine, so I know there's no damage. We'll see how this week goes.

[bluepinecones]

Good Morning

Can't believe I need to go back to campground today. Got side tracked yesterday when I discovered ice in the toilet bowl and forgot the 4 gallon jugs of water setting in the kitchen sink.

Our forecast has been revised to include 60 % chance of 1 to 3 inches snow on top of ice by Monday morning. A wind chill warning has already been issued
for both Monday and Tuesday. They are saying it will be in range of -10 to -20 degrees both days. If that happens, it will be a first for this area.

However we are expecting temp to get up to near 50 today before dropping to 9 tonight. Once I make the campground run I do not plan to attempt to get out again before Wednesday or Thursday when we should be back above freezing.
Think I've done all I know to do to be prepared so will be a matter of waiting it out and hoping for the best.

Wishing everyone a warm safe spot while this nasty weather passes.

[Redetotry]

It has been raining here most of the night but above freezing. Now the rain is more snow and coming down really fast! DH left about a half hour ago to go to church Our church was cancelled but he said Episcopals don't cancel services Gees Sarah, your forecast sounds like ours and you are much farther south! I'm afraid to go look in Elsie, I don't know if they put enough pink stuff in the toilet bowl but since I don't have any I'll just have to hope it's ok. Barbie and all others in the deep freeze stay safe. DPF how are you doing? Sue safe journey home. I saw a video on FB where some people were surfing on Lake Superior and it was -13. Well, guess to each his own!
Carol and Anita why the rush out of FL? Sounds like you all had a great time at Irmi's. I think from the looks of things no one is going to go anywhere for a few days around here unless absolutely necessary! And yes, I already have cabin fever!!

[chalet05]

Carol and Anita why the rush out of FL?

No longer any rush for me - I argued with myself all morning and finally made reservations to stay here 2 more nights. Overnights in the cold might have been fine, but engine starting, roads, etc - who knows what problems could crop up.

[BarbaraRose]

The owner of our shop cut our staff down to 2 today with one on call. Well, everyone decided it was a good day for a haircut! We got slammed! The gal who was on call, called in and said she wasn't available to come in. My boss told her otherwise! She finally came in when we had over an hour waiting list! Tips were great tho, so that was good.

Anita, I am glad you decided to wait a couple of days before heading out. Why invite trouble if you don't need to. That is the beauty of being retired, right?

BJ, snow on top of ice is never good! Stay put! Better safe than sorry.

Hopefully, this bad weather will all be gone in a few days for all of us. It is supposed to be up to +30 here by Saturday! Yay!