Post-Christmas hangover ...

[Carolinagal]

Sarah, I loved your pix, snow is so pretty. But, I have 10 inches or more here and its still falling !!!! Lost power for about 2 hrs. yesterday. That wasn't too bad. I had several calls from so many and up to the power outrage was enjoying chatting etc. with others online. Turned the gas fireplace on, so house wouldn't cool too much. All in all, I had a lovely day, even if it was my first at home and alone. I did have Maggie, and she had a ball in the snow, and I laughed my head off at her. So glad no close neighbors, or I probably would be committed

Soooo yesterday, was really a nice day all in all. But today with the snow still falling at a good pace, I realized first thing this morning, the house felt colder then it should, it took a while to realize, my heater, in NOT working. Has not worked all day. I do have the gas fireplace, and a small heater going in my area at this end of the house, not fun to go into a freezing bathroom But as someone said earlier this area of the country is not prepared for snow amounts such as this, and I need to call a repairperson. Also, Maggie is not acting right today, stays right with me and just not feeling well, so I would like to be able to take her to the vets, but when is the big question. My car has 8 or more inches of snow on top of it and I know the doors are frozen shut, if I could get it out to the road. Think salt trucks came zooming by this morning, but the road is uphill from my driveway.
Except for Maggie, acting the way she is, I really am fine here, but if this snow keeps falling at the pace it is, i might have more problems then I want , like broken pipes etc. It is beautiful though and this is so unusual in this area, it will go down in history.

This is our second snow fall this yr., we usually have about 4, with all of maybe somewhere around 2 1/2 inches each time. Well, this year, the first snow, a couple of weeks ago, earlier then usual too, was 7 or more inches in some places, but 7 here at my house. Now our second fall is way over 10, You know what, I think I might dig, the r.v. out and head south, probably have to go all the way to the keys though

Well, really good days are always mixed in with some not so good, but it will all work out one way or the other, so in the meantime i won't worry about anythng, except maybe my Maggie, can't help that. To be honest would rather be here with this record breaking snow then out west, where all the rain and mud and floods are. I've been in that too, and that is no fun .

So thats my story from this area of the country and WISH I wasn't sticking to it

Those of you on the road, PLEASE BE CAREFUL !!! I thought of you earlier today, Tina, was so glad to hear you postponed your trip home, but I'm not sure tomorrow is going to be a good day either, if you get any of this , your way home is going to be worse tomorrow. Just take care, you are still miles from my area, so hard to tell just what the weather is elsewhere. Weather people are not always that accurate. Case in point, this snowfall was going to be maybe 2 inches in the mountain area where I live. Well, we all make mistakes, and I have enjoyed this for the most part, could do without a few obstacles, but such is life.

Take care all,
CArol

[Forestgal]

Greetings from the soggy West!

We had rain -- again -- last night. There was a 30 minute period where it came down hard, but then sprinkled off and on overnight. Things are drying out but it's downright chilly for our So. CA tastes. I'm not complaining ... just comparing to what's normal for us.

Carol, I hope you'e turned off your furnace. I'd hate to think that you're getting carbon monoxide into your home and that's making Maggie feel off. If you haven't turned it off ... please do.

I've been a movie-going fiend this week. Saw the new Narnia movie Wednesday night (very good), then "True Grit" yesterday, and this afternoon it'll be the new Harry Potter movie. I don't go to 3 movies a year -- 3 in a week is totally unheard of! But they're all movies I want to see and it beats the heck out of sitting home or battling crowds in the mall.

Beth, I'm enjoying my Nook. Don't think I've gotten over the guilt of buying it when I still have 5-10 books on my shelf that haven't been read, but I have this stupid tradition of buying myself something for Christmas that nobody else would buy. One year it was my iPod Classic. Last year it was my new trailer (a little early, but certainly sufficient!). So far I've downloaded the new Tom Clancy book & trials for 2 magazines. It's kind of fun to be able to go online also, although it certainly won't replace my laptop. But I can tether it to my Droid when I go camping if I want -- along with my laptop. (Okay, I know ... waaay too many toys!)

Going to go pop a bag of popcorn to take with me. I refuse to pay $6 for a bag smaller than I can make at home. It goes in my purse and nobody's the wiser. Heck, I've seen people walk in with Subway sandwiches and nobody squawks. Maybe I'll do that instead ...

Have a great day everyone. And those of you in that white stuff -- be careful.

Laura -- and Jed

[Bethers]

Carol - I'm worried about you being without your furnace, and about Maggie - so please keep us posted! I know you have the fireplace and little heater - so more worried about Maggie. Bundle yourselves up and cuddle

For some reason Peaches doesn't want to leave my side today. Luckily, because of the roads, I'm not going anywhere at all - so she's able to stick to me. Sun is out right now - so we'll go for a walk in a bit - even though it's still only 31 - will be nice to have the sunshine this time. Roads are very slick around here. They aren't used to this snow - don't have the equipment for it - and with so few people on the roads, they aren't getting "melted" - so my WI and northern IL soul says I'm not going out with the drivers who ARE out there Tomorrow will be soon enough. Temps will get above freezing and things will be much better by tomorrow afternoon. Sure is pretty tho - going to take my camera this time and see if I can get pics of those cardinals I saw this morning. Although, since I have pics on my camera still from early November - no promises anyone will see them anytime soon.

Laura, I always get myself something for Christmas, too - this year was something small - and when I see where my money stands later in Jan - might add the Nook. Somehow, I'm spending faster than I'd like or than is normal for me - going to have to hunker down with my workamp job this coming summer and find my miserly self again. What have I been doing the last 1/2 hour - adding products in a cart on the Crocs website. Course, I'll NEED them come this summer, right? Right! Haven't pushed the button to order yet, though.

Oops. sun is trying to disappear - I best get out there NOW.

[rriverstone]

moan. my tale of woe is over in "show off your rigs," under progress reports. groan

[Getupngo]

OH! In my opening post I forgot to tell you all about my Christmas Eve fire. No, not in the fireplace. In the kitchen -- and not the right kind!

I'm always careful with candles. I was burning one of those candles in a glass jar ... sitting on my glass-topped stove. I was madly wrapping presents, and tossed a looong roll atop a counter ... which sits about six or eight inches above my stove. The roll wasn't THAT close to the candle, and it took about a half hour before the end burst into flame!

Luckily, I was sitting right there & grabbed it and dunked it in a pan of dishwater. There was a LOT of flammable stuff on that counter with the flaming roll ... but If I had even been in the other room the story may have been very different.

So that's my cautionary tale.

[Echo]

Carol, probably a dumb question? But have you checked you breaker box for one to the furnace? If it's ele. it might have popped when all the ele. came back on. And even the gas ones have ele. ignitions. Just a thought!

[Echo]

Oh Jeeze Janice!!! So glad that you were right there on the spot!!! Don't even want to think of any alternative! {{{{{shudders}}}}} Glad everything is OK.

[Carolinagal]

Thanks for all the suggestions about my furnace and the concern about Maggie and I. The furnace is electric heat and is off at the breaker, and I did throw it and turn it back on this morning, with no results. I suspect the fan is bad, as I felt heat around the heating elements, so threw the breaker off, so would not cause anymore problems. I'm concerned about sleeping leaving the small heater on and also fireplace. Don't think I will be sleeping to sound. I plan to take my pillow to the couch in livingroom , where I can keep an eye on fireplace and also feel the warmth from it. It doesn't really do alot for other rooms, you past the door way leading into other rooms and what a drop in temp. Thats where my concern for pipes comes in, the whole back side of my home, is where water heater is and where the water comes up into the house, plus laundry room etc. I hope it doesn't get to cold back there. Our temp only got to 25 today, whenever that was

Maggie and I, had our last trek around outside for her business, she had a hard time finding a spot she liked, the snow is almost a foot deep everywhere. She likes grass to do her job in, can't see even sprigs of any, anywhere Hard to find where the steps are ,to get out, they look like a snow drift. Have nice handrails though and I just hold on, make sure the next foot is on a step and proceed down. The snow is lovely, but am so glad, I don't have to deal with these conditions alllll winter. This will be here for some time, but it will melt, sun is supposed to come out tomorrow.

I am suspecting that Maggie may be having a problem with a tooth, and it makes me feel so bad. Didn't have them cleaned last yr., ran into so many dr. visits and test for me, that I didn't follow through with her, now she may be paying for it and I feel soooo bad. Otherwise, I don't know what could be wrong, she sticks to me like glue, kept me awake alot last night so tight to me, I couldn't move or she was right on me, she cuddles, but nothing like that. I thought it might even be she sensed problems with heater, but she has been right on my heels all day. Hoping I can get her to the vet and find out what is wrong, because something has to be.

Sure thank you all for your concern. and suggestions, because some of them could have been very important if I didn't know
Soooooo Nice to have so many friends to care, wonderful feeling, thank you !!!!
CArol

[Forestgal]

Carol, if you're concerned about pipes why not leave one on all night so it's just dripping. Not a very environmentally sound practice, but when it comes to saving your pipes & money, one night isn't going to hurt that much.

Let us know how you fare overnight, okay?

Laura -- and Jed

[flick4411]

I was going to say the same thing Carol did...leave one of the faucets on in the back of the house. Also, for the fur baby...does her breath smell really sepulchral? Some friends of mine had a doggy with most awful breath...I suggested something was not right...the owners didn't really notice how bad the breath was. Took her in and had a back tooth pulled and all is well. I hope it's that simple for Maggie (and you) too. It's so hard when we know they're telling us something is wrong, but we can't quite understand...

Stay warm; this storm has been a doozie. Hopefully, your heat will get fixed ASAP. No fun living by the fireplace, but better than the alternative. This is precisely why I have an electric blanket. If all fails, and if I still have house electric, the blankie can keep me and the cats warm.

Please do let us know how you and Maggie are doing in the morning...sending ((((((hugs)))))) for you both!

[Carolinagal]

Thanks Laura, for reminding me, have done that a lot through the years, but totally forgot this time. A case of the mind trying to remember everything and forgetting such a simple thing to do.

Yes, Li, her breathe does not smell that great, so why I've concluded she may have a tooth problem. She has her teeth cleaned every year, but not this past one, and has a back tooth that is known to have plaque bad on it.

Thanks ladies, guess I will check in again before going to sleep, to see if I am forgetting anything else.
CArol

I already have the water running, turned it on as soon as I read your post , Laura. Thanks again.

[Echo]

Maggie might very well be un-nerved by the storm too! Animals can sense and feel the barometric pressure the way that we can't!!!

Hoping you pass a comfortable safe night!!

[Nasoosie]

Carol, that last post was on the 26th, and this is now the late afernoon of the 28th. I hope to see a recent post of yours soon, and learn that you and Maggie are doing just fine, now.