Blessed Beyond Measure

The song “Winter Wonderland” comes to mind this morning as I look out from my cozy warm living room. It’s hard to believe that less than 48 hours ago it was 74 degrees and beautiful outside when we are now in the twenties and everything is covered with a layer of ice and snow. We have not had weather like this in many, many years, and my husband just remarked that this reminds him of the storms we had when we were kids.

I would have to agree, and the current winter storm reminds me very much of the one we had during the winter of 1972-73. It was an amazing ice storm, where things looked beautiful, the trees and everything else encased in a thick layer of ice, but in truth it was very dangerous. My Dad was a lineman, and then a troubleshooter for our local power company for 37 years and that storm, as well as the Great Flood of ’93 are most likely two of the most memorable weather events over the course of his employment.

Yes, it’s cold, frozen and windy out, but we are so blessed here because our power has stayed on so far, and if we would happen to lose it, we have a good supply of firewood to get us through. At last report, over 400,000 people here are without power in these frigid temperatures. It is in stark contrast to this past summer’s storm where even larger numbers of people were without electricity in the stifling heat. Both would be bad, but I have to imagine that this is far worse for those in the dark, and those who try to restore power. It’s backbreaking and dangerous work and my prayers are with all of the Ameren and Cuivre River employees who are out in this mess.

As for my little family, we are all snug here at home. School is cancelled, Scott called into work last night and I am still in my pajamas thinking of getting some work done but trying to keep up with the latest news on this weather system.

It has been a strange one, that’s for sure. After experiencing freezing rain, ice and sleet all day yesterday, we went to bed last night with a temperature of 28 degrees, and the sounds of sleet pinging off the windows lulling us to sleep. Just before midnight, we awoke to the sound of this same precipitation melting and dripping off of our roof, as the temperature had gone up to just above the freezing mark. Not long after that, the temperature began to drop and the wind began to blow, and we opened up the doors to the cabinets under the bathroom sinks and turned on the taps to keep the pipes from freezing. We have been through that experience before and do not want to repeat it!

It was a long night, with little sleep and I anticipate a nap a little later on this afternoon of the first day of December. It’s a heck of a way to start off the countdown to Christmas, that’s for sure! All this frozen stuff put me in a Christmas-y mood last night though and I even set the table with my Christmas dishes, put out my little kitchen Christmas tree and plugged in my Santa night light. It’s definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas here!