Digging Out
My apologies for not posting for the last three days. We have been digging out from the storm of the century, the "Day After Tomorrow" Mega-Ice age scenario realized. We were able to survive by building a smallish tent of comforters and blankets around the fireplace which we used for light and heat, and heating up coffee cans of snow from the front screen door for water. The last of our cans of Chunky soups were heated in the coal bed until they were all gone. I was afraid it would get down to eating the pets. After three days the power came back on for an hour or two at a time and mercifully the pipes did not burst. Dismantling the shelves in the den I was able to keep a fire in the fireplace, even though the back-draft winds had us coughing and choking a few times. The fireplace kept the temperature in the front room and kitchen at around 35°. I was able to tunnel out the front door after taking out the screen-door glass. Using pans we dug the tunnel and bucket brigade dumped the frozen white death into the bath tub to slowly melt away at about 35°.
Today I stated to be able to feel my toes again, and the power is on for good I think.
With three pairs of socks on and gloves and mittens over my hands I was beginning to feel like I was devolving to a flippered being. But the worst is over and we have been able to run the heat-pump for about 45 minutes every three or four hours to get some core heat back in our bodies and in the house. When I can tunnel past the cars and truck in the driveway and get around to uncover the heat pump itself I am sure we will be able to run it all day again like before the storm.
I was just happy to see some sky from the tunnel and I thanked the local weathermen for the little advanced warning before it hit.
Chuck Pace © 2008 |