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[Princess]

I've been without power the last week--still have no power, but we did manage to get ahold of a generator and get a few things working--computer, tv, refrigerator--that sort of thing.
We had a total of 3 to 4 inches of ice--Kentucky was really hit hard by this storm--the warm weather today has really helped, but there is so much widespread devestation that it will be at least Feb 15 and possibly into March before everyone has power again in this state.
There are actually counties close to me where the county officials have requested a total evacuation of the entire county, because there are absolutely no services--and none in the forseeable future.

[Knight Templar]

I find it interesting that FEMA isn't around, but that unlike New Orleans that fact isn't very widely reported.

I hope everything gets cleared up soon. fortunately you were able to get a generator, I heard there were a lot of shortages of those there.

[Princess]

There were store managers that were AUCTIONING the generators off. Can you imagine?

And yeah, I'd love to know where FEMA is. The state has asked for FEMA assistance for the government--equipment and such, but for the people--nothing yet.

[JackO]

Yes, I have seen some news items about Kentucky and the area.
What a mess!
Now Deimenied is getting clobbered with a snow storm over there in England.

Look Out Knight Templar!
Is it a curse hitting the TFD Staff?

[Knight Templar]

Look Out Knight Templar!
Is it a curse hitting the TFD Staff?

I would love to see at least some snow this winter, alas we seem to have a heat shield or something. precip is never in the same location at the same time as the cold weather.

[Princess]

I think I'll give you a day by day account of what has happened here.

Saturday--January 24
We had been watching the news and everyone was forcasting a storm--but couldn't agree on exactly what track it would take.
We live half way between Louisville, KY and Evansville, Indiana--so that is where we get our news.
One channel would say 3 to 4 inches of snow. One channel would say mostly freezing rain. But all preditcted that it would be over by Wednesday January 28, as the temps started to rise again.
So, for my weekly shopping trip, I got extra feed for the animals. 3 Gallons of milk and extra bread. (I knew that our son would miss some school and wanted to be prepared) I checked the candles and batteries. Saw that pretty much everything was as it should be and waited.

[Princess]

Monday 26--
We were supposed to get some rain/snow mix late Monday. With the bulk of the storm hitting on Tuesday morning early. However, when we awoke on Monday--there were already a couple inches of snow on the ground. More was expected during the day.
At noon, the weather guys still said--a few inches of snow, with a warm up on Wednesday Jan 28.
My husband works nights, so he packed up and headed to work--prepared to stay a few days. We thought by Thursday morning it would be all over--How wrong we were.
The 6 pm news began to proclaim this "the worst storm in a decade" OK, that meant some extra preparations.....
I fixed a huge pot of chicken and dumplings--something my son really likes, and knew it would feed us for a couple meals. Also, put a pork roast in the crock pot. Baked a couple batches of muffins and a lemon pound cake. Made sure all the dishes were washed, the water jugs were full and went to bed satisfied that if the power was out for a day or so, we were ready.
I awoke several times during the night to the sound of ice hitting the window--not a good sign at all.

[Princess]

Tuesday January 27--
When I got up, we had power--which was a plus. Everything was covered in ice--I had never seen so much ice in my life. I thought that maybe we had gotten off easy because we still had power and as the day wore on, I began to breathe a sigh of relief.
Around 10:30 am, the power went out. I dug the corded phone out of the closet, and prepared for the rest of the day.
I got the candles and kerosene lamps out of the basement, the camp stove and the propane lantern. Wasn't too bad as far as the heat goes. The house is fairly new and doesn't lose heat that quickly.
I called work and let them know the situation--I work from home with a firm in Chicago. And I told them I would do as much as I could to continue working.
I called my husband to let him know we had lost power. I also called some friends in various parts of the country to let them know what was going on. Everyone was a bit concerned that we were in the dark.
I cooked our dinner and supper on a camp stove in the kitchen. Due to the danger of carbon monoxide, I had the stove under the regular stove vent and cracked the kitchen window whenever I had the stove on.
We had a little "nest" on the couch. Pillows at each end and several blankets to cover us up. We played board games and games like 20 questions. It was lots of fun--for a day or two.

[JackO]

Hey, this is Great stuff to read about! - I love it.
Is there any more to this story past Tuesday?

[Princess]

Yeah, I just made a wonderful post about WEdnesday--but the generator ran out of gas, so I lost it. I'll keep updating until things are back to normal. (whatever that is)

[Princess]

Wednesday January 28--
We woke to lots more ice falling. Was supposed to be rain, but I guess no one told Mother Nature.
A large majority of the morning was spent getting the basic necessities--drawing water from the cistern--enough to flush a couple of times, and drinking water, plus for the animals.
Let me tell you about our animals. My 14 year old son raises chickens for 4-H (which is another story all together) We inherited a couple of rabbits, plus as assortment of stray cats (when our neighbor passed) and our dog.
We have a barn where the animals are warm and dry--lots of straw and even a couple of quilts. But that morning was a bit different.
One of the cats is a long haired cat--about a half grown kitten actually. She looked like a little ice ball. The ice was falling and sticking to everything--no drips but instant ice sickles. And she looked miserable. She's also half wild.
We finally managed to catch her and get her inside to get dry. She hissed and spit and hid behind the chair in the livingroom. Finally after about an hour, there was a puddle of water in the floor, and she was dry. The minute we opened the door to go out and finish feeding, she was out like a shot. We've seen her since then, but she won't let anyone get close--too afraid of getting picked up again.
Anyway, the day passed with me working some and playing cards, reading, and more board games. (You sunk my Battleship!!!)
It wasn't too uncomfortable temperature wise in the house--around 65 or so.
My sister and her son who live on our left, went down the road to my Mothers house (she lives just on our right) Mother has a gas stove in the basement and was able to have it on (no fan) and the heat naturally rises, which kept the rest of her house not too uncomfortable.
I have 'internet buddies' all over the country and was getting calls several times a day "Are you OK?" "Go to a shelter or somewhere" "Don't stay in that house"
We weren't able to get out to go to a shelter, even if we were so inclined.
I had a friend call me from Bowling Green, Kentucky, and I couldn't get back through to her. I could call Ft. Lauderdale, but not Bowling Green--it was weird. So, I called my best friend in Ft Lauderdale and he kept trying to get a message through to Bowling Green. We finally determined the lines were down.

[Princess]

Thursday January 29--
Let's see. Today started like any other--cold, and cold, and cold. Phone rang at 5:30. My husband made it through on his cell (which was a miracle in itself) to let me know that his land line at work was out.
I got up, drew water out of the cistern, and heated some water for drinking. Didn't really want coffee or tea, but the hot water tasted like nectar of the gods. We had oatmeal for breakfast and heated water for the dishes.
After breakfast, we fed and watered the animals--we don't have many, but when it's that cold it takes forever to finish.
By that time, my son and I were ready for some shivering on the couch. My mother, 81 and counting, called and was sending up some milk jugs for us to get her some water. My son and nephew carried water for Mom so she could take care of her basic necessities--drinking, and a little left over for washing and flushing the toilets.
Long distance was down all over. I did manage to make a call to Florida, Chicago, and Indy. If I didn't check in with them daily--there was panic in the streets. I was also able to finally get through to my sister in Elkton, KY (Todd County) and my son in Owensboro (Daviess County, Kentucky)
Thursday afternoon I told my son stories about his grandfather (my father) who died when he was less than 1 year old. He enjoyed hearing those family stories. My father was born just after WWI and fought in WWII and Korea. I was able to tell him about Daddy growing up on The King Ranch in Texas and lots of family history stories.
Thursday night, my son desserted me for the warmer regions of Kentucky--my mother's basement. She has a gas stove in the basement which she has been able to heat the whole house with. I did allow myself one little treat that night, I heated water in the hot water bottle and read by flashlight. I could care about making batteries last at that point--I wanted some luxury)

[Princess]

Friday January 30--
The coldest day so far. Heat had been off for 4 days and I was beginning to freeze. My son walked up from his grandmother's house--she lives approximately 1/10 of a mile from my house. We filled mother's water jugs and fed and watered the animals.
Watering the animals was getting to be a terrible chore--there was no way to keep the water from freezing, so we'd heat the water up on the stove, pour it in the water troughs and hope for the best. We'd bring them in every night so we could thaw the ice.
Work was non-existent today. I was so cold that I sat on the couch with a coat, hat, and gloves on, just praying the weather would get better. Where was the warm front we were promised on Wednesday?
The high light of the day was 7 am when we'd turn the radio on for the local news. There were shortages of everything everywhere--that is IF you could get out to the store at all. No gas, and places with gas had no electric power to pump the gas from the tanks. My cousin owns the hardware store and when the power went out, she was writing receipts on note pads and using calculators to figure tax. She was bound and determined to stay open to get things to people who needed them. She ran out of heaters, batteries, candles, propane, generators, and all other camping supplies. Her store closes normally at 5 pm, but she stayed open until 11:30--when the last customer left.
People were calling in to the radio station to tell their storm news. “Poles down in the Hites Run area” “Trees over the road at Tick Ridge” “Road blocked at Cave Heights” It was the same story over and over again.
The low on Friday night was projected to get to 10 degrees. I was feeling colder than the proverbial well digger's derriere. It was cold.
The phone was really spazzing out today--I couldn't reach anyone by calling long distance, but they could call me. My friend in Indianapolis couldn't reach me, so she called my employer in Chicago in near hysterics. They didn't know we had been in contact and were trying to explain to her that she couldn't get through to me and could they help me with something. She said she was bringing a generator to us and really needed to see if they could get through to me. They kept trying and finally got through to me to give me the message that a generator was coming my way. I also asked them to call Florida and let my friend there know I was OK. Then, my last life line went totally out.
OK, it's 4 pm, twilight--I have no heat, no electricity, I'm freezing, and no way to let people know I am all right. So, I ate a peanut butter sandwich for supper and went to my mothers house. Right before I left, the volunteer fire department came by to see if I wanted to go to a shelter. You need to bring your own food and bedding, but we'll be glad to take you. “No thanks” I replied. “I have to stay close to my mother, I have to work, and I have animals” This Princess had too many responsibilities to just run off.
Down at Mothers we sat around the basement stove--her house was a balmy 64 degrees--I was the warmest I had been in a couple days. I slept on the couch, my sister and her 16 year old daughter in one bed, Momma in the other, and my 20 year old nephew and 14 year old son in the basement. Snug as bugs in a rug.

[Princess]

Saturday January 31--

Well, after spending the night at my mother's, I decided to try to drive home. It was a straight stretch of road--around 1/10 of a mile, and I fishtailed all over the road, even though I was just barely coasting.
A neighbor in his 4-wheel drive pickup (you know the kind, you need a step ladder to get in it) pulled up behind me, and wanted to buy a rick of firewood. (my husband had been cutting wood and selling it) So, I let him have the one rick we had left.
The house wasn't too cold, about 45 degrees that morning, but the sun was shining and the melt off had begun. The mail even came--which was good, my paycheck from Chicago was there. I called my husband and he tried to make it in from his plant.
Finally, about 1 pm, we made it into town. Needing gas desperately, that was our first stop. We found a gas station open with electricity and filled up--it only took about 45 minutes, as this was one of the few stations that still had gas.
We drove 5 minutes, to the other end of town, put my check in the overnight deposit at the bank, then hit the hardware store.
“Sorry ma'am, no batteries, no electric heaters, no propane, no kerosene, no generators, no kerosene.”
I was beginning to wonder what they did have.

Next stop Wal-Mart, to see what they had. Met at the door by the manager. “Sorry folks, but the power has gone out again, and the store is closed until it comes back on.”

Great. Since the grocery was right next to Wal-Mart, it seemed an exercise in futility to try that. We got back in the car, and headed to the next store down the road. No power, and closed, as well as the next and the next. By this time, we were in the next county and less than a mile from the Ohio River Bridge heading to Tell City, Indiana.

We shopped at Wal Mart, got the last pack of C cell batteries in the store. And nothing else from our list. Next--the grocery, where we fared a bit better. Got everything we needed, as well as everything on Momma's list. And drove home. By now it was close to 4:30 and we had lots to do before dark. Get water, feed, and cook supper before it got too dark. Our son went to my mother's to sleep, as it was too cold for him to sleep in his bed by himself in our unheated house. My husband and I stayed up until 9 pm, reading, talking and listening to the radio. We managed to get on the phone to our various and sundry friends all over the country and let them know that for one more day, Princess hadn't frozen.

[Princess]

Sunday Feb 1 --
Sunday started much like every other day had. It was cold. Although it was a great deal warmer than it had been and the melt off had begun.
We got a call at 5:30 am from my dear friend Paisley from Indianapolis. She was on her way with a generator and gasoline. Yay!
We dined on a sumptious breakfast of Little Debbie Cakes and warmed water. (have you ever taken a drink of water that came out of a concrete hole in the ground 15 foot deep?) And anxiously awaited Paisley's arrival.
When she and her husband finally arrived we found another issue--our 220 outlets didn't match the plug on the generator cord. (Were we ever going to catch a break?)
Anyway, we called the hardware store to see if they had any recepticals that we could change out so the cord would fit. (Nope, none in stock)
For those of you that aren't familiar with how a generator works, there is a huge cord that you attach to the generator, then attach into a 220 outlet in your house--either stove or dryer. First you have to turn off all the breakers on the fuse box, and turn off the main power disconnect--that keeps the power from coming into the house. Since that wouldn't work, we had 2 of the large orange extension cords and connected them to the generator, then plugged up just a few things. We plugged in the TV, the refrigerator, the computer, moniter and the VCR. It wasn't much, but it was a start.
Husband went back to work Sunday night, so once again it was just me and our son. We watched a little tv (didn't get the game though) and I finally got to get back online--boy did I miss that.

[Princess]

February 2--
When my husband came back home from work, he called every appliance repair place in 2 states, until he was able to find the plug in that he needed to adapt the cord so we could hook up the generator.
I was back online and able to work full time, but as the rest of the state was still suffering from the effects of the storm, there wasn't a lot at work to do yet, but lots to do as far as storm cleanup. But let me tell you, I really enjoyed the internet again. I noticed that Kentucky was making the internet news but never saw anything on the TV news. The county officials said that the National Guard was now in the county conducting a house to house search to make sure everyone was OK. They even saved an elderly couple in town that was showing signs of sucumbing to carbon monoxide poisoning.

[Princess]

Feb 3--
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-206036
HARDINSBURG, Ky.-Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard, working in conjunction with local fire officials here, saved an elderly couple from carbon monoxide poisoning today during a door-to-door "wellness check" in this Breckinridge county community.
Staff Sgt. Jason Scharf, a chaplain's assistant in the Kentucky Air Guard's 123rd Airlift Wing, and Staff Sgt. Thomas Moses of the Louisville-based 123rd Maintenance Squadron, knocked on the door of an elderly couple's residence to determine if they needed assistance following last week's devastating winter storms. Nearly 3,000 homes remain without power in Breckenridge County, said County Judge Executive Ray Powers. I went to school with him, and we used to work together at Power's Out of the Way, a little diner down the road
While speaking with the Airmen, the wife appeared confused and disoriented. She also mentioned that her husband had been complaining of nausea. After she provided an incorrect address for her home, Sergeants Scharf and Moses suspected possible carbon monoxide poisoning and asked Hardinsburg Fire Department firefighter Darren Voyles to conduct a carbon monoxide test.
According to Jerry Martin, chief of the Hardinsburg City Fire Department, the test confirmed a positive reading of 72 parts-per-million of carbon monoxide in the couple's home. Chief Martin said that even 35 parts-per-million can be a lethal amount.
"I don't think they would have lived if we hadn't found them," said Martin, who attributed the poisonings to a faulty gas furnace. "That's a pretty high carbon monoxide level."
The couple was taken by ambulance to Breckinridge Memorial Hospital in Hardinsburg where they were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning and released.
Sergeant Moses said he was pleased to be able to participate in the door-to-door mission, which is being staffed by 145 Kentucky Air Gaurdsmen who deployed here this morning.
"It's a great feeling to know that we may have saved some lives today," he said.
The door-to-door home checks are part of a massive statewide disaster relief effort involving 4,600 Kentucky Army and Air National Guard members who were mobilized in the aftermath of ice storms that left more than 500,000 homes without heat or electricity.
Ninety-three of Kentucky's 120 counties have been declared disaster areas.
Also today, a C-130 Aircraft from the Kentucky Air Guard's 123rd Airlift Wing transported 100 Kentucky Army National Guard personnel from Lexington to Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio, to pick up 50 Humvees from the Ohio National Guard.
The Soldiers, assigned to 149th Infantry Battalion, then drove the vehicles back to Kentucky for use in relief efforts in the western part of the state.

[Princess]

These are a few of the trees that were down that had to be cleared before we could 'escape' lol

[Princess]

You can see why so many power lines collapsed.

[Princess]

This is a reason that it will take so long to restore power to some parts of the state. Can you imagine the weight that it would take to bend this size structure?

]

[Princess]

February 5th--

Life had settled into a routine. Hubby was coming home, not at 3:30 am when he finished his shift, but at 8:30 or so when it was daylight enough to see the ice/slush on the road.

We received word from the local radio station last night--Feb 4th, that today beginning at 8, there would be prepared meals available for anyone who was without power. The local firehouses were listed, as well as one school.

My sister went into town to pick up meals for 7 people--Princess, Okimar, and Oki Jr. My mother and neice, and my sister and her son. (that's the 3 households that were basically sharing everything we had to make it) The road was fairly clear, and you could travel in and out with a front wheel drive vehicle.

Anyway, the 9600 Obama meals were gone before you could say FEMA. The Federal Aid consisted of (per person)
2 32 oz bottles of water
1 can beanie weanie
1 small box raisins
1 fruit roll up
1 nutra grain bar
1 packet of crackers (ours were cheddar cheese, not the recalled peanut butter that some got)
1 wet napkin
1 package silverware

I was sorely tempted to eat the whole thing at once, but was afraid that I might gorge myself. lol.

[Princess]

February 7--

We had our hopes raised, then dashed yesterday when we saw the electric company trucks drop off a new electric pole near the site of one that was snapped off by the weight of the ice.
However, this morning, Saturday, we once again saw electric company trucks, and lots of workers. We waited impatiently, but were finally awarded with lights back on--at 4:00 pm.
We, however, are lucky--there are those who may not receive full service until March or April.

[Princess]

If you'd like to see how others viewed the storm--check out

http://coffeeshoppe.freeforums.org/smal ... s-f56.html