Waiting It Out

Every year about this time we get one helluva storm. It is here.

The prognosticators have been prepping us for days, keeping their viewer ratings up with promises of a foot or more of snow, followed by an arctic blast that would be felt all of the way to Southern California. The snow was just a smattering, just enough to build “leavesmen” stuck together with a melting slush. Slush that by tomorrow morning will be solid ice.

The cold is not the worst of it. The wind is reaching speeds that will take down the shallow-rooted Douglas Firs, or at least shear some tops off. It is dark outside right now. The wind is rattling our windows, making the cats especially jumpy. Schools and businesses have already told students and employees to stay home tomorrow. First morning light should be interesting.

Our power has gone out twice this evening, just long enough for me to utter, “Oh shit,” and then the lights come back on. Those same big firs take out power lines with regularity. They also can take apart a house. I am thinking of the three 90-feet tall ones just to the southwest of our house.

We are on the tail end of the power lines for our area. We cannot be re-routed Anything that knocks out power between here and the source, knocks us out for sure and for good until the whole system is working again. I have a flashlight within reach, the generator is full of gas with an extra five-gallons of gas next to it. Extension cords are rolled and ready. If we make it through the next 24 hours, we’ll be golden.

Two years ago, our Christmas plans were cancelled because of this same type of storm. As now, the Dear Wife was already in Chicago visiting friends while I tended to the farm for a few extra days. A huge branch broke off of our Big Leaf Maple, providing us with about a half-cord of firewood. One of our smaller firs took out a neighbor’s fence, right at the corner post. The power was out for five days. Our generator kept the freezers, fridges and fan on the wood stove going. We also found out that the battery backup for the sump pump in the basement was dead.

Fun times.

Update: Woke to a bit of a breeze, sunshine and electricity. Some places seem to be more effected than us. Aside from it being colder than what we're used to, everything is fine.