Snowvid 2021: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

 I have been told the freeze of 1983 was all this and more, and while I should remember it, I don't.  I remember freezes and snow and cold... but I guess my brain blocked that one out.  I know not why.

We knew a freeze was coming.  A hard freeze.  We were warned.  As someone who is addicted to my weather app, I knew it was approaching. Mark was not at all concerned.

I would check out my weather app and then hold my phone in front of Mark's face asking him if he was concerned.  He was not.

I went to work. Pipe insulation was flying off the shelves... along with heat lamps, heat bulbs and faucet covers.

Still, Mark was not concerned.

People began to panic.  Electric heaters flew off the shelves along with tarps.  Once the pipe insulation was gone, all insulation began to go.  R-13.  R-19.  All of it.

I would again show my phone to Mark, and he would look at it. "Are you panicking yet?" I would ask.  He was not.  Ok.

We literally did NOTHING to prepare for this freeze.  

Our first cold night leading up to the freeze, I noticed one of our indoor cats missing.  HOW DOES ONE LOSE AN INSIDE CAT?? She has never shown any inclination to venture out of our house until apparently Snowvid 2021.  We searched EVERYWHERE.  Every. Where.  We checked with neighbors.  No cat. 

The freeze hit.

We woke up to an absolutely beautiful winter wonderland.  Which, for Texans, is quite rare.  Especially Texans who live more central and south as we do.  It was gorgeous.

Because I work at a building supply store, my manager worked hard to open the store.  He did an amazing job of keeping everyone's safety in check, but also making sure those having issues from the freeze could get their much needed supplies.  

With so many having busted water pipes, fixing leaks and attempting to keep  damage to a minimum was an all too common occurance.  Saving their homes from damage, people were flocking into the store to grab up the fittings they needed.  Living in a rural area, besides their homes, many of these people also had livestock to care for.  With busted pipes both at home and out in their fields,  people were exceedingly happy when they saw we were open, and they could grab those essential supplies.  These people were not coming out because they wanted to.  These people were coming out because they needed to.  I hated what my neighbors were dealing with, but thankful to be of help... even if only in a small way.

Even though these people were dealing with serious pain-in-the-rear issues, for the most part everyone was nice, friendly and happy.  Definitely an atmosphere of camaraderie (we're all in this together) and perseverance (what else you gonna do?).  I saw customers helping one another and even passing coveted pieces of pvc off to one another (you need this more than I do). With all the painstaking issues people were dealing with, their attitudes remained quite positive....

On a personal note:  

My mom and my sister lost electricity, but not water.  My mom decided without heat, bed was the place to be and holed up there as much as possible.  She is also a reader, so that kept her attention as much as natural lighting would allow.  My sister, working at a hospital, spent most of her time at work diverting crises after crises.  Even when she was not at the hospital, her phone went crazy continuously.  After days and days of no uninterrupted sleep, her boss finally was able to get back into town and give Kristi the much needed break her body craved.

My son:  Marshall probably had it the worst in our family, but his problems were still minor compared to others.  He had a pipe burst in his kids' bathroom causing a bit of water in the playroom, but thankfully he had enough supplies on hand to fix it before the damage worsened.  He also had an exterior pipe burst on one of our coldest nights, so he was out fixing pipes at 1AM on a night when we were into single digits.  I believe that was his only damage, but after those two incidents anytime he or Audrey heard even the slightest creak, they would wake each other up with a "What was that!?" He and his family got the rolling  blackouts.  Just enough electricity to tease you,  but not enough to heat a house.  When they burned candles for light, Rosey decided they must be celebrating and went around singing "Happy Birthday"

Jenni's family.  Ok.  Jenni's family did not have it so great.  I only gave Marshall the honor of "worst", because of the broken water pipes.  Especially that middle of the night one. Brrrrrr.

But Jenni's family got to go three days in the freezing temperatures without ANY electricity and water. Here is Jenni getting ready for bed.  

What I will say is Jenni and Dustin made THE MOST out of their situation.  Donuts in the snow packed Systems parking lot.  Boogie boards being pulled by the Ranger through the snow.  Even little James got a turn at that.  But my absolute favorite is when Jenni took this opportunity for Eden to teach Ila and James I Thessalonians 5:18. (In  every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.) So as they sat in their freezing cold house with no electricity and no water, they discussed what this meant and thanked God for ALL that they did have.  I love this so much.

Us:  Every morning I would ask Mark if we still had four chickens.  They were in their little coop with nothing but a heat lamp.  Every morning, we did.  Every day I would ask Mark if he found my cat.  Every day he did not.  Every evening I would ask Mark if we still had four chickens.  Every night we still did.  We only lost electricity one time and that was for maybe 30 minutes.  We did lose water a couple of times, but never for extended periods.  We had the low pressure thing going that so many others had as well, but in the scheme of things.... we were blessed abundantly.  As so many others were dealing with freezing temperatures and busted pipes, we spent each evening in our hot tub.  The only chink in our chain was my missing cat.  This stupid inside cat, lost and alone in the hardest freeze we have had in decades.  And then Mark came into McCoy's one day to tell me he had found my cat.  I was so excited and began to cry. He had to tell me the story twice so I could get it all.  But she was home.  All was good in our world.

Thanks be to God!! We are truly blessed beyond measure....

P.S.  and while I know God can do ANYTHING, I do not believe he miraculously bypassed our house while smiting others.  Mark and I believe that somewhere along the years, someone had some issues in this house because the beams and the pipes are well cared for.  We didn't prepare our house for this storm, but at some time someone did.  Maybe around 1983. 😁