So we lost the use of our propane furnace (electronics need electricity to run!), no water as the well pump was down (no dripping/running faucets to keep the house from freezing up), no tank heaters for the livestock so all their water froze too. The one thing we DID have? The backup battery for the pellet stove. The goals the first night? No. 1 -Stretch the battery as long as possible so no one had to recharge it during the middle of night (grumpy bear aka Hubby who KNEW the next day at work was not going to be a 'skate in the park' type of day) and No. 2 - to retain a reasonable level of warmth in the house aka between 55 and 60 degrees. Managed 58 the first night and six hours on the battery.
Morning of Day 2 - what to wear? Layering is your Friend, your BEST Friend, two pairs of socks, long underwear, blue jeans, t-shirt, shirt, sweatshirt.
No water -- all lines are frozen and this will remain the status quo until warmer days. No bath, limited tooth brushing. Wet Wipes are your new cosmetic aid - ie Odor Control.
Coffee - you NEED Coffee. YOU HAVE TO HAVE COFFEE. With Sinking Feeling you realize stove top coffeemaker is at (gulp) mountain lot. Exhausted from staying up all previous night cycling pellet stove on and off to preserve battery. Discover the old touch of sleeping and waking at slight sound of baby (now pellet stove refilling burn pot) still with you. Chair is NOT comfortable sleeping......YOU HAVE TO HAVE COFFEE.
Make coffee in saucepan. Drink cup, gulp big mouthful of coffeegrounds. Darn!! Swear first purchase as soon as you get to town after weather breaks is ANOTHER stove top coffeepot. Need 2nd cup - try wrapping grounds in coffee filter and clamping shut with binder clip, soaking like tea bag. WORKS! Congratulate oneself on resourcefulness. Make breakfast.
Pile dishes in sinks, resort to paper plates to lessen sink load. Try to find recipes that do not begin take a clean pan...... Limit water intake (we haul our drinking water in 5 gallon bottles so have about 15 gallons on hand) as water = bathroom use. Bathroom is dysfunctional cousin of outhouse with crapper but no flusher. No. 2 takes on new (permanent stink) meaning.
Afternoon of Day 2 - Grumpy Bear recharged battery (using pickup) for pellet stove before leaving for work. Goal for the day, stretch the battery till he gets home. Twenty minutes on, forty minutes off. Constant eye on thermometer. Close off all extra rooms keeping heat in living, kitchen areas. No TV, No internet, No Radio, NO NOTHING. Learn to knit with supplies bought Months ago - have two million one hundred and three squares done by end of day.................watch fingers to make sure they don't freeze to knitting needles, balmy 56 degrees in domicile. High temp for the day - a balmy 3 degrees below zero. Dogs do not even want to go outside for duties. Shitmire MacGuire doesn't, of COURSE! Clean with spray cleaner and paper towels.
Day 3 - Minus 30 degrees at 6 a.m. but blessed tank heater in horse tank is working; tank is semi-thawed. Water under thin layer of ice. Hubby brings in blessed 15 gallons of horse tank water. Flush both the crappers.
Check weather on internet - dang nothing is going to thaw out for two more days. High for today, seven degrees. Low tonight? -10. ENOUGH ALREADY. Crappy Weatherman!!! Bad Man! Bad Man! Check out beach vacations and dream of warmer days......Plan heavenly bath in horse tank water. Hey - that's do-able!!! See ya guys. I'm heating water now!
I LOVE country living.........
