well actually the ice storm is gone now, today it got sunny and up to the low forties and it all melted. the ground feels (and smells) like a stale wet sponge.
we, it turns out, were lucky. we were on the very edge of the storm's boundary of ice and rain...and snakelike, it would shift back and forth, just enough to cause the heavy ice to turn to heavy rain, late tuesday night. so i thought, meh, i guess i will be going to work tomorrow, did a quick work out on my gazelle, had a bath, set the alarm and went to bed. when i got up, i see the front must have apparently pushed southward again, as we had more layers of ice, and topped off with snow. we were lucky in that we had half the amount of snow that they have in madisonville, which is home to the hospital i work in. its a disaster area up there. no one has power in the county. the hospital is running low on generator fuel. patients have been shipped out.
meanwhile, down here, we only had some power flickers, and lost cable/internet...about the time the beautiful aged pink dogwood in the front yard had branches coated in ice so heavily, they were resting on the ground.
then >dammit< no internet or cable.
but what is that to people who are still living with no power/heat/hot water......or paying out of pocket to stay in hotels. many have come down here to shop for essentials, canned stuff, kerosene heaters, and get a nice hot meal at a restaurant, or even a hotel. i know something about it, as we lived in sumter, south carolina, when hurricane hugo pulled thru. no electric for a week. but it was not cold! so eating sandwiches or stuff from cans wasn't too bad. its just been SO cold to not have power.
we were lucky. husband attributes this to being prepared. having a kerosene heater filled and ready to go. plenty of batteries and canned food. propane for the grill to cook, or heat water on for cooking or coffee, 7 hurricane lanterns, candles too numerous to count, radios/cd players..and flashlights. we have a laptop too, but without electricity the router wouldn't work, not to mention that the cable was down.
ice storms are beautiful in their aftermath, especially if followed by a light snow. one of the most beautiful scenes i have ever beheld was driving home, leaving early, to avoid black ice...but it was several years ago, the trees were coated in ice, and there was a couple inches of snow. the sun was out, on my drive home, in a southerly direction, and the sunlight reflecting off the iced treetops had them appearing like jewels in the sun. beautiful sight, totally awesome. i was hoping to see that again, but the hospital remained closed to 'non essentials' (people who do not work directly with patients), so i was stuck here. and today the ice is gone.
wouldn't mind seeing that again, and this time getting a pic. before winter ends.
because i do NOT plan on seeing another winter here. there are so many more 'minuses' than 'pluses' to this 'winter stuff'.....
however, if you've never had 'snow cream' .....you don't know what you're missing!!!!

on another note....i hope pittsburgh wins that superbowl, i think they might, i'll be definitely pulling for 'em. but we still have to plan the 'superbowl feast'......and i think we're having a few ice storm refugees over....
which means, 1) its almost february, and 2) i have GOT to take this tree down...