Some of you may be aware that Iowa was hit by a big ice storm the other day. We did not escape it. Everything outside was covered by a layer of ice. Trees and plants were the most dramatic.
Somewhere close by a power line went down and we lost electricity for about 9 or 10 hours. Of course, the cell phones and Karen’s IPOD were not fully charged. Luckily, the rechargable lantern was ok. We dug out old oil lamps and candles but figured that in the long run, using the fireplace would only make the house colder.
The weather forecast said Iowa City would be hit pretty bad so anticipating that school would be closed, Lance and Cherise brought Rachel up to stay with us. They both had to be at work. It was really nice having her here. Karen’s school was closed so she got to play with Rachel too. As it turns out, Ben’s daycare was closed so Lance had to stay home with him anyway and need not have brought Rachel here. Oh well, our gain.
We have chordless phones these days and the base stations all need a little transformer for them to operate, hence our concern that the cell phones were about empty. Without electricity, they were unable to be recharged. So imagine our surprise when we heard a phone ringing. It turns out that the phone in our bedroom is the only one we have left that still has a chord and therefore does not need a transformer.
While I was talking on the phone, Karen lets out an EEK! then there was a CRASH! BOOM! I looked up to see the ceiling vibrating like a trampoline. We waited till everything was quiet and went out to take a look. A branch from our closest oak tree had fallen on the roof. It was from pretty high up on the tree so it fell about 50 feet, not good. But, being high up, it wasn’t as big in diameter as it might have been, good. It’s still up there for now. I don’t have any desire to climb up on a snowy roof top to deal with it. Once the snow melts I will be able to chop it up and toss it down to the ground. Also, I’ll be able to inspect the roof for damage. For now, let sleeping dogs lie. Lance figured that as the branch broke, the top rotated downwards and ripped away from the trunk. That meant that it fell “branches down” and “trunk up”, distributing the impact and cushioning its fall. Had the trunk hit first, it might have acted as a pile driver and poked a hole right through the roof. Take a look…
Since we had no way to cook, we had lunch out when we were running errands. In the late afternoon Lance and Cherise picked up Rachel. We settled in for a dark, cold evening. We tried playing backgammon by lamp light. That worked for a while but got old quickly, especially since Karen was thumping me about 6 to 1. She was reading in the dim illumination but that was not for me so I chose the best of all worlds, going to bed early. We didn’t want to sleep in the water bed because the mattress would be getting colder and colder as the night went on. We decided to camp out in the spare bedroom which has a regular double bed. It was OK with me but being smaller than our regular bed, it drove Karen nuts and she got up after a very short time. Luckily, about then, the power came back on and we could sleep in the water bed after all. It had not gotten too cold and the heater was back on.
In the morning there were tons of telephone calls arranging for Karen’s scheduled field trip. Everyone involved had been incommunicado because of the drained cell phones and lack of electricity. There was no internet traffic either. You really forget just how dependent you are on electricity till you are without it.
Wow! I’m glad no one got hurt. I was wondering if any branches had dropped on your property after hearing about the storm on the news last night.
The tress and bushes that didn’t fall down sure do look pretty though.
we’re bracing ourselves for that storm. as much as i love ice storms, it doesn’t do well for holiday shoppers… at least i don’t have to drive to work! glad everyone is ok and the branch didn’t come into your house!
Wow, you got it way worse than we did. The temps stayed right around 32 degrees so we had lots of mush. We were able to clean off the drive and walk, but what was left froze and the next morning was a skating rink. We were worried about our dead oak tree which is getting cut down on Thursday. It held up no big branches fell on us. Glad you are all okay and hope it is out of the Iowa system before we come down on the 20th.
Wo, I hope your roof is not damaged! So far, touch wood, all that has missed us. Tuesday Lin and I were shopping in shirt sleeves. We went today again so Lin could use my old fart deduction at Kohl’s and we just had light jackets. However when we got back her house was cold because somehow the back door was wide open. Thelma and Louise strike again!
Wow, I guess I can’t really complain too much about it being cold here… It felt pretty cold at the park today.
55’F. Big whoop.
Electricity: the invisible glue of civilization.
Your photos are so dramatic. And WOW, just like the others thought….you were really lucky…and kinda of mystery like at the same time….waiting to see what damage was done.
This house is different than the one I visited, uh? I remember you moved. But did you buy this one, too? It’s looks like a really nice house with beautiful summer shade from all the nice trees…..yeh,,,, suuuuure.
There’s going to be a little less shade next summer.
Leah
Beautiful, safe (thankfully) respite from your usual lives. Nice. Here, the fog was so thick you couldn’t see a thing!
I knew that you had been hit. I’m glad that you are all safe and (for the time being) nothing has been damaged.
Butch, I think that climbing on the roof after an ice storm sounds like a very manly activity. What’s your problem?
It’s raining here again… I wonder what you’re getting!
P.S.
Thelma and Louise, indeed!
I really enjoyed your narrative and photographs – more so – as I am sitting in a nice warm house with everything functioning !!!!! Mind you having had such cuts of services here too at times I have found the worst thing to be with out is – water .Keep off that roof – that is unless you want to break a bone or two !!!!
test test test