Ice Storm

In the last 2-3 weeks we have had the coldest, longest sustained weather in the last 25 years that we have lived here. Temperatures did not get above the high 20's for nearly 2 weeks. Then on top of that we had snow at times, not much, but enough for the ground to be white. The county schools have been closed for over a week because of the snow/cold. Then a week ago Sunday afternoon and evening we had about 4 inches of snow to fall. Now for you people who read this in Sweden and Russia, I know I am sounding like a whimp. But we have lived in colder areas. For instance, we lived over a year in Finland, where it started snowing in October and we still had that snow, plus more on the ground on May Day. We have lived in the snowy areas of the US also. But this cold and snow is so unusual for this area of Tennessee. We do get snow, but not the sustained cold temperatures for this long.

Then on top of the snow that we had gotten last Sunday night, we got an ice storm Thursday. I am so thankful my husband was raised in West Virginia and knows how to drive on snow and ice. I had a colonoscopy scheduled on Thursday morning. Had to be at the hospital at 7 AM. Normally we can drive to that hospital in 7-8 minutes by going the back way. When we got up that morning and saw the ice, we decided through town was the best way, where, hopefully, there had been more traffic and the streets would be a little less icy. We arrived at the hospital and was able to park just in front of the drive under canopy at the front door. Oh, but it was a challenge to get out of the car to  that covered area where there was no ice. When we arrived at the front door, it still locked. Guess the person who normally unlocks it, had not made it in. So we had to walk/slide to the emergency entrance. After walking back and forth between departments to be checked up, we finally arrived at the out patient department. After I had been checked in there and everything was ready for the procedure, the nurse comes in and tells me that the doctor will be late. He lives out in the country and there were many cars off the road, or blocking the road and he could not get through. He arrived about an hour late and I got my procedure done and was released to go home, after we went by the pharmacy to get a new medicine for me.

Okay, I've said all that to say this: our sewer line leading from the house to the big city sewer is frozen! We noticed that there was some drainage problems with our bathroom downstairs. I mentioned that I wondered if it could be frozen due to the long cold weather spell we have had. Got the city sewer people here this morning with a friend of ours who is a contractor to check it out. It evidentally is frozen. Not completely frozen closed, as the water from the bathrooms upstairs is slowly going out. But frozen enough that it needs attention. The city sewer department men are not allowed to go in someone's house. Okay, strange, but I can kind of understand that! So our friend has gotten in touch with Roto Rooter people and they will be here in an hour or so to see if they can unstop our sewer lines. Then I can have to joy of getting my shower for today!!

We sometimes forget to be thankful for the little conveniences we have until something comes up and they are not available. We are just thankful we had a bathroom that we could use as long as we did not use it too often. After they get the sewer opened I will have to get everything cleaned up and the things I had to move, put back in place. Life is never dull when you own a house. There are always those little surprises.

Everyone have a good day!!