Home Again

Thank you Lord! We returned home to our farmstead after a week away. My husband and I did have a nice stay with our daughter, her husband, and our grandchildren. Plus their little papillion doggie "wiggles". Thanks for the hospitality . ; ) We kept in contact with our neighbors across the road from us to see when we would be able to get back into the neighborhood. The water returned the same evening we left last week, but the electricity didn't come back on until Thursday , March 1st, late in the afternoon. As was forecast for Iowa we did get a replay of the bad weather starting earlier in the day on Thursday. It seemed to me though that the weather was worse for stranding motorists this time around. We weren't able to come home until Sunday after the majority of the storm finished Friday night. The wind was a big cause in our part of Iowa , it made the snow take on a more ominous character. When we heard that the snowplow came through to get the huge drifts reduced for vehicle traffic on our road we packed up our satchels and headed home. Once we got here we used the neighbors drive to park our car until we were able to walk our 1/2 mile drive to get the tractor. My husband had to move snow to allow us access in and out. Won't be long now. The days are getting longer and all of us will be headed outside again to enjoy our surroundings. Until next week then...Have fun!

Been awhile...

How have you been fairing these February days? Here in Iowa we have finally gotten what you call a "storm". Parts of the state have gotten a little snow, others have gotten freezing rain /snow, still others have received lots and lots of snow. Many people are without electricity and water. My husband and I fall into that category. Saturday noon , February 24th we were sitting down to lunch and the electricity blinked a couple of times and went totally out. In an effort to keep our water from freezing we kept the taps open a little bit through the night, again around noon on Sunday we lost another important means of existence, water. We had our propane left to cook with and to heat the area around the stove for a short time. The cold was becoming more prominent and starting to make leaving home a little easier. As we sat eating lunch Sunday, our breathe became visible when we exhaled. The telephone service was being taxed as well. Either by everybody trying to find alternate living arrangements or contacting loved ones in the affected areas. Our neighbor's tried to contact us via phone to invite us to share their basement with them, which they were able to keep at a balmy 50 degrees with the help of a kerosene heater. They also had wanted to have us share some stew made over a wood fueled open grill...What a kind gesture. However, we had already prepared our own, and had only become aware of their idea when my husband took our tractor down the drive to check on our exodus from the home front. We have taken up temporary quarters with our daughter and her family 32 miles from home. My husband plans on an excursion home after he leaves work this evening to make sure all is well in our absence. Iowa is on the list of states that are expecting more winter weather by mid-week. Guess we should get ready for the new round of "patience trying" extremes. Last week we saw temperatures in the upper 30's, 40's and I believe even into the 50's. Why couldn't it have lasted until Spring finally made it's appearance ? ; ) Time to wish everyone well...Hope you are safe and warm- with family, friends or in a hotel to escape the elements. Later!