Saturday, January 4, 2014

Hunker Down, Pa...thar's a big un a'comin'...

 Waiting for Snowmageddon ... they've been scaring the bejeezus out of everyone around here, threatening us with subzero high temps, howling gales and 10-12 inches of snow.  It was supposed to start at 9 PM...it's now 10:40 and still no snow.  After all people have put themselves through today, wouldn't you think the snowpocalypse could have the decency to show up on time ? 

  It has been ridiculous.  People stormed the Walmart and they had to OPEN ALL THE CHECKOUT REGISTERS !!!!!!  LOL  At least that's what people told me.  And that there were people and carts lined up almost to the back of the store.  I had to make a stop at Office Max today, because I can't possibly get through a storm of this magnitude at the beginning of a new year without a 2014 desk calendar. I also picked up a two pack of scotch tape, in case we run into a tape emergency (if you recall, I ran out of regular scotch tape at Xmas and had to finish up my wrapping with the clear packing tape).  Office Max happens to be right near the Walmart, so I had a look at the parking lot. It was a sea of cars. I did have a small list of things to pick up (but never, ever at Walmart), and my plan was to stop at the Schnucks (a medium sized family owned grocery chain)  in Bethalto, but when I got to the intersection there, I could see that their parking lot was packed too.  No way, no how am I going anywhere with that many people in there. So, I just toodled on back this way, stopped at my favorite mom and pop market here in town and bought 1) Garlic  2) ground beef  3) and celery.  Period.  Oh, and buttermilk for making biscuits and gravy for my 2 favorite men tomorrow morning.  My thinking was that I would make a meatloaf for supper tonight and that would be ideal for leftovers and sandwiches in case we lose power. I already have some soup made. There were a couple of shoppers there, with their cart loaded with milk, white bread and eggs.  I guess they're thinking that if they're going to die in the snowpocalypse, they're gonna die with their bellies full of either bread pudding or French Toast.

  People love to freak out, don't they ?  I already have a stocked pantry. I have a gas stove, a gas grill and a camp stove.  I have candles, oil lamps and a kerosene heater all ready to go if we lose power. I always have water stored. We always have a fridge full of leftovers, because all I ever do is cook.  We always have batteries and flashlights  at the ready. All critter food stocked up.  Bring it on.  I even stopped by the Goodwill today and picked up 3 paperbacks for reading during the blizzard, and a new pair of gloves and a hat that looks warmer than the one I have.

  BRING.   IT.   ON.

  lol  Always ready for an adventure...



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  Well that's about it.  I did get out today and went to a meeting and picked up somebody new. The highways are clear, but my road (2.5 miles to the highway) was about 75% snow/icy still.  That was around 9:30 AM. Today got up into the 40's and so melted off most of the rest of it by the time I came back home at 3.  I had a nice lunch with a friend before coming home, and thought I should get out since I haven't left the house since coming home New Years Day.  And if this storm proves to be anything near what they're forecasting, I may not be leaving the old homestead for another 4 or 5 days. So, la di da...off I danced and had a great time.  Got home and did 3 loads of laundry, just to have that caught up, and made the meatloaf for supper. The Irishman was watching Titanic when I got home (he's such a girl) and finished the second half of it just in time for supper.  So, we watched Usual Suspects, the old movie with Kevin Spacey and Gabriel Byrne and Chazz Palminteri  while we chowed down on leftover mashed potatoes and gravy and leftover green beans (both from last night's supper) along with the meatloaf.  He took both dogs to the reservoir to run this afternoon and was pretty much beat. After the movie he was dozing off, and finally showered and went to bed.

  It was interesting today, going down (25 minutes south) to the meeting to see that they only got about 2 inches of snow down there, and we still have 5 in our yard.  I swear, sometimes it feels like we're in or own weather zone up here.  lol

  Well, just checked out the window and still no snow. Hmmm...probably we'll wake up to a blizzard. Time will tell.

  Yaawwwnnn...thinking it might be time for me to start pointing my old butt towards bed.  I'm pretty tired today myself.  Gotta check, I think there may be a cat outside in the garage who needs to come in. Everybody else is all snug in their beds.


  Sleep well, my friends.  Or play well, depending on what time  you read this !  lol


(WooHoo !!  This is my 900th post!!)

Namaste.

8 comments:

Beth said...

We have lots of blowing snow here this morning and I bet that you do too by now. Hoping the power stays on for us both.

Annette said...

I love reading about your life. Every time I look at my hen and chicks I think of you. Mine look like mush right now from the freezing snow. :o(
I am hoping they come back in the spring, even as just baby hens and with even smaller chicks.

Akannie said...

Here too, Beth, tho it didn't start til 6 AM, and then got 4 inches in about an hour. No power problems so far...you stay warm and safe, dearie !!

Akannie said...

Annette--did you mulch them good with straw? they should bounce back, nonetheless..

It's some crazy weather around these parts...fun stuff. lol

Rita said...

It always amazes me how nutty people go hitting the stores if there's any kind of storm or bad weather predicted. I mean, most all of those people have lived up here all their lives, for goodness sakes. Why are there runs on shovels and snowblowers when they predict the first snowstorm, too, you know? Cracks me up! I think there are a lot more procrastinators in the world than one would think--LOL!

Did you get your storm? Those people should have been home like you--making sure they have clean clothes and some edible food if the electricity goes out. ;)

Thank God we don't usually have electricity go out up here. We'd freeze to death!

Mama Pea said...

I just don't understand why people don't have the sense to plan ahead a little bit. Before a storm, the TV/radio warns to get in enough food and supplies for 3 days. Good grief, I came out of our pantry the other day and told hubby I think we could eat out of there for a couple of years before going hungry. Okay, so I may overdo my "be prepared-ness" but it sure is a secure feeling to know you wouldn't run out of food (or toilet paper!) if you couldn't shop for a week or so.

There must be the thought of meat loaf in the atmosphere . . . we're having it tomorrow night. We love meat loaf sandwiches, too.

Akannie said...

Rita...I know, right ?? It's hysterical the way it is.

And oh yes--we got our storm. It has finally stopped snowing and we got about 13.5 inches, with 35 mph winds. It's been crazy. (knock wood) we did not lose power either, although the towns 20 miles away did for a bit. Did all the little things we could for the chickens- hot oatmeal for lunch (lol--people think I'm crazy, but they just LOVE it), extra new straw, changed their water twice when it started to freeze. We have heated waterers, but it didn't help much today.

Akannie said...

Mama Pea--I told the Irishman the same thing about our pantry. lol And it's true...I took that Sharon Astyk course called Independence Days last year, and learned a lot about stocking a pantry AND eating out of it...what kind of things you would need (that might not occur to you) and the fact that grocery stores have 3 days worth of inventory in them. In the event of a disaster or if oil runs out and there are no delivery trucks... you are outta luck. I've always been a bit of a (I hate to say it, because it's true) food hoarder anyway, because I have had some pretty lean times in my life. Today I know we could get by for quite a while if we couldn't get out.