Freaky Ice, Snow, And a Puppy in Texas
Response to a prompt by Dr. Preeti Singh: My Experiences With Snow
February 17, 2021 — Day Five of the freak winter storm affecting Texas.
This is what my daughter’s backyard in Austin looks like.
Frozen —
Today is Day 2 without water.
Four days back, the water froze and burst the outside pipe. Yesterday, we ran out of our stored water.
So, today, I am in my daughter, N’s, backyard chipping away at the ice and hardened snow. I throw the chunks into an aluminum trough.
Dobby, my daughter’s German Shepherd-Rottweiler puppy, romps around my feet, sucking on bits of ice. She’s teething.
We dump the ice and snow from the trough into N’s half-full bathtub. Every additional drop helps. We may not have water — but unlike most of Texas — we still have electricity. At least we are not freezing indoors.
Back home —
Back home in Houston, R (hubby) had no electricity or water for three days. He togged up like a cabbage and huddled under blankets. He got out of bed only to scrounge for food in the fridge or pantry.
Luckily, he was able to get a plumber to stop by today. The water is back on, and the roads are halfway to drivable. After three days of icy leftovers and past-their-expiry-date snacks, R is celebrating with takeout.
Birds —
We put up bird feeders in our backyard in Houston two months ago. Came in handy, R said, for the doves, finches, and chickadees that flocked to feed during the ice storm. Missed seeing them.
Shoveling snow in Texas —
Early this morning, N and I picked up four bottles of water at the gas station. The grocery store was out of water. So we bought two bags of ice and melted them over the stove.
We also drove around picking up whatever provisions still remained at a couple of gas stations, drug stores, and grocery stores.
When we got home, N parked her car in the garage — and the rain began. It was a light sprinkling and lasted for only ten minutes. But it was enough to harden the snow into ice.
Our years of living in Canada had prepared us for just such an eventuality — in Texas. N and I rushed out with a long, stiff-bristled broom and spade; we didn’t have anything else. N broke up the icy mounds of snow with the spade, and I pushed the snow and icy debris off the driveway.
We worked for forty-five minutes. By the time we got done, we were sweating. If nothing else, the exercise warmed us up like our multiple layers of clothing could not.
Back to the present —
Snow shoveled — ✔ Bathtub half-filled with melting ice/snow/—✔ Ice melted for potable water — ✔
All that remains is lunch.
In fifteen minutes, we will treat ourselves to a lunch of pot stickers, hummus, and fig newtons. In the evening, we will dine on trail mix, cheese, and garbanzo beans. But before we dig in, the puppy needs to be fed.
Thankfully, we are well-stocked with puppy food for Dobby.
Bon appetit, y’all!
Thank you for stopping by! 🌼🌻
Here is a lovely story by Pamela Oglesby. “The quiet touches my soul.”
A wonderful piece for every parent by Judy Walker:
And a fun snow piece by Penny Grubb:
And here’s some non-snow stuff from me:
Thanks much, Yana Bostongirl, for publishing my story. Really appreciate.🌷
