Well there's about 4-5 inches of ice outside. Not snow but ice! I've done about everything I can think of to entertain myself today since the nice people I work for told me to stay home.

I've scraped the truck and covered it so I won't have to scrape off the several inches of ice and snow that we are still expecting. I've cleaned the house, brought in the wood, taken the dog for a walk, taken a nap, read, got supper started, and surfed the net. The last thing on the list is planning the spring garden, but I thought I'd save something to do tonight. Help I'm bored!!

-- debra in ks (windfish@toto.net), January 30, 2002

Answers

We've only had about 1/2" ice so far (supposed to get snow, more ice, and freezing rain over the next two days - about 6 - 8 inches total). The house was cleaned yesterday, my DH brought in wood last night, and the dog and I took a very short walk today (just far enough to mail out the tax returns). I spent most of the day putting together an old puzzle that I'm selling on ebay so that I could advertise that it was complete. Now, I'm going to go pick some more meat off the chicken I fixed in the crock pot the other day and make chicken and rice soup with the reserved stock. I made chicken quesadillas last night. Anything that's left will have to go in the freezer or the dog's bowl (DH can't take leftover chicken for more than 2 days in a row!).

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), January 30, 2002.

Well we have ice too here in OK. and I have a baby calf just born in a bad area. I tried to move him but Mom and DAD don't seem to want me in the field. I guess I'll wait to hubby gets home, he is better with the cows than me.

-- debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), January 30, 2002.

Oh gee, I guess our 60 degree temperatures tomorrow are going to be hard to take!!!

We get ice on occasion, we usually are without power for days or weeks at a time when that happens, because of all the large trees everyhere coming down on the lines, if you still have power, you are ahead of us when the ice storms come :-)!!!

Was one of the reasons Y2K was no big deal here in the boonies of SE Ohio, heck, we have to be prepared for Mother Nature all the time here, had the generators and fuel and food stocked up 20 years before Y2K was the big worry! Granny taught me that long ago!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), January 30, 2002.

Here in central OK it hasn't turned to ice anywhere on the ground YET, but the trees and power lines are making us suffer already. I doubt the kids have school tomorrow, as it's supposed to freeze up good tonight! It's been raining all day long, and I confess to having made the mistake of turning on the classic movie channel (it will hook me when nothing else will), and halfway watching a couple of neat old movies today when I SHOULD have been cleaning the house and sewing!

Usually when I get this lazy during the day, I put the kids to bed and then clean later. You may see me visiting here again about midnight!

P.S. Hey Debra, did you ever notice people who don't know what it's like to drive on ice don't understand what all the fuss is about?

-- Christine in OK (cljford@mmcable.com), January 30, 2002.

I think it was 1995 or 1996 I was sent to Watertown,NY. to work on the 3 inch ice storm they got. Some of the people were without power for four months. It was complete destruction to that area. I've seen floods, Agnes 1972, I've seen snow, Washington DC 1984, but I sure wasn't prepared for the ice. I saw 350 ft. steel towers with the main power feeds twisted like pretzels. I had a crew to replace telephone poles. There was a 9.5 mile stretch of telephone poles that were snapped off. On the other side of the road was the power poles. I hope I never have to work around such a site, ever. I wish you all luck.

-- Herb (hwmil@aol.com), January 30, 2002.

I hope you found something fun to do, today! When we have ice or snow storms, I love to plan our garden and plant seeds in the greehouse.I also enjoy cutting squares for a quilt or other fabric crafts! We have been having 75+ temps the last three days-- calling for 70*+ tomorrow! I hope that the fruit trees don't start to bud out!! Stay warm!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), January 30, 2002.

Wish I could send you some of the 77 degrees we had today. Our weather chimp says we will pay for today with low 20s on Saturday.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 30, 2002.

Here in southcentral Michigan we have about 8 inches of snow since this morning, with predictions of 6-9 more inches during the night. The ice isn't suppose to happen until tomorrow. To be very honest, I can not remember being bored in my life. There are just too many things that I love to do. Today I baked some bread, watched my fish, watered plants, did a little crocheting and a little reading and before I knew it the day was GONE. Wish I could slow down time. We are set up like Annie, have been for a lot of years, although the generator is just from last summer. After Y2K there were a lot of "used" generators on the market and we got one very cheap that will run all the freezers etc.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 30, 2002.

Its still coming down out there. The weatherman says ice all night tonight. Ok all you folks with warm weather quit rubbin' it in! :)

-- debra in ks (windfish@toto.net), January 30, 2002.

Covered the windshield of my car, but if it comes down as bad as predicted, I'm not going anywhere! {Mid.NYS} I could always clean the basement, paint the bedroom, sort photos, re-wire lamps, dust(I doubt it!) repot plants, file (nah), order a few sale items from my new Bean catalog(love those socks and PJ's)Debra: wish you were closer, I'd put you to work!

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), January 30, 2002.

Some rain and cold weather would be nice here in North Florida. It's been so warm going on these last two weeks the maples and red buds are breaking out, my blueberries are blooming and my apples are acting like they want to break out too. I just know we're going to get another hard freeze and that'll be the end of the blossoms.

.........Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), January 30, 2002.

No ice here yet. May get some tomarrow this is once I am hoping that the I-44 barrier works. What this is it seems that a lot of these stroms stop the ice there and south we get snow or rain. I am 35 miles south of the line but am concerned. As I have no transportation and do live in the country I had more goat feed delivered today so can go a month now without anyone coming in or out. My only worry is the oxygen but will make it. I always try to stay preparded as I think the more you are ready for something the less likely it will be as bad. But then again if you are ready things won't be as bad. If the power goes off I have a lot of reading that needs to be done. With my oil lamps would just be a little more slow paced. This forum would be the most missed. gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef@getgoin.net), January 30, 2002.

Here in SE Ks we are iced over and the power is out. My hubby was up past midnight getting all the bugs worked out of the generator. It was working fine but the power fluctuations when he first cranke dit up messed up the computer controll board in some of the barns. My poor trees!! I think that we have lost the tops and big limbs out of every one of them. I went out to make sure the limbs had not knocked any of my bee hives over and it was a very distressing sight. I could hear limbs popping all over.... It will probably take us a week to get it all cleaned up.

-- Tana Mc (mcfarm@totelcsi.net), January 31, 2002.

I'm sorry to hear about the damage some of you are getting. I remember in Florida (my homestate)during the 80's we got a series of freezes in Central Florida that nearly wiped out the orange groves. Result was that more of the industry got pushed further south. In the hilly places (Lake County, west of Orlando) the trees in the bottoms would be dead where the cold had settled.

We are in Maryland and are having rain today and mild temps. Yesterday, my children painted our A-frame chicken tractors with the brick-red barn paint. Today, we hope to make a recyclables dump run and then go to the stockyard for the miscellaneous and small animal autions.

-- Lavender Blue Dilly, Maryland (lavenderbluedilly@hotmail.com), January 31, 2002.

Well, here today all the schools are out over a large part of the state, and there are downed power lines EVERYWHERE.

I heard on the news this morning that there are around 200,000 people without power just with OG&E. I don't know how many with the smaller co-ops are out, but they're expecting more today as the wind picks up.

I'm just glad that I'm stocked up and don't have to leave the house, and we didn't lose too many limbs on our trees. I have seen some terrible pictures on the news of 100 year old trees that are just destroyed.

-- Christine in OK (cljford@mmcable.com), January 31, 2002.

Makes me glad to be in SE Texas!!!!!! RG

-- Ron (speedstar5558@yahoo.com), January 31, 2002.

Oh my...and I have been complaing about the humidity and hot weather here in N.Fl. At noon today our thermometer said 84. i know it is going to change and get all the new buds and growth. I guess its time to count the blessings.

-- Sandi (Msjazt@aol.com), January 31, 2002.

We have lots of snow and ice here in western OK. Lots of power outages. I can't complain, this is the first big snow we've had this season. Like most of the folks on this board, we already have everything we need in stock so I don't mind. Time to get out and make snow angels, have a snowball fight, make snow ice cream, hitch up the horse to the sled, ride the horse bareback for warmth! Best wishes!

-- cowgirlone in OK (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), January 31, 2002.

It has been snowing here all day. Now I hear sleet hitting the window. Weather reports for our area are 1-3" 3-5" 6-8" 6-12". Last time we got a snowstorm warning calling for 6-12" we didn't even get a snowflake. I always tell the guys at work we'll know what we are going to get from the storm when it's over.As of right now we have (hold on while I go look lol)about three inches of snow.

I am really hoping we do not get the ice we're suppose to get.

-- george nh (rcoopwalpole@aol.com), January 31, 2002.

We are in south OKC, and lost power for about 16 hours, but stayed very comfortable with our wood stove, we all wear shorts all winter, I can only imagine what the neighbors think when they see me go to the mail box with bare legs in a below zero wind chill.

We where just about ready to have the power go out when it did, the only thing I didn't get done before it went, was the set up our battery powered tv, finished that by candle and oil lamp, my boys played in the light of the fire, I played cards, watched the weather on the little tv, and tryed to think of what else I might like to have around for the next power outage.

I guess the only bad thing was that several large branches fell out of our elm tree on to our roof, but there is still to much ice to get up there and check it out, so we have to wait for it to thaw some.

-- Thumper (slrldr@yahoo.com), January 31, 2002.

Where is you man. Sounds like a good time for ...

-- ed (edfrhes@aol.com), February 01, 2002.

I hate to here about all the bad weather you all are getting(I only remember it getting bad one time when we lived in OK). I'm glad (surprised) we're not getting it here. I know it has to hit us before to long. We haven't had much winter yet. Record highs today (70's). The way it's going we'll get our snow in july!

-- Terri in WV (mrs_swift_26547@yahoo.com), February 01, 2002.

Ed, we took care of that before he went to work.......

-- Thumper (slrldr@yahoo.com), February 01, 2002.