Help! It is dark, slippery and there are kids everywhere!
By loved1
@loved1 (5328)
United States
February 27, 2007 2:04pm CST
I simply can't believe how crazy it is this week. I have lived in Iowa for 34 years and don't remember seeing this kind of a mess for quite some time. We had a major ice storm last weekend that knocked out the power for hundreds of thousands of people and made everything a slippery mess. All the stores in the area are sold out of generators and sidewalk salt too. Luckily, my small town has it's own generator system so we were only out of power for about 8 hours or so. (That was actually kind of fun. We took candles with us and went to the bar! lol) However there are many small towns (and country dwellers) who still have no power, days later. As a result, all the local motels are full, and most schools have been cancelled for the last few days. I was just told that school would probably be cancelled until next week! Yikes! My daycare is full of stir-crazy children! The worst part of all of this is that we are expecting more ice and snow, starting tomorrow, for the next three days. Do you think I can last without losing my mind?
5 people like this
11 responses
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
28 Feb 07
Yes, it is very crazy. I feel so sorry for you and your town. Please stay warm. Do everything to make sure your family is supply with food. I have been without power for 12 hours and I know how you feel.
There is the light in the end, so please stay alert, but don't loose your mind. We nees you here on mylot!
Take care.
1 person likes this
@loved1 (5328)
• United States
1 Mar 07
Thank you! It is fairly warm outside (35 degrees F) and my house is well built so we are doing fine in that respect. I had a great supply of food before last weekend but it is dwindling quickly. I did not know school was going to be cancelled for the week and the kids are eating me out of house and home. On the other hand, I am making good daycare money this week so I will be able to restock my supplies. We have a local grocery store just a few blocks down the road so we are fortunate that way too. It is good to know I have such good friends on Mylot. =)
@goowter (51)
• United States
28 Feb 07
I hear ya. I'm in West Des Moines and I don't remember the winter being this bad last year. There have been several times, when the temperature didn't get into double digits for a couple weeks, that I just wanted to pack the family up and move somewhere where it doesn't snow or get cold ;) The funny thing is though that now that it is in the 20's and 30's that I find I don't even need a coat. I guess your body just adjusts. We didn't lose power, and I am sure its much worse where you are, but this has got to be ending soon. Hang in there.
@ljcapps (1925)
• United States
3 Mar 07
First, i'm glad you have power! Secondly, no. you'll go crazy. LOL seriously though i think you'll be okay if you can make it through the next round of storms unscathed. I do love the "it's slippery and there are kids everywhere!" Honestly, it brought to mind my wife's guppies that are procreating like crazy. I don't know why, i can't explain it, that's just what came to mind. good luck on that, and don't kill them it's illegal.
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
7 Mar 07
wow, I never thought about daycares not having power. Those kids must be so hyper! I run a nursery, and I know when the weather is bad, to expect the children to be full of uncontainable energy. One thing we do sometimes is move all of the furniture and let them chase each other around in cirlces. I only have them for a few hours a week though, so they would get quite bored of this after a while, and I don't have any routine issues I need to deal with like you may at a day care. But they love it, and it's nice to just sit back and watch them run and run and run. Good luck. Hopefully your ice storm won't be as bad as they think.
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
27 Feb 07
I'm so sorry! :( I had never thought about the impact of an ice storm on something like a day care center. It sounds like you have a real handfull there. I hope that schools can get back in working order soon so that you won't be so swamped! I remember having an ice storm here in Kansas City a long time ago when i was still in school, and how much fun it was for me personally, lol. I got to stay home for several days and sit around and read by candlelight. Nowadays I would not love that. I would be going crazy without internet access, lol!
@loved1 (5328)
• United States
27 Feb 07
My internet is through my cable company. Cable was also down all weekend so I had no cable or internet. I must have tried to get internet up 100 times on Saturday. lol The kids are actually being pretty good, but they are going stir crazy from being cooped up.
@palpalsky (899)
• United States
23 Mar 07
iam sorry to hear about this ..well its quite natural that you might run out of patientce ..but i would say just relax and dont worry alot ..its act of god and thinks will be fine ...
@sbeauty (5865)
• United States
16 Dec 07
I'm curious as to where in Iowa you live. We live in Melcher-Dallas, and our power was out 2 1/2 days this time. I've lived in Iowa 52 of my 56 years, and there's only one other time I can remember when we had an ice storm this bad in an area where I lived. We had no school for 3 days. The day care where I worked until last week closed because it had no power. We got around 1" of ice. Then, yesterday, we got several inches of snow on top of the ice. Iowa is home, but there are things which we didn't miss while living in the south. Namely ice and snow!
@sweetlady10 (3611)
• United States
27 Feb 07
I am so sorry to hear that you are suffering from this and also those other people who are there without power. They are brave to live without power in this freezing cold.
Hope all the situation will improve soon and you will be doing fine I believe. Just hope for the best that the next coming bad weather would not make it worse.
Good Luck!
@loved1 (5328)
• United States
27 Feb 07
Thanks for your kind words. Luckily, as soon as the freezing rain stopped the temperature started to rise. It is still only about 40 degrees but at least it is not 40 below! I am bracing my feet for the next few days. I think I may run to town tonight so I can refill my candle supply.
@BrenoBrendalia2007 (84)
• Brazil
28 Feb 07
Calm down!!! each country has its own problemns, here in Brazil, there have been some terrorists attacks, the last crazy thing is about buses, the terrorist are setting fire on buses even with people on it, they are doing that in response to the police action which has prohibited cell phones in jail, and they're trying to scare people out of prison...trying to get their demands, isn't it an absurd???
But regarding your situation, I think you should live this experience and learn something, to live without energy is a great challenge but remember that some years ago people do get by with no energy, think about it.
@loved1 (5328)
• United States
28 Feb 07
I am truly one of the lucky ones. I was only without power for a few hours so no damage was done. There are many, many people who are facing terrible hardships both here and in other countries. No matter how bad it is, it could always be worse. I have always been one to count my blessings and have been doing anything I can to help out the people in my area. I am fortunate in so many ways. There are people 10 minutes from my house who have not had a hot meal for a week. (They have eaten, but they are getting tired of lunchmeat sandwiches) I happen to have a gas stove so even if there is no electricity, I can still cook a hot meal and use the burners to create some heat. I am sorry such terrible things are happening in your country. That would be very scary. You are correct about people living without electricity some years ago, and getting along just fine. However, most of us were not prepared for this kind of disaster. There are many Amish people in our state who choose to live without electricity. To them, this is probably life as usual. Thanks so much for your comments. I will be praying for peace in your country. =)
@gottogogirl1956 (115)
• United States
7 Mar 07
I always try to find something good in every situation. It doesn't always work mind you. You are a kind, inventive, creative person. A little insanity in that situation is to be expected. Look on the bright side you could have had stir crazy kids and NO electricity all week. Time to get out your DAY CARE MOMMY magic wand and create your own special magic. Don't fret little one, spring is just around the corner. The sun will shine the trees and the grass will be green and the warmth of the sun will take the kids outside. Get out your mud pie recipe because before the grass grows the mud will be in abundance. Good luck! I know you can do it.
