Day # 5 (February 19, 2021) HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RYDER!

Five days in.  View from our bedroom window.

Einar left Monday and came back on Thursday, when I lured him inside with cat food.  I didn't let him back out because temperatures were still below freezing. By Friday, he was adjusting to being indoors.

We turned our water off at the street on Sunday, February 14, after filling the bathtubs for flushing water and some bottles for drinking water.  We briefly turned the water back on Tuesday to refill tubs and bottles.  We were going to turn it back on Friday, but alas!  Most of Austin was without water, including us.

With no idea when the water would be back on, it was time to harvest snow to refill the tubs at least.

Now the snow was our friend.

We filled the ice chest several times.

But the back steps are still very icy.

We had electricity and natural gas, so melted snow for washing dishes.  I learned that a pot full of snow equals about 1/4 pot of water.
 

Day #4 (Thursday, February 18, 2021)

Einar disappeared on Monday and returned on Thursday, very hungry.  Because below freezing temperatures were predicted for the next few nights, I lured him inside.

He wasn't happy about losing his freedom to roam.

Zephyr ventured out for the first time after Einar came inside.

Before the snowfall, the tomato plants were blossoming and producing.  No more.

Hopeful that I would drive him to McDonald's, Otis cleared snow off the car.  As it turns out, no McDonald's were open.  We figure their employees couldn't get to work.

Icicles on the ligustrum.  So hardy it remained green even after days of ice and snow!

Trophy icicle from Papa's truck.

 

Day #3: no electricity! (February 17-18, 2021)

Icicles on the power lines

We lost power at 6:59 a.m.  We were fooled into thinking it was restored at midnight, when it briefly flickered on.  But no full restoration until 1:30 a.m.  During the 18.5 hours without, the temperature in the house dropped into the mid-40s except for the kitchen, where we boiled water for heat.  Thank goodness we never lost natural gas.  

We closed all the doors to the kitchen and hung a shower curtain in the doorway to the living room.  We were able to keep the kitchen at about 63 degrees.

Luckily we had a solar charger on hand to keep our phones charged.  We were pleasantly surprised that it worked on a window sill under overcast sky.

And old-fashioned candle light for reading.

Papa fell asleep by the boiling water, the warmest place in the house.  I was up to keep adding snow to the pots as our water was off.

Otis watched the Portland Trailblazers' game on my phone while snuggled in a sleeping bag. We high-fived and danced around the kitchen when the power came back on at 1:30 a.m.
 

Snow day #2 (Tuesday, February 16, 2021)

Sidewalk outline in the snow

Speaking of sidewalks, when I lived in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1975-76, residents were required to shovel the sidewalks in front of their homes.  No such requirement in Austin, and we don't have a snow shovel.  Neighbors seemed to be fine trudging through the snow.

Icicles on Papa's truck for the first time in the 20 years that he's owned it.

Flip flops in the snow.  Because it's Austin.  And I don't feel like putting boots on.

We filled bathtubs and jugs with water then turned it off at the street on Sunday, February 14, because freezing weather was predicted and our house is on pier and beam.  Our pipes are exposed.  Papa turned the water on for about 15 minutes on Tuesday so we could refill the bathtubs and jars.

Sunset on Day 2 of the snowpocolypse.

 

Snowy in Portland too

Valentine's Day in Portland.  As Micah said, "It's stupid snowy here."

 Micah by firelight in the snow (February 12, 2021)

Where oh where did Einar go? (February 15, 2021)

Why would Einar leave his insulated cat carrier?  With the heating pad that automatically turns off after two hours, meaning I got up every two hours through the night to turn it back on for him?

First clue that Einar wouldn't be around for breakfast.

His tracks lead to the gap in the fence.  Maybe he was headed for the neighbor's pool house?  Wherever he holed up, he left Monday and didn't return until Thursday.  
 

President's Day dawns (February 15, 2021)

The north wind blew snow onto the front porch.  Tom placed a caution cone on our icy front steps.  It was a postal holiday so we didn't get to find out if "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

Six inches fell at Austin Bergstrom International Airport.  Probably close to that at our house?

Sleeping in on a below freezing morning after 16 hours at work on Sunday.  Tom, that is.  Zephyr put in her regular checking out the yard and house day on Sunday.  But she cat naps, of course.

Nine degrees and sunny at 7 a.m.

Eleven degrees on the front porch.

The view from our bedroom window.

I simply don't like to wear shoes.  Stood barefoot on the front porch to take photos.

Snow on the deck.  Tom covered the greenhouses with tarps on Sunday.  Hopefully the space heaters will keep the inside above freezing for our tomatoes, basil, strawberries, snapdragons, pansies, and more.

View from one kitchen window.

View from the other kitchen window. See Einar's footprints in the snow?  He was headed for the gap in the fence.

 

The St. Valentine's Day snowpocolypse begins! (February 14, 2021)

Because we're on pier and beam with exposed water pipes, a predicted low of 10 degrees means turning the water off at the street.  Dripping faucets won't be enough.  Tom was at work and I couldn't get the water meter handle to turn, even after applying WD40 and hitting it with a hammer.  Luckily Tom's boss let him come home to use his manly skills with tools to turn it off.  Thanks, Katrina!

Snow started falling on Sunday afternoon. 

The snow was blowing from the north, right on to our front porch and temperature gauge.  By the time Papa got home at midnight, the temperature had dropped to 18 degrees.

Remember the brothers barefoot in the snow challenge in Flagstaff?  Otis reenacts the moment.

The snow was thick by 1 a.m. February 15th. Otis is going Austin with flip flops in the snow.

Einar is in his insulated cat carrier with a heating pad.  The other extension cord goes to a space heater in the greenhouses.  Fingers crossed that the plants make it.
 

Ice! (Thursday, February 11, 2021)

The tomato plants were still green and producing.  Then--Elsa!

We still had tomato blossoms.  Ja vel.

Hoping the tree branches can take the extra ice weight without breaking.

Our Chinese Plum blossoms encased in ice.