That's a long time to not have any electricity. My heart goes out to them.

Charlee lives in New Madrid, which is in the bootheel too.

Sure hope they get electricity soon! That's a long time to be without.

Gosh I feel for your family MMR.
We used to have friends in Kennet Missouri, have lost contact with them though and not sure they still live there.
Lyd I was just thinking about emailing you to see if you'd heard from Charlee lately! I hope her and Glen are ok!

I thought about Charlee too. It is so hard on little kids, and old people, and sick people. My nephew's wife
is due to have her baby the first of March, she sure is hoping the power is back on by then.

I know lots of people in Kennett!! Some people there have power!

How awful! I really feel for them.

I cannot imagine being without electricity that long. I feel 'deprived' if it's off a couple of hours. I pray that it's back up and running for all very soon.

Shirley (who still has lots of ice in her drive even though temps have been in 40s and 50s for two days.)

I wouldn't be a happy camper. My heart goes out to all that haven't power!

I'm so sorry for them. Any word on how much longer? They must be so uncomfortable. It must feel like being back in the pioneer days, only worse because they are not used to living that way.

Do they have heat? The stove? Lanterns?

How miserable. At least it's starting to melt. Hopefully, they are able to go back to work or school even if the power is off at home.

Tell your sister I said hello, please, MMR. I hope their power is back on soon. The country to our south still has lots of problems too and a friend of Woody's was informed it would be March before his power is back on.

It's going to take a looooong time for the South to recover from this storm. Man, that's a long time to not have electricity.

Good tip about the dryers, too, I hadn't thought of that!

Your alternator will probably run a clothes dryer if it GAS fueled. The electric load consists of the motor driving the tumbling drum and blower plus the timing drum, and after the initial motor inrush, these are light loads.

It'll be a big load for an all electric dryer. Check the nameplate om the appliance to find wattage requirement. Also, you alternator must supply 120/240 V. The heating elements on most all-electric dryers run on 240 V power.

If the outside temperature permits, clothes pins seems a good alternative.

An aside: You live near the New Madrid site of the largest earthquake that ever struck the USA. It was 3 strong quakes, one in Dec 1811, one in Jan 1812, and the third in Feb 1812, with many after shocks. Just across the river is Reelfoot Lake in TN. This lake was formed during the New Madrid Earthquake. It is a slum zone that filled with water.

The town of New Madrid was abandoned and rebuilt in a new location, its present site of today. The residents were fearful to rebuild on the old site.

It was happenstance that steam boat, based on Fulton's design, was making its maiden voyage downriver. On board were investors and dignitaries. Up to this time, all steam boats had ended in failure, mostly by exploding the boiler, or machinery failure. These were considered to be too hazardous and unreliable for invertors to support.

THis boat was upriver of New Madrid when the quake hit. A major seich rolled upstream on the Mississippi River. It so distrubed the river flow that for a moment it seems that the river had reversed its flow. (It was really a big wave similar to a tsunami.) This wave struck the boat and rolled over it. It pushed the superstructure back, knocked the top of the flue stack, and wrecked the paddle wheel. The crew managed to patch the paddle wheel with on-board boat paddles and other flotsam. With this lashed up wheel, the boat managed to make the landing at New Madrid only to find the dcoks were gone. It anchored at the landing.

Because this boat made through this disaster, did not blow up, and the engine continued to work, it was hailed an instant sucess. Investors poured out of the woodwork and within 10 years, there were boat builders along the Ohio river constructing low draft, river steamers. The age of river boat gamblers, banjo pickers, and dance parties had arrived on the river.

I think New Madrid is where Charlee lives....I've been to
Reelfoot Lake (formed by earthquake) many times.

My BIL connected a gas heating stove for my mom and dad.
My sister has a gas cook stove and has cooked many meals for anyone that comes by. My dad was worried he could not
keep a generator going. They are 87 and 88 years old. I
sure wish the rain would hold off. I really wanted them to
come down here, but they will not leave their house.

Gail, I'm sorry your family is having such a tough time. It's bound to be worrisome for you to be here and not be able to keep an eye on them. I sure hope they get their power restored soon.

Linda

Hope they get it soon I know 2 years ago when all our power poles snapped here it was like 14 days we went without....makes it tough....our house being total ele. the generator was not near big enough to even attempt to run the washer or dryer....Stacy