Stay safe and warm!

I am hoping that you don't lose power. Sounds like you have a plan though. Will there be warming centers for those with power outages? I guess more importantly are they going to be nearby so that you could get there?

If the power goes out, you can always put any food in the fridge outside if necessary! LOL I have a pot of soup going... if we have to eat it cold, so be it. We do have a fireplace that we've never used. It doesn't put out much heat, but in an emergency, it'll help!

Last year we bought a generator. I think it'll run the heater (we're all electric) but that'll work!!! (Hope hubby remembered to get gas for it!)

Stay warm and safe everyone!

What about a camping toilet too? Maybe run some water in your tub (if you have one) or fill as many things with water while the power is still on. Then you can use some of it to flush the commode, drinking, making tea. I used to keep about 20, 1 gallon water jugs filled down in the cellar at all times. Not good for drinking after sitting for long periods, but still ok for flushing and heating water to wash up with.

If the stores nearby are open/warm, I will be able to walk over. I have yaktrax! I just hope, Aunt Audrey doesn't loose power! I am sure, I will be fine. Survived the ice storm in Tulsa in 2007.

Moni

Moni, I live in SE Kansas and am very nervous for this up-coming ice storm. Has it started down there yet? We are supposed to have 1 - 1 1/2 inches of ice! I won't be going out but if I lose power, I have no heat. Guess the best thing to do is go to bed and pile on the covers. Please stay safe!

Be sure your car is full of gas...if necessary, open the garage doors (manually), you can get warm in the car while you charge your phone.

I have no problem with water. No electric needed. Even hot water no problem.

Phoggie, nothing started here yet. They say it will be around 2 PM.

stay warm and safe. Ice storms are no fun. Been through a few here. Lost power when I was in nursing school and renting for 5 or 6 days.

phoggie, I too am in SE Kansas and we are in the part that is supposed to get the most ice. I hope we don't lose power.

Hope if you lose power, it won't be off for long. Sorry you are going through this. We've lost power for 10 days, following a hurricane, but that was in the summer. There was nothing to do....but go to bed when it got dark.

We are to get the ice storm this evening and through the night. There is no way I could put food outside to keep cold. Raccoons would soon be right into it. I could probably put it in the chicken house or something, but most likely the power if it goes off won't be off long. Oh, there are no chickens in the chicken house any more. I will heat up the house good later today, just in case. Do have a fire place insert and a case of water on hand. Wood is dry and in the attached garage. Hope all stay safe.

Sue in Central Indiana

I posted this on Audreys post:

So far, so good. I went walking right
after I got up, was out the door by 6:15 AM. The roads were almost dry.
Yes, it was dark, yes, it was cold but not raining. I had a glorious
walk.

If it ices and power goes out, there will be no run the water, flush
the toilet to keep things from freezing. If the power goes out at
Audreys, she will have to be rescued! She needs her oxygen. I hope, we
don't have a power outage. I don't want to drive on slick roads.

But, if Audrey has a power outage, and I don't, I will creep up to
her house somehow, and get her. I have YakTrax to put on our shoes, and
thus, not slip and fall. It's just the driving that has me concerned.
Mind you, not my driving, but others driving. I don't want anyone to
slide in to my car PERIOD!

So, please keep us in your thoughts.

Moni

PS, Audrey, if the fire department can haul you here, if I have power and you don't, then let them!

Wow--that's a lot of ice! Best of luck to all involved. I think there's nothing slipperier than wet ice. I'd be reluctant to drive on it, even with studded tires.

I''m not in the path, but our schools were closed Wednesday because of ice. We're expecting freezing rain again on Tuesday--possibly the eastern version of the storm you're talking about.

I have a generator but haven't used it since we lost power for a week during Hurricane Sandy.

I admit I'm bad about keeping my cell phone charged because I hardly ever use it or think about it. But my son gave me a battery-powered cell phone charger and I also have a "princess" phone that plugs into my land line and will work when the electronic phones won't. I have a hand-crank radio and a battery-powered hand-held transceiver that I can use as a ham radio or a scanner. And lots of stored water.

My cook stove uses gas, and my woodstove uses wood. I can't say enough good things about that!

YakTrax!--that is what we needed last week. We were hiking where there was ice covering the paved ways, and sheets of ice under a thin layer of dirt along some trails. I looked the brand up online. Which type do you use, OklaMoni? This was our first real experience with ice storm conditions; without the proper gear, we had to just tread very carefully.

ETA: The guy in the upper part of this photo was prepared with a similar product with 1/2" spikes. Would we need something more like that for these type of conditions?

gyr I don't know what to recommend. I have the basic ones. In the past, I also had the deluxe, cause once I lost one of the basic ones while walking. But I didn't really like the velcro strap to cost THAT much... and knew, I can also use a shoe string to tie across the top of the shoe, after hooking in to each side of the yaktrax.

I am still replacing stuff I had sold or given away when I went to Florida, and am on a tight budget right now, thus, the cheap pair. I also bought something from Ace hardware store here locally, but wasn't that impressed with it. Since I LOVED the yaktrax before, I ordered them via Amazon.

No matter what, I hope, you can find a pair, to store in your car for future uses. :)

Moni

Thanks, Moni. I don't need a pair for the car (I live in Southern CA). The photo was from a trip we took last week. That is why we didn't have experience with the best gear for ice. We usually travel March-November, and only deal with snow or rain; the ice was atypical.

When I lived in southern Illinois as a child, I experienced several ice storms. It was a regular feature in January. We averaged an ice storm about every two years. The worst part was walking the 2 miles to school. That was a pain and hazardous. Walking time was about twice that of normal times. We did not have electricity before 1947, therefore, an ice storm had little effect on essentials. We merely put another log in the stove and curled up with a book while listening to trees breaking.

I've had the experience of skidding on hard ice with YaxTrax, so I went back to the cheap ice cleats with pointed teeth. The clerk in the hunting/fishing store advised me to keep a pair permanently installed on a pair of boots by the back door, and that was good advice. Just remember not to wear them in the house!

How is everyone doing with the ice storm? Our temperature dropped from the high 50's yesterday to the mid-teens tonight, but at least we're dry. (Knock wood!)

Susan, it is raining here now. The road is partially frozen, in front of my house. Grass is all ice covered. My steps down the front porch were slick, the handrail was slick too. Even so Judy is only here for the weekend... and I want to see her, and want out of the house, I think I will stay home. No use driving and maybe get damage on my car because someone slid into me.

I agree, Moni! Stay safe.

Stay safe and fingers crossed for no loss of power.

Don't forget about the car chargers when household power is down. A car battery will keep all devices charged without affecting the battery.

most cars will only charge your phone when it is running. :(

I'm a survivor of the ice storm of 2000-2001 . Without power for 19 days. Had wood for heat and covered patio for food storage in the cold. The most valuable thing that got us through was the solar charge yards lights from the front garden for lighting in the house at night. We put them all in a bucket in the sunshine ti re charge and then brought in one for each room at night.no dangerous candles or dead batteries in the flash lights. Most important thingis keep safe, nothing is worth hitting the streets for. We heated water and food on the gas grill. Stay safe!