Friday, February 6, 2009

I Can See Clearly Now, The Lights Are Back On!


Icy/snowy sunrise in my field, January 30th, 2009. Beautiful but destructive!

Hi Friends,

Well, I am happy to finally be back in blogland! After 10 days of roughing it, our power finally came back on this afternoon at 5 PM!

I want to thank you all for your kind messages and prayers and will be back soon with a longer post highlighting all the fun (not!) of the past 10 days. Tonight, I am really exhausted to write more. I hope you understand. The enormous task of cleaning up around here has begun!

I also want to thank Andrea, son-in-law Jimmy, and Greg, for all their help. What a blessing they were, and always have been. So, dear blog friends, thank you again for your thoughts and prayers. See you all soon!


Blessings from the woods, where it was 70 degrees F today!

43 comments:

Mike Golch said...

I'm glad that you have power again and have returned to blog land. I just posted a bunch of awards they are all yours!

Gigi Ann said...

Yippee, Renie,

I'm so glad you are back and alright. I am looking forward to your stories about your experiences. Until then, have a restful and warm week-end!

Ann

Deborah Wilson said...

Renie, I'm glad to hear that you are alright and your power is back on! 70 degrees after all of that ice...well, goes to show what weird weather patterns that we can have. I bet all of the critters are happy too!

audrey` said...

Renie!!! Our dearest Renie is alright. Praise the Lord! (((HUGS))) I'm so happy for you, Renie. Take care, my dear dear dear friend.

Lakeland Jo said...

great to have you back- and glad all your 'adventures' are over. Looking forward to hearing all about it when you are rested

Carol Murdock said...

Welome back Sweet Renie........
You were missed but not forgotten!
I look forward to hearing the full story!
Carol

Leslie said...

Hi Renie, I am so glad to hear from you and you have lights and warmth. I spent 4 days in an emergency shelter because I had no power but, that seems like nothing compared to what you have had to do. Stay cozy warm. Get plenty of rest if you can. Hugs and love~~~~
Leslie

Nonnas News said...

So glad your power is back on and that you are ok! Enjoy the warm weather today!!

Jenn said...

I am so happy to hear from you! Thank God things are returning to normal. It was really great of your daughter and her helpers to keep us updated that you were OK. So a real big shout out to them. Hugs Renie, please take the clean up process slowly!
XOOX
Jenny

Patty said...

Welcome back, welcome back. Glad you are ok, other then being tired. Now get all the help you can for the clean up. Take it easy and when you get back, tell us all about roughing it for ten days. That had to be an ordeal.

Winifred said...

Lovely to see you back in action. Look forward to hearing more about your experiences soon. In the meantime take care!

Susie said...

Hi Renie,
So glad to see that your power is on and you have posted.
I can imagine how wonderful that warm sunshine must feel :)
hugs))

Granny Annie said...

Can't wait to hear how to met and dealt with all the obstacles.

Michele | aka Raw Juice Girl said...

Oh, Renie, I'm sure you're thrilled--and so relieved! Yay for you getting your power back on so you can start getting your life back in order, eh? We've missed you terribly and prayed for you much!

*big ole hugs*
Michele

Kat Mortensen said...

Thank goodness you made it through all the hardship. I would be a seriously "Grumpy Gus" without power and heat and water.

God was watching out for you.

Kat

ancient one said...

Hip, hip, hooray!!! I'm so happy for you. I know it was difficult for you during that 10 days... it doesn't take but one ice storm to help you to prepare for all others...

God is Good!

Brenda said...

Renie,
Rest up and whenever someone says.."Can I help you?" Say "YES!". It sounds like it is going to be a mess to clean up. Glad your daughter and son and others were there for you Renie!
Hugs,
Brenda

sandy said...

ahhhhhhh so good to hear from you and know you have your power back. Can't wait to hear the details of how you survived all that freeze.

Annie Wicking said...

Glad to know you and your family are safe. What amazing pictures!

God bless you, Renie

Annie

Patsy said...

We are all celebrating with you. Every time I switch on the light I praise the Lord for electricity. Here in Jonesboro they got us back up in 3 days.
Patsy

Mountain Mama said...

Thank the lord you are ok. I can't imagine the miserable time you have had. No power for so long sure makes some changes in our life and they are not pleasant ones.
Just take care and stay well Renie.
God Bless you.

Janice Thomson said...

Oh Renie I am delighted to see you back having made it through such a rough time. Kudos to you my friend.
Looking forward to your posts on this.

Linda said...

I am thrilled to see you back!!! Look forward to reading about your adventures without electricity.

{{hugs}}
Linda

hippo chick said...

Hallelujah!! We have our Renie back. We were all so very concerned for you. Your Andrea was a love to keep us all informed.

She said you are a trooper, and she is so right. We love you and are happy you are safe.

~hippo hugs~

Nancy said...

Hi Renie!

Welcome back!!! I am so anxious to hear all about it. My kids grew up loving Laura Ingalls Wilder books and , and we saw how they struggled through life with no electricity and such. I know my son will drop in to read your story.

It is amazing just how strong a person can be when put to the test, isn't it? You are proof of that!!! We are all so very proud of you!!! You are a real trooper, Renie!!!

One gal from AR wrote that their thermostat got down to 35 inside their home and they moved on to the in-laws 20 miles away then. 35? I can't even imagine trying to stay warm at that temp! Your home must have gotten very cold, too. The time our electric was off for 2 days, mine got down to about 50-55, and I about froze!

Glad you are warm and getting back to normal. Don't kill yourself getting everything done right away now...just sit back and relax with your fur babies and reflect on better days ahead. Your daughter did such a super job keeping everyone informed. I thought about you all weekend but never even turned my computer on yesterday, but I am back among the living again today.

I love you, Renie, and am so glad you are back with us!!!

((( HUGS )))

Anonymous said...

Thats nice.
Cheers !!!

Sharon said...

I was so glad to see that you are back and safe.
I am looking forward to your story.
Your photos of the ice looks like what we had hear 2 years ago.
God Bless

Margaret Cloud said...

Glad to hear you are okay, I have been watching the weather channel about that ice storm, what a bugger, I am happy you are safe, thanks for taking the time to come by.

Lucy Stern said...

It sounds like you had guite a time of it....The snow and ice are beautiful but they can also be deadly....

Living in Hurricane territory, we are prepared for anything that comes our way. We keep extra food, candles, water stored, radios and extra batteries and etc... We had to deal with Hurricane IKE last September and our power was out for 12 days.....I was never so happy to see it come back on....lol.

Glad you are OK and waiting the read about your experiences once you get some rest...

Gigi Ann said...

Hi Renie,
Just popping by to say Hi! I hope you haven't worked to hard the last few days. The weather here has warmed up a bit. No longer in a deep freeze every time I step out side. We had a rain shower today, but it only lasted about an hour and the sky cleared. The snow is melting and we have flood warnings in our area. But I don't think it's anything to worry about. Well, I hope you get a good nights rest and have a nice day tomorrow.

Ann

hippo chick said...

Hi Renie,

Maybe next year when we come out, we can stop and see you. wouldn't that be fun? Hope you had fun in town today. We're still praying for you.

~hippo hugs~

Midlife Mom said...

Oh Renie you sure have been through the mill haven't you? So glad your power is back on and you can now start getting back to normal. I remember our terrible ice storm in 1998, we lost power for a week and finally had to move to a hotel as it was so cold here in the house. I would come home each day and it just was so strange not being able to do anything! So glad you made it through and now have heat and electricity!!!!! Yes, it will be a long clean up, we lost about 40 trees here in the yard but eventually things are better! Take care and don't try to accomplish it all in one week!!! Hugs from here in Maine! xoxox

violetlady said...

I just found your blog through Barbara at The Clark Homestead. I enjoyed reading about your first winter in the Ozarks in your log cabin. I am glad you are now with power. I didn't realize it was so bad down there.

audrey` said...

Dearest Renie =) It's so good to see you around once again. We missed you (((HUGS)))

Mississippi Songbird said...

I'm so glad you are ok.. This weather lately is so strange.. I am home sick today from work.. It's sad that the only time I can get on lately,is when I don't feel all that well...
Have a wonderful Valentines Week..
I'm sorry I aven't been around much.Bunches of hugs....

Nancy said...

Hi Renie!

I can't even imagine the mess you are in there, even yet, with the cleanup. The pictures showed the devastation that storm left behind, though. I am thinking of you there. wish I lived closer as I would be there to help all I could. I'm no good at present as the bursitis has returned to my left knee! I just got off the prednisone a week or so ago. Another round of it and if it returns again, then I'll have to go in for the cortisone shot right into the knee. I've had that done 4 times in the past, and that long needle is so painful!

Buster's surgery will be a much easier one this time, as the last one also involved removal of that growth (benign) from his liver...a very invasive surgery that time! The oncologist said this one would be an easy one compared to the last one. We are dreading it, but the growth is so small, so we have to give him another chance. He doesn't act sick at all...playing and eating like crazy, but he keeps losing weight.

Don't you worry about visiting blogs...you have your home and yard to look after first. You won't believe this, but our electric flickered off and on yesterday. Then about an hour later, it went totally OFF! We were without power from 4pm to 8:40pm. I about went nuts here, looking at 3 candles burning!!! No TV, no cooking supper, no lights! I thought of you while sitting in my recliner. I would have gone crazy had it been off for days like yours! Oh, my, I would never have made it! LOL You are one special lady, no doubt about it!!! Love you!

((( HUGS )))
Nancy

Jaina said...

Woo hoo! What a relief!

Mary said...

Renie,

I am a bit behind here. I am glad that you are safe. Ice storms certainly are no fun but being without power for 10 days must have been a nightmare and you must be exhausted.

Take care, my friend and stay safe.
Blessings,
Mary

Merle said...

Dear Renie ~~ I am so very sorry that you had to endure 10 days without power when it has been so cold. That was some ice storm, but hopefully you are all right and back with us. The tragedy here has been really dreadful with almost 200 dead, and over 1000 homes destroyed and they expect both of those numbers will increase a lot yet.
Thank you so very much dear Renie for your message and your concern.
I should be safe where I live and they are getting some fires under
control. Thank you so much for your caring and prayers my dear friend. You are very dear to me and
that meant so much. You take good
care of yourself now and I am glad
Greg and family helped you.
Much love, Merle.

Talk..to..Grams said...

So glad you have power and things have warmed up!! It is beautiful on this side of state today but calling for a wintery mix tommorow night! Love and hugs Grams

Gutsy Living said...

Congratulations Renie on winning first place on the Writers Porch. You deserve it. Enjoy.

aurbie said...

I strolled over through another blog.
I remember hearing about that storm, and seeing photos of it. What a mess it was.

Hope things are back to normal.

It is very cold here now, but spring is just around the corner - I hope!

This is has been our coldest winter in three years. We are all on the lookout for any signs of the arrival of spring!

Anonymous said...

brilliant post, photos are really fascinating, and I, I returned again I wish you all the best. Steven