Well, my Texans are still in the midst of a historic freeze, with snow and ice and sleet covering the roads and sidewalks. Tonight the last storm system will end after leaving more ice in its wake, but things will warm up nicely by next week.
Will has had no electricity (and therefore no heat) for over 80 hours. The temps have been in the single digits night after night and in the teens and twenties during the day.
Luckily he is a guy who owns a lot of wool socks and warm clothes. In fact, his prized possession is his great-grandfather’s red plaid Woolrich jacket.
I just saw a similar jacket for sale on Etsy for $550, but I doubt that Will would ever relinquish it.
He escaped to a friend’s house on Tuesday night (the friend had chains for his tires and could pick him up), but returned to the condo when his friend’s power went out the next afternoon. But at least he twenty-four hours to warm up and eat a hot meal. I’m sure he enjoyed his coffee Wednesday morning!
People are lining up for hours outside of grocery stores that can’t replenish the shelves.
Water pipes and water mains are bursting all over the city. Water pressure is low or non-existent. Fire hydrants have no water pressure either.
There is a “boil water” notice for all of Austin. How do you boil water when you have no power? How do you buy bottled water when you can’t get to a store?
And in Will’s case, how do you store supplies for a week-long emergency in a 640 square foot condo? I think when this is over there will be supplies in place, just in case winters in Austin turn colder.
The folks in Austin have no idea when power will be restored.
Ben, Amber and the Funny Grandson have power back, but no water. The FG Face-timed yesterday to give me his version of his “adventure” with the storm, the cold, and the lack of electricity.
He told me that when the power came back on (after 2+ days) his dad made him oatmeal and it was the best oatmeal he’d ever had in his life and he could have eaten eighteen bowls.
I’m sure his Uncle Will is going to feel the same way.
is there any more pie? 
And I thought Rhode Island was supposed to have winter and Texas was where you go to enjoy warm days in winter ! What a terrible mess.
I think it’s the worst and longest freeze in 100 years. There was a storm 10 years ago that was bad, but nothing like this one.
I have confidence in these Idahoans! Ben and Will grew up with many power outages in Idaho. I remember putting up wool blankets in the door jams and sitting very close to the wood stove. Unfortunately, they don’t have wood stoves to sit by. Hope John is having fun with blankets tents in the living room. You are all Texas Strong! Sending love from Hope!❣️
They’ve made it through! John has a while new appreciation for electricity and flushing toilets. 🙂
What an amazing story in support of human resience! I wish I could do something to help. Perhaps when it’s time for pipe repair??? In support of a plumber??? Yikes. It seems to me this is a disaster of the magnitude of a hurricane, flood or tornado…maybe some FIMA assistance???
There’s a lot of help on the way. Thanks for caring, my friend.