The Blanding Bugle

Volume 16 Issue 1

January 2007

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

November and December 2006 will be months that we won't soon forget.  November started off with huge downpours.  We remember this because we were out playing soccer in the middle of them.  It rained so much in November that we broke the record for most rainfall in a month (over 15 inches).  Of course that made for some flooding, but thankfully nothing in the Blanding basement this year.  But our Blanding Brook in our backyard was flowing and oh so beautiful.

Then came the snow storm.  It started the Sunday after Thanksgiving and didn't dump lots of snow but it was enough to cripple the area.  Because our house faces north and our driveway is sloped down toward our house, we couldn't get out of the house except by foot power.  Our driveway became a sheet of black ice.  Steve actually fell smack on his back while trying to get the mail.  Steve had to park his car at the bottom of our hill.  Others who made it up the hill found they couldn't make it up the next hill so they parked their car in front of our house.  We were effectively snowed in from Sunday night until Thursday when the weather warmed up.

Then came the Big Blow!  December 14th  will be remembered as the night the lights went out and stayed out.  With all the rain we have had and all the beautiful trees in this area all it takes is a mild wind and the trees fall over, but with winds at over 60 mph more than a few came down. (Some gusts were clocked at over 90 mph.) Of course, they took a few power lines with them.  Before the night was over our neighbor lost three huge trees, one of which fell directly across her driveway.  Had that one fallen the other way, it would have hit our cars or the front of our house.  (The tree's sibling, standing right next to it, will be taken down at the earliest convenience since it will fall on our house now that it is totally exposed.)  The other two trees the next door neighbor lost didn't land in our property.  In fact we were unable to find any damage on our property from limbs, wind or rain.  Along with these winds came the rain. It was raining so hard that it was literally coming down in sheets.  It overwhelmed our gutters and the Blanding Brook was overflowing its banks. Steve had to brave the rain and nail our gutter back to the house--the rain had pulled it off!

We spent the night in total darkness as the lights went out around 9:30.  We also heard trees snapping and hitting the houses around us. (Our neighbor also lost a kitchen window from a branch going through it.)  When we weren't sleeping, which wasn't much, we were praying that our home and property would be kept safe.  In the morning it looked liked we lived off a forest road.  The branches that were blown off covered the roads. 

We spent the next six days and nights without power.  It was very dark and cold.  We are extremely thankful for our generator because, although it isn't working perfectly, it at least let us keep the power to our fridge and freezer going as well as plug in a space heater and the fan to our gas fireplace.  We hung a blanket in the hallway and closed all the doors to make a nice warm living space out of the kitchen and family room. But it was a little small for eight people, plus the many guests we asked over to share our warm fireplace and food.  With a gas stove and BBQ we were able  to cook and ate rather comfortably.  The nights were very cold and dropped below freezing, but thankfully we had our stack of blankets and sleeping bags.

We did learn a few things we will do differently the next time something this big happens: 

• We need more fuel if we are to last more than 36 hours.
• We need to wire our septic system into the generator so we don't have to worry about an overflow.
• When we have advanced warning we need to make sure we have our laundry and dishes done.
• We are going to stock up on more paper and plasticware.
• Buy more books on tape to listen to; mom and dad can only read aloud so long before they loose their voice.
• Start and run the generator in the early fall to make sure the battery can keep a charge as well as fix any slight problems.
• Keep the gas tanks above half full even if you have to stop at the expensive station.

Some things we will continue to do the same:

• Heed the prophet's admonition to have food and supplies stored in case of an emergency.
• Practice with the stake when they have their emergency drills.
• Listen to the promptings of the spirit.
• Invite friends over to share the warmth and break up the boredom.
• Keep lots of blankets around for the "just in case" scenario.
• Keep our patience so we don't kill each other.

We are indeed very grateful for little things like: warm showers, working dishwashers, oven, forced air heating, Christmas lights, flush toilets, radio stations that keep us updated and a stake president who prepared us back in September for the "big one."

pictures here
Ode to Wind Storm 

Ice Skating

For Jessie's "Keepers of the Home" December meeting we went ice skating.  We had visions of broken bones and frozen kids, but what we saw was actually some very athletic kids who have spent so much time rollerblading they took to the ice like penguins! 

We did come home with a bruise on the elbows (Chris) and a nasty one on the chin (Jessie) and a few aches and pains (all the kids) but they are all begging for lessons come the new year.  Pictures here  

Christmas Happenings

Some man in a red suit thinks our kids were good this year.  Obviously he hasn't been reading the Blanding Bugle.

All the kids got Xbox 360 games for Christmas. (Now there goal is to earn screen time by reading and keeping up with school assignments.)  Of course they all got socks and underwear--it wouldn't be Christmas without them. ~smile~  They got the assortment of action figures and dolls as well. It was a smaller Christmas because we got a new deck for Christmas!

Steve store, House Full of Games saw a great increase for the holidays and it was a welcome change.

After Christmas we went to Steve's parent's home down in Ridgefield, WA, or dinner and stayed an extra day to play games and be with them.  It was great to see everyone again (missed Dan, Liz and Emma!) and to touch base again.

The kids had a blast with Grandma's puppies (they are so cute) and loved playing games with them.

I'm just lucky my mother in law let me come as I was coming down with something awful and it got worse while I was there.

Merry Christmas.

Traditional Christmas Eve

Chris and Steve reading "Ugly Fish"

Jessie and her new Barbie

Kray with Grandma's puppies

Matt with a puppy

Jason

Mike