Long, long week

It's been a very long week. The ice storm started Monday afternoon and finally stopped about 6 am this morning. We lost our power at 7:20 yesterday morning and still don't have power. The kids have actually been staying next door at my in-laws because they don't have central heat/air, only their wood burning stove, and a propane heater. Their house just stays warmer and they have more sources of light with lanterns and candles, etc.

I'm not primitive by any means. I don't like it. I'm sooooooo ready to have power again. My house is a pig sty, my laundry baskets are overflowing with clothes, and I just had to take a shower up at work because we don't have any more hot water. Yuck.

I will say, however, that I'm luckier than most, because the majority of the citizens of Springdale don't have power and they don't have a fireplace or any form of heat. We have a wonderful fireplace that has been going nonstop since 8 yesterday morning. Our house has stayed the perfect temperature for me and Gene.

Gene was actually sick Monday night all night and tried coming in to work and got sick again in the back parking lot so they sent him home. That's another reason the kids have been out of the house. We definitely don't want to pass that nasty stomach virus around again.

I feel like I'm rambilng, but this is the first opportunity I've had to even get on the internet and do anything with electric that's not dispatching or answering 9-1-1 calls! I'm enjoying it!

An average amount of calls that we put into our computer on any given day is about 300 or so. The most I've seen in my 4 years is about 450. Well, last night when I left work at 10 we were up to call 618. Oh yes, we were SLAMMED ALL NIGHT long. We were so so so sick of hearing people tell us that they didn't have power, cable, phone, heat, light, ect! People were calling us for everything, and I mean everything. Yesterday we were apparently not only the police/fire/ambulance, but also the electric co, phone co, tree service, taxi service. It was bad. I had never been more ready to walk out of this room than I was last night.

Not only that, but Gene has had to come pick me up every night in our Bronco because I obviously can't drive my car on icy roads. My father in law has been driving me in and he's been picking me up. It's fabulous!

Ok, I'm tired of typing now and I feel like everyone in the room is looking at me!! We've finally slowed down, and the city is starting to come back together. Slowly, but it is. It also looks like a war zone here with all the ice and the trees and power/cable lines that are down.

Stay safe and warm!