Arghhh! Another Ice Day in AUSTIN!

[Romandub]

With apologies to those of you in Colorado and other northern spots who have it much worse than we do, I just have to vent for a moment about the fourth bad weather day in Austin. First day--it was kind of fun to snuggle in and cook. Second day--cooked some more and watched some movies. Third day (yesterday) tired of cooking, so we ate what we had, watched more movies and read. Today, I AM GOING NUTS!!! The roads are iced over, so its not safe to drive or walk anywhere. DH is going stir-crazy. I am too. We are beginnig to wear on each other. The winter wonderland has turned to icy rain. During the summers here, when it consistenly gets over 100 degrees, we console ourselves by saying "at least we don't have those nasty winters." Well, we are having some of that nasty winter! And we are wimps! We aren't cut out for it! I want to go back to work!!!! (How often do you hear that!?) OK. I feel better now..thanks for allowing me to vent. And again, apologies to our northern friends who I am sure would kill for a winter with only four days of bad weather......

[lindrusso]

This is the most bizarre winter I can remember.

CO keeps getting socked with tons of snow but much stranger - you all and S. California are having worse winter weather than here in central PA! We've had no ice - thank goodness - and only a bare dusting of snow! It was over 60 for at least one day this month! It hasn't even been cold enough for the ski resorts to make snow and keep it on the slopes.

So, I'm sorry for those of you with all the bad weather, but I'm loving it here in PA. Don't worry.........I'm sure I'll be eating my words sooner or later..........

Ice - there's nothing good about ice. You can't drive in it, you can't play in it, you can't ski in it and it can do lots of damage.

So, I'll give you sympathy.

[ebobbitt]

I chat with my friend Win everyday via MSN Messenger and he's in Austin. He hasn't logged in this morning so I'm thinking he doesn't have any electricity (he works at home).

[Romandub]

A bunch of people are without power this morning in Austin. Ice-covered tree branches are falling on power lines. Do you know what part of town your friend lives in?

[sneezles]

DH was complaining last night of cabin fever! I told him he's forgotten how bad winter can be! DS#2 was born during the worst ice storm in Aberdeen's history in 1984...23 years ago tomorrow (how did he get so old? ).

The animals are feeling the cold! The horses were in their stalls all day yesterday except for Mr Kringle (mule colt), he seems fascinated with the weather. The dog stays in the barn all day too and we rarely see the cat.

We've not lost power (unusual for this rural co-op) but there has been significant build up of ice on the trees overnight.

I, however, am lovin' the opportunity to make all our favorite soups. Last night was a variation of North Woods Bean Soup, had to make it with dried beans and frozen spinach but it sure was tasty! Tonight is some form of gumbo!

[Canice]

Oh boy. DBF is supposed to get on a plane to Austin in a couple of hours. We've been watching the Web sites carefully and it looks like the most fun since he had to fly into Orlando during hurricaine Bonnie.

[Romandub]

Canice--things are actually improving! They think by afternoon the freezing rain will stop (it's already stopped in our neighborhood). DH is heading to the airport in about an hour for a trip to Las Vegas. About 90% of the flights out of Austin this morning were cancelled because the airlines did not get their deicing stuff. It was late getting in. DH's flight is at 12:45 and showing on time. But I suspect the airport will be backed up because of the cancelled flights this morning and yesterday. If your DBF isn't leaving until this afternoon, things should be much improved by the time he gets here. Now, it's supposed to be wet and cold until next Tuesday, but at least it won't be ICY!!!

[Meganator]

WAHHH! It seems like every time we have a couple days of winter in Austin, I miss it. I am stuck in Corpus Christi (high 30s and dry). I had work in south Texas on Tuesday and Wednesday, but didn't think I was going to be able to leave Austin early Tuesday, so I left Sunday evening and rescheduled the work for Monday and Tuesday. So I was finished by mid-afternoon on Tuesday. I thought I would have a chance today, but reading the TxDot website, I-37 and I-35 just didn't seem safe enough (I'm not an experienced winter-weather driver - DH probably would have done it). So here I am in a hotel for another day. I would SO much rather be at home making soup. At least they have a fitness room, so I have no good excuse to stay off the treadmill. And I can spend plenty of guilt-free time on the internet since I have nothing else very useful to do. Have you seen daytime TV lately? Wow, what crap.

Megan

[Canice]

Romandub, how'd your DH make out at the airport?
DBF was supposed to be on a noon flight out of San Jose (and the SF airport is like 25 minutes from his house - bummer!). He got there early, as always, and at 11:00 was told the flight was delayed until 2:30. Then, two minutes later, they said it would be 3:30. Airport hours are sooooo much longer than other hours! Poor guy.

[cumulus]

Don't want to rain more on the parade, but there could be a whole new round coming up this weekend

I'm in NE Kansas, and since the first big storm tracked north, and the second to our south- I have a feeling we're due! The preliminary discussion from the Hydrologic Prediction Center stuck a swath of snow/ice up to 8" from the Texas panhandle to SE Kansas to fall before Sunday evening. The track of the system could obviously change before then...but there is a TON of moisture from the Gulf that is going to be pooling out ahead of the low, just waiting to inflict more trouble on the central US.

[ebobbitt]

Romandub, sorry I didn't see your question earlier. My friend lives in Southwest Austin. Actually he reported his electricity had only blinked -- he was just late logging in this morning.

[sneezles]

Don't want to rain more on the parade, but there could be a whole new round coming up this weekend

We'll take the rain! We're suppose to be above freezing by tomorrow afternoon and we're desperate for rain around here though the tanks are lookin' pretty full from the 5" we've had this week!

[Romandub]

Canice--sorry I didn't respond earlier. I finally got out and went for a long walk and lunch with a friend. It was SO good to get out. DH got to the airport with no problem, but his flight was delayed once he got there. They put them on another flight and I haven't heard from him since. He is going to Vegas, so he should be there in another hour or so. It sounds like things are still pretty backed up at the Austin airport.

[Ann1965]

Oh my goodness! We usually have a couple of episodes of sleet and ice. Last year my inlaws lost power for 5 days. I thought they would never go home! However, it's been in the 60 and 70's this week. It has cooled down today and is not supposed to be above 30 something tomorrow. Our first ice episode is predicted for tonight. Keep your fingers crossed, I really want to sleep in in the morning! I'm just afraid if it doesn't get cold soon it will be hot, hot, hot this summer!