Winter Weather

Discussion in 'Weather & Natural Disasters' started by Bill Boggs, Oct 26, 2020.

  1. Bruce Andrew

    Bruce Andrew Very Well-Known Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2021
    Messages:
    778
    Likes Received:
    1,721
    Ha, Don, that reminds me of an "incident" I had 3-4 years ago. Some might get a chuckle from it now (as I do) but at the time I wasn't chuckling. But I lucked out and did NOT break my back.

    So Don, how are you surviving with a messed up back? :( Constant pain? Cannot do a lot of things you used to do?

    I was cleaning my chimney in December as I do every year. It gets a bit plugged from the wood by then, and I need to clear it out before burning coal. Living down in this protected hole one gets used to not having any wind. As an example: I have 3 garbage cans outside, never once have any of them blown over.

    When the wind comes from the southeast (rare) I will get puffs, but never anything steady. So one tends to ignore it. It was about 45° out, overcast, and I had on a long-sleeved shirt with a hooded sweatshirt over that and a knit hat. Plenty good for the time I was to be out. I had my tools and a small LED flashlight. It was probably about 3:30 or so and the daylight was already starting to fade.

    So I'm up there a while and I suddenly heard this loud metallic rattling and crash -- my aluminum extension ladder had blown down. It took a moment for me to absorb the situation. The wind was puffy, but I ignored the rarity as usual.

    Red arrow points to chimney. Me on peak of roof (hint: that's not really me)

    House - Cleaning chimney.JPG

    Once I absorbed what had happened I started to panic a bit. There was no way to get down without at least breaking a leg or possibly my back or neck. Getting down to roof "A" would be easy but wouldn't help much. There are no houses in sight (it's all woods) although the nearest is only about 1,000 feet away. We're all down here in a creek valley and sound travels unbelievably well.

    So I started yelling "HELP!" up and down the valley. Nobody is sitting outside this time of year, mowing their lawn, or anything else so I realized I was going to have to be real lucky for anyone to hear me. As the clock reached 4:00 and later dusk started to descend. Now I'm really starting to panic because I couldn't stay up there all night the way I was dressed.

    I was starting to get hoarse from yelling. Darkness was not far away, and suddenly I saw headlights coming over the hill. I took my small flashlight and started waving it back and forth, hoping he would see it. It was my neighbor's boyfriend's truck, he was coming home from work. But he apparently didn't see me cuz he didn't stop or even slow down.

    I knew that when the leaves are down I can see his headlights when he backed into their driveway. So I waited for that, and when he shut his lights off I started screaming at the top of my lungs. Nothing happened. Then after the longest couple of minutes in my life I saw the headlights come on again. He started coming my way. When he got close enough I started waving the flashlight again wildly.

    The truck stopped! His GF jumped out and started walking down the driveway. I'm shouting, waving my arms, so happy that it was over. He joined her in a moment and they thought I was hurt. "Ha, no, I'm fine, just please put my ladder back up." She was outside when he parked at home and heard me yelling and that triggered it.

    So I bought them a big box of candy and a bottle of wine for Christmas. All's well that ends well, although they broke up and he is gone. :(

    Back to the picture: That night, laying in bed, it suddenly hit me how I could have gotten down without getting hurt. Getting down to roof "A" would be easy, and from there I could have slid on my belly over the gutter and onto the picnic table "B."

    Since then, I take my phone with me, and also put a stepladder up on the picnic table just in case.

    Wow, sorry for the crazy long post. If nobody gets through it, I understand. I got diarrhea of the fingers this morning. [​IMG]
     
    #151
  2. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
    Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2018
    Messages:
    11,069
    Likes Received:
    20,467
    We have a similar system in the smaller villages in the bush. It wouldn't work where I live as there is too much distance to the power plants. We can't cut trees here in large amounts because the Clinton Administration and the environmentalists banned a lot of logging here. We have to wait for the summer wildfires to clear the trees. Folks in the Lower 48 want Alaska to be the largest National Park.
     
    #152
  3. Mary Stetler

    Mary Stetler Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    May 30, 2021
    Messages:
    5,697
    Likes Received:
    10,707
    There is a hydrant by one of the buildings. But, mostly I cheat. I fill cat litter jugs with water and drive it over a few times a day. Hot water in the winter.
    This year I am down to only sheep, chickens, rabbits and barn cat. The small bowls freeze easily. But hot water thaws them out making them drinkable most of the time. Deep snow drifts make me have to leave the car and walk in the jugs.
     
    #153
  4. Mary Stetler

    Mary Stetler Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    May 30, 2021
    Messages:
    5,697
    Likes Received:
    10,707
    It has been my experience that 4wd's can slip twice as well as 2.o_O
     
    #154
  5. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    24,327
    Likes Received:
    42,631
    It's been warm today, in the 60s. I don't understand that, either. I didn't drive yesterday and I bought something that had the word "sustainable" on the package, so that should have brought the global warming temperatures down. I guess you just can't trust the science anymore.
     
    #155
  6. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
    Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    13,054
    Likes Received:
    24,630
  7. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2021
    Messages:
    10,296
    Likes Received:
    9,342
    Today is probaly the last good beach day till spring.I thought of going but hubby isn't in for it and said you want to take a 2 hour trip in pain,but I'll be in pain here too and I can bring ice.
    Guess the weaher will be ok another day though.
    We are to have a day or so of rain then cooling off for nice fall weather.
    Tody will be in the high 80s. tonight in the high 50s.
     
    #157
    Yvonne Smith likes this.
  8. Bruce Andrew

    Bruce Andrew Very Well-Known Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2021
    Messages:
    778
    Likes Received:
    1,721
    I finally had a frost this morning, first of the season. We're a week or two behind.

    Had almost 3" of rain Tuesday then the skies cleared out yesterday, and the temp dropped overnight.

    Beautiful today, clear skies and mid-50s. :D
     
    #158
  9. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2018
    Messages:
    20,311
    Likes Received:
    42,316
    BRRRRRRR. We have dipped into the 50's in Houston. :D
     
    #159
    Yvonne Smith likes this.
  10. Bibbi Wright

    Bibbi Wright Very Well-Known Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2021
    Messages:
    773
    Likes Received:
    675
    @Beth Gallagher Pretty normal temperature for us this time of year. :)
     
    #160
    Beth Gallagher likes this.
  11. Teresa Levitt

    Teresa Levitt Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2019
    Messages:
    1,025
    Likes Received:
    1,971
    we've had the fireplace going in morning for a month....will be all day today....cold...raining....
    we sold our house about 6 years ago and got a single mobile home..small...well insulated....
    no power bill over $20 ...for 3 winter months...
    if...the stacks of wood hold out
     
    #161
    Beth Gallagher likes this.
  12. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    14,881
    Likes Received:
    27,873
    We are in the 50’s here in northern Alabama, too; but supposed to warm up into the 60’s. I am doubtful of that happening. Tomorrow and through the weekend, the highs are only going to be in the 50’s, and next week we have nights down in the 30’s, almost to freezing.
    Time to bring in the outside potted plants before we have the fall frost.
    Today is one of the ice-cold rainy days. We have been trying to decide whether to go to the fitness center today, but the next few days will be much colder, so we are going to try it and see.
    Hopefully, the hot tub is open !
     
    #162
    Teresa Levitt and Beth Gallagher like this.
  13. Al Amoling

    Al Amoling Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2016
    Messages:
    4,555
    Likes Received:
    8,377
    49 F at 12:10pm in So Maine
     
    #163
  14. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
    Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2018
    Messages:
    11,069
    Likes Received:
    20,467
    15 F. here this morning, but almost clear. I have a fire going in the shed as one of my sons and his family are supposed to arrive in a little while to help me finish the sheetrock on the ceiling.
     
    #164
  15. Mary Stetler

    Mary Stetler Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    May 30, 2021
    Messages:
    5,697
    Likes Received:
    10,707
    Next week all nights will be a hard freeze. Daughter is going to make sense of the last of the garden but both of our tillers are down. Will probably just cover everything in bad hay. She is not sure if the winter squash still in the garden froze already. The kale looks lovely. Like short palm trees.
     
    #165

Share This Page