Snow and Freezing Pipes

Tuesday morning, I awoke early to my alarm. We were expecting snow and freezing on the roads, so I needed to get settled for a couple of days. I had three things to do.

First, I went to CVS, a drugstore, shortly after it opened at 8 am. Walmart did not have the one thing I had to have. I purchased that and got five or six coupons. One was for $5 in CVS. The others were for various amounts--$0.60 and such. I can use all those.

Then, I wanted/needed to give someone food at a service station before  she left at 9 am. I got that accomplished and left to go to other end of town.

At Publix I purchased the expensive milk I drink and found it was $3.99 this week instead of the regular price of $4.29 for a half gallon.

Since late Monday night, I have had the water in bathroom and kitchen sinks open, flush the commode often, and wash clothes often. Yes, I am getting caught up on laundry and washing small loads. Once, I ran a small load in an empty machine...anything to keep pipes from freezing.

I forgot to leave the kitchen sink running today. At some point I used the water and just shut it off. So, now, something is frozen somewhere. I have the new heater sitting outside the sink and am heating the cabinet under the sink. Leaving the undersink door open is useless because the kitchen is frigid! I am quite sure it will thaw when the temperature is about 40 and it has time to thaw. In the past I have never had this problem until I hired the plumber to redo water to house. If the underground pipe is frozen, there is no way I can thaw the sink pipes with the heater. When that freezes, water into the sink cannot move.

I dread tomorrow.

Just as I left Publix, the person who came out to get the cart showed me a picture her daughter sent her from Hartselle, 18 miles north of here. The ground was covered with snow. The coverage happened within the hour since she left home. THEN, the first flake fell between us.

At home, the snow lazily fell....for about 30 minutes. I took a nap because of my early rising and late night. About noon the snow came down fast and furious. The leaves on the ground held snow. Then, on and off snow fell.

It is Wednesday night and I have not left the house since Tuesday morning. Last night, the temperature here, according to the weatherman, it was 2 degrees here with wind chill below 0 F. It is almost that cold in the house, it seems. Last night, I had trouble getting warm enough to go to sleep. I discovered the edge of one of the three blankets over me was not over my knee as I lay on my side.  I rechecked and straightened everything.

Staying undercovers is the only way to survive in here. I could turn up the big heater more, but I only do that for a bit and then turn it back down. It seems to only get really warm in a small area, anyway!

Exbf was planning to come tomorrow. However, there will only be about 3 hours above freezing here. So, I told him to just stay home. I have cooked nothing, done nothing. So, it will be the end of next week before he is here.

On Wednesday, I ventured out to the mailbox. The steps were not icy. A small square table and a large round table had at least a half inch and maybe more snow on them. The yard had a bit of snow here and there, not enough to even wonder about. The snow you see on the news in Alabama happened all around us. The snow was pretty falling, but nothing else.

Now, I look forward to a burst pipe under the sink. GAH! It may be days before I can get a plumber here.