Well in case you haven't yet noticed we seem to be having a snowpocalypse covering most of the country. They are calling for 1-7 inches here at the homestead, but think 4 inches is about all we will get. However with the 45 mph winds we are having, we might never know how much has fallen.
I try to peek out to see the cattle, and all I see is white horizontal snow. Once in a while I can see a snow covered cow make a break for it, leaving the barn to get water. All I see is a black rear end disappearing into the brightness.
We have finally reached 4F, with a wind chill of -21F. Even with shoes and socks on, the tips of my toes still burn from the cold.
All the water has frozen in the pipes. We left it running all night, and it wasn't until this morning that we watched it slowly fizzle out. Husband says the initial freeze more than likely happened somewhere between where the pipe comes out of the ground and the house pump, freezing the inlet. Now we can not flush the toilet. That's one thing people don't think about when it comes to prepping, frozen toilets. Oh, you have drinking water aplenty, but you don't want to use that to flush the toilet. With 1 seat and 5 people, it gets yucky very quickly. Husband went and scooped out two 5 gallon buckets full of snow and is allowing it to melt. If you dump enough water into your bowl it will flush. He threw some of the snow into the bowl so I can feel like one of the boys. Still isn't easy to write my name in it though.
Stay warm all! Husband and I are going to make some Jack Daniel snow cones and call it a day.
Slainte!
6 comments:
Jack Daniel snow cones?!? Awesome idea! We might have to settle for Jim Beam, though, because I think that's all the whiskey we have in the house ;).
Hope you guys are able to keep warm. Up here, we have enough of a snow cover to keep our pipes insulated, and the more snow, the better. We've had a couple of frozen pipes, but (knock on wood) never a frozen toilet. I like how innovative you guys are in taking care of the problem. You inspire me ;).
Great idea on those snow cones!
We don't have to deal with frozen toilets, as we have a sawdust one... but it's no fun emptying it in this weather...
Sorry you guys are so c-c-c-cold, Phelan. I hope everything thaws out okay. 'Flush water' was a common prep item for us even before we were preppers. We both grew up on the Gulf Coast of Texas ...Hurricane Alley some years. The pipes weren't frozen but city services including power and water were sometimes down for a several days to a week.
We save bleach bottles and label some 'flush' and some 'drink' ...no real difference, just tap water in all of them ...but the ones labeled 'drink' were washed REAL GOOD before they were filled and stored.
Yeoldfurt insists there's some unwritten rule about 'if it's yellow, let it mellow ...if it's brown, flush it down.' He hasn't convinced me though. LOL
Jack Daniels snow cones eh...sounds like you two know how to handle the set backs - in more ways than one - awesome idea with the snow.
Take lemons and make lemonade, so to speak.
Hope you all are staying warm and the weather gets better soon.
Umm, JB, JD or schnapps snow cones maybe I will try one each tonight and If I can remember to I will report back.
Bob, I ended up adding a bit of sugar to mine. I am not a big whiskey drinker. Here shortly I will be posting about a vodka drink.
Post a Comment