More like pick up branches.
There are currently 50 crews out working to restore power after our big storm last Friday evening that affected a huge area of NW Wisconsin. They say there were a few tornadoes and 80-90 mph straight-line winds. As of Tuesday afternoon, they're predicting another 2-3 days without power for us. Some places north of us they're expecting it will be another 3 weeks!
***This post was written yesterday on my phone. After supper last night, power was restored. Yea!! But anyway, now we have glorious running water again, for which I am so grateful!***
Please join Terri and the gang
For
Wednesday Medley.
She writes the questions; we write the answers.
Plug them into your own blog post and link up at Terri's blog,
Your Friend From Florida.
TODAY IS NATIONAL COUSINS DAY
1. What can you tell us about your cousins, please, or someone who is close like a cousin?
When I was a kid, many of my cousins lived in the area. We got to see them and play with them regularly. We told ghost stories, played starlight moonlight, and had lots of fun together. It was a fun childhood. David and Bobby were my favorites.
When I was a kid, many of my cousins lived in the area. We got to see them and play with them regularly. We told ghost stories, played starlight moonlight, and had lots of fun together. It was a fun childhood. David and Bobby were my favorites.
2. Do you still see your cousins and will you contact them on National Cousins Day?
I see my cousins only at funerals. That older generation that kept up the reunions is no longer here. And my generation is busy just trying to get our own families together. But I do have a special favorite cousin who moved to Montana some years back. I need to phone her. We always have great visits!
Update: I phoned my cousin at your prompting and we had a great two-hour visit of serious stuff and total nonsense. We have so much shared history. I told her it was like spending a day back in country school. It was a real treat!
The bonfire for our August family reunion here is growing, thanks to last week's storm. Mr. C and I are cleaning up the back and front yards, but I let the family know they should come prepared to help with cleanup (the giant spruce.)
The huge spruce missed our house too. So thankful. I will miss the eagles who used to visit there. ☹️
I see my cousins only at funerals. That older generation that kept up the reunions is no longer here. And my generation is busy just trying to get our own families together. But I do have a special favorite cousin who moved to Montana some years back. I need to phone her. We always have great visits!
Update: I phoned my cousin at your prompting and we had a great two-hour visit of serious stuff and total nonsense. We have so much shared history. I told her it was like spending a day back in country school. It was a real treat!
The bonfire for our August family reunion here is growing, thanks to last week's storm. Mr. C and I are cleaning up the back and front yards, but I let the family know they should come prepared to help with cleanup (the giant spruce.)
JULY 26 IS NATIONAL AUNTS AND UNCLES DAY
3. Terri had a favorite aunt and uncle she will tell us about. How about you?
I had lots of favorites, and usually it was because of their sense of humor. Aunt Ruth, Aunt Elaine, Aunt Ruby, Uncle Merlin, Aunt Lois - especially those.
I had lots of favorites, and usually it was because of their sense of humor. Aunt Ruth, Aunt Elaine, Aunt Ruby, Uncle Merlin, Aunt Lois - especially those.
4. Did/does your family have reunions and can you tell us about them?
We did have occasional reunions with the Canada relatives. We would meet in Solon Springs, Wisconsin and all the adults would tell us my how we've grown. It was very boring. I just remember the men being tall and gray and old. The women were shorter. The best reunions were the Sunday afternoons when we'd go to visit one of my dad's siblings and their family or my mom's sister and her family. Mini reunions. Very often. Cake and ice cream. Those were the days when the ice cream man had a rural route and people kept like 5 gallon ice cream cylinders in their freezers! Really, I'm not kidding. One neighbor could be counted on to have BOTH vanilla and chocolate in those huge containers. It was wonderful. And no wonder I was a chubby kid.
We did have occasional reunions with the Canada relatives. We would meet in Solon Springs, Wisconsin and all the adults would tell us my how we've grown. It was very boring. I just remember the men being tall and gray and old. The women were shorter. The best reunions were the Sunday afternoons when we'd go to visit one of my dad's siblings and their family or my mom's sister and her family. Mini reunions. Very often. Cake and ice cream. Those were the days when the ice cream man had a rural route and people kept like 5 gallon ice cream cylinders in their freezers! Really, I'm not kidding. One neighbor could be counted on to have BOTH vanilla and chocolate in those huge containers. It was wonderful. And no wonder I was a chubby kid.
5. If you have children, are they enjoying relationships with their cousins, aunts, uncles?
To the best of my ability they are. That's why I try to host the August reunion and an early Thanksgiving. Just so these cousins can get to know one another and play together and make fun memories. I'm hoping this baton can be passed to the next generation pretty soon.
To the best of my ability they are. That's why I try to host the August reunion and an early Thanksgiving. Just so these cousins can get to know one another and play together and make fun memories. I'm hoping this baton can be passed to the next generation pretty soon.
6. Tell us something random about your week so far.
Eating on the screen porch
I am sorry, Pam. I see that Mr. C. grabbed one of your beautiful coasters to use as a shim to level the legs on that LP burner! Please see Pam's Coaster Doodles shop on Etsy. The coasters are SO CUTE (and not to be treated as common shims).
The Great Power Outage of 2019
We are so truly grateful to God for keeping us safe through the storm, for preserving my screen porch 😊💗🙏✝️ and for giving us strength for this cleanup operation.
BTW,
Always be prepared for something like this. Things I'm so glad we had on hand include:
Bottled water, several cases
Generator (about $300)
Mr. C brings home 5 gallon buckets of water after work each day to keep on hand for bathing and flushing (not at the same time). 😊
(We run the generator during the day only, hooked up to the refrigerator and freezer and a power strip for charging our phones)
A can of gasoline on hand, and we get more as needed.
A few meals in the freezer
An LP burner
Paper plates and bowls
Flashlights
Antiseptic wipes
9V itty bitty flashlights for nightlight
(I still hate the pitch dark, but then my deeds are not evil. 😊)
And of course we always have canned and dry food on hand.
And T.P.
And most important of all on my survival list:
Coffee!!
***
UPDATE!!!
Power restored at 6:55 PM Tuesday.
Yea!
Our little pioneer adventure is over.
What a luxury electric power is!
******
My soap shops are closed for the summer.
They will hopefully be re-opened in the fall.
HomemadeSoapNSuch
and at
Our ETSY Shop
I wrote this post on my phone and what a pain that is!
THANK YOU TERRI!!
Although I wanted to join in with other Meddlers, I have a few projects to do today: Laundry, dishes, branch pickup.
I can't promise when I'll be getting back to the computer.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone.
the family photo at the bottom under this post shows all those cousins together. my cousin story is identical to yours. I am so very happy that big tree did not harm you home. it is so sad to see it down like that but so glad to see no damage other than the loss of the tree. I have never seen an LP burner, we need one here for power outage. we don't have any of the things you have and we need them every year. always have food and water and flash lights but none of the other stuff. when I mention a generator bob says I have lived in FL over 40 years without one, so why now... how do I answer that. your storm is what our TS Gabriella did to us in 2001. IRMA put our neighbors out of power for 3 weeks. for some reason 12 of us in a row only 2 days, no idea why. so thankful you are ok
ReplyDeleteI have a few other blog friends who live in Wisconsin and they also got hit very hard from the storms. I'm so sorry. It is so hard to be without power. We had ours out recently for 19 hours and thankfully everything in the frig and freezer made it.
ReplyDeleteTake care and God Bless.....
Good list, though I am a titch worried that you and Mr. C may have taken up eating cat food.
ReplyDeletePraising God with you for His protection of life and the main house. That 90’ Spruce is a heartbreak, though.
Pace yourselves in the clean-up. It’s a lot of work.
That must be frightening. We have had storms here but not of that intensity. How wonderful that none of the trees touched your house.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, what a storm that must have been. It appears you had your own northern hurricane. I am in agreement that God blessed you abundantly by keeping those huge limbs and branches from doing damage to your home. He is a Good God all the time!
ReplyDeleteOMG...That must have been frightening. So glad your house was spared from damage. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLori in Blue Ridge, GA
Thanks for joining the Medley today! I know your life is topsy turvy right now and you are still preparing for your August get-together. I loved your photos and your family stories. Thank you for sharing. I am so happy that your home and building were spared from the falling trees. Praise God.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you survived that tornado and I hope you don't get hit again. Gee the power of uprooting that huge tree. Mighty is HIS power.
ReplyDeleteThat is so nice you are close to your cousins and they you! I have to say we are all spread around the US and I would know how to reach them, but I do not really know them!
Wow...that was some storm! What a huge blessing that your home and other buildings were unharmed and that your power has been restored...the Lord was surely watching out for you. Sorry about that tree though. And how wonderful that you and your cousin had such a wonderful "visit" over the phone!
ReplyDeleteWow! what a storm. I am so sorry for all those trees and the mess to clean up and you being without power. Thank you for that helpful list. We always have water, and we have a generator that I have no clue about how to operate and DH doesn't remember. And there are no meals in the freezer, just frozen cookies, pancakes, meat, etc. and canned goods in the pantry.
ReplyDeleteJudy, so glad that storm wasn't worse. I'm sad to see a huge tree like that lost, but at least it didn't fall on your roof. I try to keep some water, canned foods and homemade freezer meals on hand; but right now I'm down to zero on the freezer meals.
ReplyDeletePS Just did the cousin count and figured that my paternal grandmother had 14 grandchildren, and maternal had 16 grandchildren. But each of their mothers had nearly that many children!
ReplyDeleteIt is very easy to forget what a luxury running water and electric lights are! I remember when I was working on my cottage, how excited I was to have working light switches! After months of working evenings in the semi dark it was wonderful to be able to flood the house with light!
ReplyDeleteWow! What an "adventure" you have had! I'll bet you're more than ready to return to your life of luxury . . . because isn't that how it feels after doing without?! I rejoice with you that your lives and property was spared! A miracle for sure!
ReplyDeleteI have only five first cousins; my husband has twenty-four. I am actually closer to some of his than mine.
So many trees down, what a blessing they didn't hit your house or your other buildings! I grew up with my cousins, but as we became adults we lost touch. Then about 10 years ago we began having family reunions and they have been so much fun!
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing you had no real damage from the storm although there is obviously a lot of clearing up to do. You sound well prepared and organised though. Well done for doing such a good post on your phone.
ReplyDeleteStorms can really cause a lot of damage and grief living without power etc. I am happy that your power has been restored and that you all survived the time after the storm. Have a blessed day dear friend, hope it is peaceful! HUGS!
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of clean up for sure. Our kids are headed to a family reunion in Wisconsin the middle of August. I'll have to ask them if they've heard of any damage to the area they are gathering in. Glad your power has been restored. Now may God give you the strength for the cleanup!
ReplyDeleteLittle by little you are getting it cleaned up from what I read on IG. Thankful nothing was hurt on your house. What a storm. I don't ever remember storms when trees would fall when I was a kid ... maybe I was oblivious. I notice more now, of course, since we have to deal with them. Your lunch looks so good-- a lot like ours. It is a question when the younger generation will take on the major holiday celebrations, etc. hmmm...
ReplyDeleteThat storm was something else. Glad your okay. Came by to see about your soaps. Let me know when you are back. You thinking maybe September??
ReplyDeleteWe experienced a wind storm in Coeur d'Alene the day before yours hit, but it wasn't nearly as bad. Our SIL did save the picture window of the place we rented when the wind blew down the "tent" in the front yard. It had been set up for shade, and the wind ripped it out and sent it toward the window like a javelin. Lots of white caps on the lake, too. Glad you got your electricity back in a timely fashion! (We were in CDL for a family reunion, and it was fun watching the cousins from 3 different states have fun together.) Happy August!
ReplyDelete