We know how you all enjoy a Hobart picture so there's one at the end of this post.
With water shut off for almost 3,000,000 people, we had to improvise for water usage. Thankfully we were prepared for drinking water, we had two 5 gallon bottles, a couple dozen small water bottles and an assortment of the canned flavored sparkling water. Drinking water we would be OK.
But because we weren't told ahead of time that water would just be shut off (perhaps lack of preparedness on our part as well) we weren't able to fill up the tub for flushing the toilet. One of our blog friends mentioned using melted snow for toilet flushing. The snow is long gone here but that made us think...our apartment building has a pool...we pay rent...the pool is part of what we pay for...so I grabbed a bucket...
...went down to the pool level and filled a large bucket, carried it back up (in the elevator, ha) and filled the tank in the toilet. It worked perfectly. I've gone down three times so far. The first time I was the only one. The last time there were four other people with buckets and another person on the elevator said "wow that's a great idea!" Later in the day the building sent an email and said it was OK just be careful as the pool area is wet from rain and it's going to freeze again tonight.
Thinking outside the box!
As for work, many of you know I work in the insurance business. Our office here has no power so we are trying to work from home like we did for so long during the pandemic but the connection has been sporadic. Turns out our company has a server hub in North Texas. They prepared for tornadoes and hail and even wildfires. They also prepared for "normal" Winter weather. Turns out they didn't prepare for THIS kind of cold and so the servers went down and now none of our laptops can function property with the company software and systems. They are getting it back up little by little. Today our office took 12 claims for burst pipes. Yesterday we had 8 claims. Those are the ones we know about. There could be people who called directly and we haven't been updated yet.
For those worried about Hobart and if he's staying warm, no worries there. Here he is (when it was 11 degrees outside), curled up on a blanket on the couch after we covered him up. He slept for hours there. He's got the cushy life for sure.
He's not spoiled or anything...
That is what another person is doing is getting water from their swimming pool to use in flushing their toilets. She mentioned that they just break the top layer of ice and fill their buckets.
ReplyDeleteWe all do what we can with what we have on hand.
We received 5-6 inches of snow from this last snow fall, so no shortage of snow here. We do have electricity and heat so still able to cook meals; just no water, as our county shut the water supply off early yesterday morning.
Think our septic line is frozen so no more using the toilets. Going the old fashion way; using a bucket in place of and dumping it outside. Hey, living in Iowa, we had an outhouse that we had to use so using a bucket is nothing new for us.
I hear ya. At least we're back to getting above freezing during the day but I know y'all up there are staying below. Now we are getting into the mid 20's at night still so pipes are still in danger. I used to joke to 2nd Man that I wanted an outhouse at the farm just to have something different might not be a bad idea if our winters keep doing this.
Deletethank you for posting news about hobart. I know youse guys can take care of yourselves. I hope your power comes back on soon. and WTF with ted cruz?????
ReplyDeletewe are getting another 6-8" of snow/ice today.
Clever men! Your preparedness at least for drinking water has me thinking that we are not prepared for the same, but in Minnesota, we of course have the infrastructure for the cold. Hobart is a prince.
ReplyDeleteExcellent thinking outside the box! Pool water! My two (aka The Demon Duo) also have stayed covered up during power outages. And they aren't spoiled either!
ReplyDeleteWhy not fill up the bath tub with water before it gets dark and so freezing? That would give you back up. Roderick
ReplyDeletenow if you can just figure out a way to get that water up to your apartment with something easier than a bucket! haha! hobart looks so upset about what's going on...NOT!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking a whole bunch of pool plumbing would be freezing but it looks like they are still good for something! Hobart looks blissfully unconcerned
ReplyDeleteCan you bring several buckets up for night use? I cannot even imagine how bad it would be in a high rise with stopped up toilets.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pool water tip. My nephew and his wife and kids live in Houston and informed him about the pool water tip.
ReplyDeleteHave you heard of these Boundery Bulbs? I live in Ill. and we often have storm outages from various weather. I have 6 of these bulbs and they provide great light..they don't give heat, of course, but they're a zillion times better than burning candles. Just a thought..you might wish to check them out. Take care. https://shop.boundery.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=11726362201&utm_content=g&utm_term=boundery&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvbiBBhD-ARIsAGM48bwpzzbqb0b-wgX-LWlQVPi_T56jIFi7K7fmqyDkze-5tyfNTPjJxF0aAmt7EALw_wcB
ReplyDeletePraying for all of Texas. Here in Memphis we have just been issued a boil water advisory, but still have power. Counting our blessings.
ReplyDeleteGood thinking! I suspect you'll be very busy as Texas emerges from this crisis and communications are fully restored.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
GIVE US AN UPDATE PLEASE!! Roderick
ReplyDeleteI tried to publish but I guess it didn’t go through. Trying again.
ReplyDeleteThat was so smart of you to think of using the pool water for flushing. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Hobart looks so warm and cozy. Cats always know how to stay warm. My cat likes to sit in front of the fireplace.
I am so glad that this is the last night of this Deep Freeze. Unlike Ted Cruz, I can’t escape the cold by going to Cancun!
I was out of power for 3 days. No cell phone or internet until today. I have water but need to boil it.
I am really tired of living the pioneer life. I slept by the fireplace and woke up every hour or so to put another log on the fire - but VERY thankful I have a fireplace. It was also great for cooking in a cast iron skillet. And using my formerly-decorative blue enamel teapot for boiling water. I had enough firewood but started running out of kindling, so I was scrounging for more in the backyard under the oak trees - in the ice and snow.
Hoping both of you and Hobart are warm tonight.