I guess I didn't think

 February needed a post.  I don't know.  There was plenty going on, but here are just a couple of things.

The granddaughter and I decorated cookies.  I ordered a Valentine cookie kit from a friend's sister and we had at it.

 

I'm not the best with the icing...

And she really likes the sprinkles...

Also, some of these cookies were licked before they were done and more icing had to be applied.  On this one, I squeezed the bag while she steered it.  

We did these the week before Valentines Day and when the 14th rolled around, we were getting ready for cold weather to blast through.  Our low for the 15th was supposed to be in the 20s and the next day would be in the teens.  As every Texan knows, that was crazy.

 

No snow and only ice.  Archer was bummed.

 

Power outages, no water, freezing temps... crazy, crazy, crazy.  We had rolling blackouts the first night.  The next day, while our power was on most of the time and water was going good, Mom and Dad had neither.  With rain in the forecast and lower temps, they headed over here.  About 30 minutes before they got here, we lost power for the night.

 

 

I normally keep tall prayer candles in the cabinet for power outages, but thank goodness for our Coco Halloween theme back in 2019.  We had extra.  We used a lighter to light the stove and Cosme made burgers by candlelight.  That was that.  We bundled up and listened to water trickle through the night.  We joked that it was like vacationing at a grotto in Greenland.  Power came back the next morning, but water was slowing down.  Luckily I hadn't drilled drainage holes in the bottoms of my 5 gallon buckets yet because those became our water supply.  I put a couple outside to catch rain water too.  Also, about that time, Eric's place lost power as well.  They loaded up and came over.  The seven of us were basically camping over here.  Thank goodness for the new grill I got for my birthday.  Did I ever mention that?  (I finally picked out a grill to connect to the house's gas line and it gets used a lot.)  The next day we thawed out some outside skirt (thank goodness for that new freezer I kept pestering Cosme for) and a few chicken breasts and grilled fajitas.  Cindy and Earl had also stopped by to check on us.  Lauren, who had been without power longer than us and putting all her camping and homestead skills to use, had been trying to reach us but couldn't.  She called Cindy and Earl, who also had no power or water, to ask about us.  Oh, not only did we all lose power and water, but there was no cell service.  So when they got here and couldn't get back in touch with Lauren, we grilled fajitas.

We were all really happy when that was over with.  It took a few days for us all to have usable water, but we're back to normal now... well, normal for still being stuck in a pandemic.

I did learn a few things during all that: 

• I like being prepared and I feel like changes I've made during the pandemic helped me.

• I need an emergency cold weather/hurricane kit.  (Not that I don't have supplies, but I need things stored together and ready to go.)

• I definitely want to expand my garden.

That's enough for now.

so yesterday I made

the roast and baked bread as I had planned, amped up for the cold weather.  I'm over it now.  Today it's in the 50s and I'm ready for the 60s-70s.  I wasn't made for chilly weather.  I'm feeling it too.  I woke up needing a nasal decongestant (nothing new there) but I just feel the cooler weather.  It's literally something in the air.  I don't like the whole vibe it's putting off.  I'm not ready for needing a hoodie and socks.  I put thieves and peppermint in the diffuser.  I made myself a cup of hot tea but put ice cubes in it so I can tolerate it right now.  I think I put too much ice.  I added local honey because it couldn't hurt.  I want to go back to bed.  Wake me when the temps rise a little.  Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the break from the heat but isn't there a happy medium with the weather?  Oh, wait.  I think they call that California.  I'll suffer with the Texas temps.

This was yesterday, not today when it was too breezy and chilly.

The dogs, gathered at their drinking hole.  Well, one of their drinking holes.  They're weird.

I need breakfast.  I'd love oatmeal but I don't feel like making any.  I'd use an instant package but I'm running low and would rather save it for a time when I'm really needing oatmeal but don't want to make it in a saucepan... times like this morning, but more desperate.  I don't want to waste it on a morning when I'd just love it.  Maybe I'll make toast.  I need something.  I need to eat something and go sit by the diffuser and absorb cold-fighting stuff.  That's what it is.  This weather reminds me of being sick and I'm not in the mood for being sick.  It'd help if this sinus drainage and allergy crap would go away.  Maybe then I'd appreciate the cooler weather and not associate it with my itchy, watery eyes, itchy nose, and sneezing.  I'm done.  I'm not going to sit here and dwell on it.  I'm going to have some toast, do some chores and catch up on some dvr.  I'll pretend it's yesterday when it was 78 degrees.

i'm tired of this cold

weather.  The dogs are spending so much time in the cage.  Archer just wants to be outside.  He loves the cold but I really don't want him freezing.  If I had some kind of a decent spot for him to stay warm out there, I'd let him out more.  I don't so he can't.  I let him out a little after 2:00 this morning for the bathroom and then I couldn't get him back in.  I was watching him and checking periodically to see if he was ready but nope, he wanted to stay out there.  I checked the weather app and I don't remember what the actual temperature was but I do remember the "feels like" was 13.  That's too cold.  I finally got him back in by putting food at the back door and then once he got that close, I pulled the leash out.  That was 3:30.

I'm ready for temps to at least get up to the 40's.  Until then, we have plenty of food and haven't lost electricity like a lot of people in the area have.  (knock on wood)

For now I'll share some of the pictures I took yesterday of ice.

It's not dramatic or anything but I wanted to get pictures and wasn't about to venture off.  So that's what I got.

And here's me trying to stay warm and keep my glasses from fogging up.

I guess it's time for my morning bad-weather-day nap.  I'd hate to miss out and lunchtime will be here before I know it.

today and tomorrow are bad

weather days.  We'll just say Houston is closed.

It's supposed to rain for the rest of the day and the temps are only dropping.  The dogs are in their cage and Archer has started this thing of mumbling and barking at us when we sit on the couch.  I went over there and let him know that behavior would NOT continue.  Mid-scold I noticed his head was hanging.  He knew he messed up.  Then I felt bad.  I didn't let up but kept telling him how it would be.  He got the message, loud and clear.

We knew the weather would get bad today so yesterday I stopped by Stewarts to pick up a few things for hamburgers.  I got home and realized I didn't get milk.  We have about half a gallon that is past its date but then our milk usually lasts a lot longer.  I started worrying last night.  What if we need milk before Wednesday?  What if we need a bowl of cereal and we're stuck?  What if I want hot chocolate for the cold weather?  I went to Kroger at 10:00 last night to get milk... and another box of cereal.  I went ahead and filled up with gas because I didn't want to be stuck with an empty tank and having to fill up when it's 30 degrees out (even though I'm not planning on going anywhere).

In better news (not that staying bundled up inside for bad weather days is a bad thing), I found an orange in the backyard.

The most logical explanation of how this got back there was from off the neighbor's tree.  This means there is hope that more will end up back there.  I will check after every windy day.  (I also anxiously await more windy days.)

Now I guess I'll clean up our breakfast mess because it'll be time to make a lunch mess before too long.  I'm also going out to check for oranges.