Frozen

I grew up in Wyoming. Winter gets cold there. When I moved to California I remember laughing at a freshman who thought that if it got cold enough for you to see your breath you could die.
I've lived in Wisconsin for years. It gets really cold there. I remember scraping the inches thick ice off my car for more than 45 minutes after my mother-in-law had spent an hour before me. (that was a storm!)

I like to tell myself that I am tough when it comes to cold. That I have enough experience to be above needing a coat in Arizona. That I am an expert liver-in-cold...er.

Let me humbly inform you today that I was wrong.

Now- before I throw my story at you, let me fill in a few details. In Arizona, the pipe that brings the water into your house is just outside for all to see. It is not inside something smart like a wall. I question the sanity of these Arizonans.

Also- it was 20* last night.

That being said, these were the sights to see at my house this morning:
















Yes, this is my water storage. We had 4 2-Liter bottles under the sink yesterday. This is also all the ice out of my freezer-ice-maker. We have been drinking it (sparingly).

Surprise-- Frozen pipes!















My sweet husband got to 'shower' like he did when he lived in El Salvador: with a bucket. We warmed some water on the stove. (Thank HEAVEN we still have electricity and heat!) I, however, did not get/want a bucket shower. The doctor smelled clean when he left this morning. I was jealous. Sadly, his shower used 1 and 1/2 of the 2-Liters. I now know that I need more water storage.

So, what do you do about frozen pipes??
Besides bake pumpkin muffins for breakfast?
(That's what I did.)

You add warmth. A-La-Electric-Heating-pad. and extension cord. and lots of blankets for insulation.





















I am thrilled to report that only one hour after we began warming pipes, this is what I heard from the front bathroom. Water!















As a kind note to those dear friends and family surviving 'snowmageddon 2011': I acknowledge that I sound like that kid in CA who thought he was going to die in the cold. I have no snow to shovel/drive through. I have full sun and prospects of warmer weather tomorrow. Please know that my heart, prayers, (and my tough self that abandoned me at the drop of a thermometer) are with you.