A Visit From Jack Frost

That's Aidan's explanation for the ice storm that hit Corydon this week, and these are some pictures of the damage it had done to our yard as of Wednesday morning. The first is of our back yard, the second of the east side yard, the third and fourth of the bizzilion-year-old tree next to our driveway (note the branch in my parking space). More branches have fallen since and this is only a tiny glimpse of the havoc it has wreaked all over the county. There are branches covering lawns and roadways and elecrical lines dangling everywhere.

Brian woke up around 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday as our bedroom ceiling fan slowed to stop. In four short hours since we had gotten home from a Christmas party and gone to bed, the freezing rain had begun and piled on a coat of ice heavy enough to knock out the electricity all over the county. We were lucky enough that our gas fireplace in the kitchen happened to be on when the electricity went off. So come Tuesday morning, that became our base of operations for the next few days. Other strokes of luck (or graces from God): 1.) we have a gas water heater and 2.) for some reason I parked on the far side of the driveway earlier that day - something I almost never do.

It took the boys about half an hour to comprehend exactly what in the house required electricity. But once they grasped the concept of no tv, no movies, no computer, no Christmas tree lights, and no cooked food, they were really good sports. We put on a few layers of clothes and spent the next couple of days camping out in the kitchen with bb and Poppy's inflatable bed (thank goodness they left it here after their last visit!), lanterns, and candles. The boys played with all kinds of toys that had been forgotten in nooks and corners of the playroom and I did a little catalog shopping for Christmas. Brian stayed busy as the hospital tripled it's duties as it acted as a warming station and the only source in town for a hot meal. He came home every few hours to check on us and deliver coffee or dinner. (It's good to have connections.)

Our neighbors along the other side of the street regained electricity early Tuesday evening. One in particular celebrated (read: gloated) by turning on their outside Christmas lights right away. Our power was not restored until Wednesday evening around 7:00. As soon as it kicked on, Aidan ran through the house testing every light switch. Preston looked at the kitchen light, processed it for a second, and then asked, "So the lights work...that means the...um...um...tv works?" Proving that it apparently takes longer than 48 hours to detox kids from technology.