BRRRRRRR....

Just when we thought the winter was just about over, an Arctic Clipper hit with us with a one-two punch!! The wind hit with a fury, knocking down trees, and power lines, and blowing down old barns, and scattering anything that was not tied down all over the place.

We had winds sustained at over 50 MPH in Oak Harbor, and the Olympic peninsula got hit even harder. Right behind that came the rain, and the snow and the COLD. Then it cleared up and the wind hit again, just as hard!

I got out of the playhouse last night around 900 and headed to the base to get gas, as I was running on fumes. I knew I was in trouble as I headed down the hill from the playhouse to the water, and looked across the marina and saw BLACK! Shoulda been all lit up! The Citgo Gas station Mini mart on Base is usually all lit, and shining over the water. Not last night.

When You approach a Base Gate, you are to turn your headlights down, and roll down your windows, and turn on your dome light so the sentrys can see inside. Well, I turned off my headlights, and could see NOTHING!! Soon there was a teeny tiny little flash light coming from the guard shack. SO I put the done light on and crawled up. Sure enough, I was told that all electricity on base was out, and they could not pump gas. AAAACCCKKKK!!!

I turned around,and headed to the Farm Store, where I was hoping the power was on. Not all of the city was out, and thank GOD it was still on at CENEX. I got out to get my gas, and the wind was whipping so hard that it slammed the gas door shut on the car. SO I had to stop everything and go back to the front and flip the lever again, so I could put the gas in. It was blowing so hard that my hair was blowing straight back from head, and it was so cold that my ears, nose and face turned NUMB, then my hands got so cold that I could not finish pumping the gas. It had to be a wind chill of 50 below zero! (ok JimBob, maybe not,) But it was COLD!! Just as I turned the corner on the highway to head home, the lights across the water along Scenic Heights Road went out. Totally black! It kinda gives you a funny feeling to look over where you normally see lights, and see nothing!

I get on home, fighting the wind the whole way, and made it to my house to see that the trash cans I had just filled, were blown across the street, and all of my old correspondence and bills, and trash were now papering the entire cul-de-sac!! So here I am at 1100 at night in a hurricane, and being pounded with frozen sleet, tip toeing around my neighbors houses and gathering up as much of my garbage as I could find without a flash light. I am toting the trash can, and hurting like hell, but I can not make a noise, as I know that I would wake up everyone, or get shot one or the other.

Finally at midnight, I gave up and came in and took a hot shower hoping to thaw my frost bitten hands. I crawled into bed, after rubbing Icy Hot or Ben Gay all over my back and hips and then relaxed. I just LOVE STORMS!! I really do!! They keep boredom at bay!

Once again I survived with no trees down on the house. WHEW!!