Wow! What an interesting time that Mother Nature has put us through thus far in the new year.
First, the heavy snows and then the high winds.
Jamie and I have lived here for 18 years and never have we seen so much snow unless we didn’t realize it.
But then the recent windstorms began happening, and lo and behold, we were affected. That was something new for us with high winds occurring on a daily basis for I don’t know how many days.
Then, on a recent Friday, one of our utilities went out, leaving us without a TV, computer and telephone. We couldn’t wait until it came back in service, but we had to. In fact, it was nearly six days later that life seemed brighter for us.
Some days, the two of us were okay about the idea, but we were getting tired of waiting. We prayed a lot and knew it would eventually come back on, but didn’t know when.
Thank goodness, we had a few good people who checked on us, namely my niece Michelle, friend Susan and neighbor Barb. The only time we left the house, if I’m not mistaken, is when we had to go to one of the stores in town.
Oh, yes, the morning after the outage, I was to meet with some classmates in Greenville, and I took Jamie with me so he wouldn’t have to stay home alone. He enjoyed it, so I’m glad he went with me.
Even though we both love TV and receiving phone calls and I, using the computer, I guess we didn’t realize how much until none of it was no longer here. But, believe me, they were missed. We needed these things to keep us going, as I was beginning to feel like we were prisoners in our own home.
My son and I tried to keep each other’s hopes up, and we did in part. At least, we shared our thoughts and felt a little better. He has a great soul and has his own special thoughts, which helped me to appreciate him even more.
I’ve never seen constant winds like the recent ones, and I hope I never have to experience them again in that magnitude.
My biggest scare was us not having our landline phone working. Both he and I have some medical issues and I was so afraid we couldn’t get medical help in time, especially if it was the middle of the night. But thanks to God that didn’t happen. I am, however, in the process of getting a cell phone to have in addition to our landline phone. The cell phone will make me feel safer not only here at home but when we’re traveling and should happen to need help of some kind along the way.
At least, as Jamie has said so many times, we didn’t lose power. That was a godsend. I am pretty sure we could not have handled that. Lights flickered a few times, but that was it.
With that, I want to apologize again for not being able to put together a column last week, because I didn’t have “the tools.”
Maybe things are starting to look up weather-wise and hopefully stay that way.
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Jamie and I send our condolences to the family and friends of: Bob Henry, Darlene Grubb, Judy Francis, Penny Jo Strawser, Floyd McCullough, Mary Hurd, Mary Ording, Shirley Richard, Coy Buirley, Neil Augustine, Wilma Gehron, Phil Brumbaugh, Nancy Brumbaugh and Jane A. (Anderson) Kelleher.
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Please pray for Rick Elliott, Carol Martin Price, Daniel Gibson, Evelyn Riffell Sebring, Beverly Brumbaugh, Jeff Sanders, Gary Gilmore, Ron Cox, Dennis Riffell, Carol Good, Katie Cothran, Margaret Bonifield Middleton, Debbie Isaacs Miller, Melissa Anderson, Rick Beam, Kathy Stone Brewer, Carl Francis, Katrina Hoening, Rick Riffell, Vickie Martin, Jim and Amy Hanes, Tom Everhart, Fred Dakin, Carol Paul, Ted McCabe, Tracy Pratt, David Hiestand, Gary Knick, Kierra Reichert, Eddie Cline, Sharon Lapp, Terri Baker Buteau, Judy York, Roxie Thornhill, Sharon Miller, Allen Whittaker, Mike Hopkins, Don Rhoades, Dave Brewer, Clarence “Sam” Wilker, Chuck Cruze, Roan Brubaker, Vic Bothast, Tom Brewer, Dawn Dilworth, Carol Schuh, Gloria Hodge, Ralph Byrd, Jeff Brocious, Norma Kretschmar, Beth Davis, Terry Overbay, Terry “T.A.” Anthony, Katie Cothran, Lynne Bruner Hinshaw, Donn Thornhill, Carissa Rodriguez, Kevin Christman, Ivan Christian, Roger Fleckenstein, Bob Jackson, Penny Hopkins, Sherry Lawrence, Kevin Schlechty, Darla Printz Whittaker, Sandy Partin, Sandy Gunckle, Tonya Kelly, Bob Christian, Linda Johnston, Terri Hunt, Patricia Maier, Dan Lockhart, Delores Beisner, Jodi Gilpin Snyder, Charlie Bulcher, Charlyee Severance, Justin Fritz, DeWayne Yohey, Katrina Hoening, Kara Didier, Don DeBord, Otis Stewart, Slug Midlam, Bob Peters, Judy Collins, Carol Hemmerich, Roberta Hall, Kelly Kelch, Nikole Baldridge, Mark Lovejoy, Connie Stachler, Randy Heck, Ronnie Norton, David Pretzman, Clinton Randall, Bruce Kaiser, Amanda Mote, Doug Whittington, Neal Gray, Randy Garrison, Kathy Gragorace, Donna Bixler, Cathy Melling and all others who are suffering from other life-altering illnesses.
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Happy belated birthday:
March 15 to Roxann Grant, Carol Williams and Sue Ann Puckett.
March 16 to Jesse Peters and Lisa Heck,
March 17 to Chester Pouder, John Jenkins Sr., Ty Thwaits, Steve Gilland, Jerri Dispennette and Cheryl Wombolt.
March 18 to Alexis Shinn Wardrip, Hannah Linebaugh, Kathy Monnin, Farah Grewe, Lynette Trent and Cheryl Francis.
March 19 to Dottie Huggins, Judy Thornhill, Nicole Dickey and Mary Striegel Knick.
March 20 to Jerilyn Kiser and Carmen Claywell.
March 21 to Kent Elleman, Craig Wagner, Fonda Newbauer, Jerry Singer, Shalee Cross and Richard Lucas.
Happy birthday:
March 22 to Cris Kammer Moody, Tom Wentworth, Elaine Howell, Steve Gruber and Diana Floyd.
March 23 to Paula Moody, Jeff Dohme, Brandan Heck, Carol Bowman Cox and Sylvia Garrett.
March 24 to Brian K. Hathway, Kim Koverman Hershey, Cindy Jenkinson Moody, Mike Stegall, Joe Schmitmeyer and Tina Ullery.
March 25 to Brandon Moody, Joan DeMange, Doris Barga, Greg Knick, Nancy Norton and Shelly King.
March 26 to Connie Starline, Nevin Elleman, and Teresa King.
March 27 to Joan Falknor, Susan Kammer, Molly Wentworth, Travis Yohey and Chuck Runner.
March 28 to Donna Slyder, H.B. Hole Jr. and Bob Berger.
Happy anniversary to Gene and Amy Maher on March 26.
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Think about it: “Success takes the horsepower of an optimist and the brakes of a pessimist.”– Author Unknown
