Well, to be fair, we are only 14 yrs into the century.

Drove across town [edit: Lansing MI] today to pick up the eldest, and see some of the storm damage. Occasional traffic lights had no power, all dark.

The proper approach to such an intersection, of course, is to blow thru it as if it is green... according to several idiots I observed. This works all well and good of course, as long as idiot #2 is not also approaching the uncontrolled intersection on the cross street.

 

But, in that case, at least, it gives some props to Mr. Darwin.

- Eric

 

What town?

 

He's in Lansing, Mi. Not as much ice over here on the west side of the state, though it was messy for a couple of days with many people in the ditch.

 

We got some ice too. Pretty lucky here, the rain and the warm air above kept it mostly rain. The main roads are good to go, the rural ones, not so much.

The wife and I are still surprised at how fast the drivers are down our road. Not many of them I might add, they must have been just traveling the good ones.

As far as ice storms goes this one has been gentle.

Travelling to work tomorrow might me a different post.

 

Hopefully you guys make it through with only a small inconvenience. Stay safe!

 

I did just see where 155,000 are w/o power in Michigan, I'm good.

 

It's too bad these 100 year storms happen every ten or fifteen years. I just burned a quarter tank of gas de-iceing my car here in Kansas City. They are calling for a low of -1 tonight and a high of 16 tomorrow. Wouldn't be so bad if the Chiefs hadn't been schooled by the Colts today.

 

I will post pictures tomorrow of the carnage! 4 hrs. with a saw or branch in hand. Also went to the old mans house with no power to fire up the generator and pump out the sump!

Repaired one picket fence and gate in the dark and salvaged the lawn light post by reinstalling the lamp head that got knocked off the post, hell it even works!

Pat

 

Had one like this about twelve years ago, the sounds of the trees breaking sounded like a war going on. I didn't leave my property like many did and depended on a generator for a solid week until power was restored. Sorry you are getting hit so hard.

 

I feel for you Pat, just got the update from Consumers...Friday 1130pm before our power is restored...now I bet they will beat that deadline, but still...isn't there some semi-important event occurring between now [Sunday] and then??hmmm

 

I hope everyone is checking on their neighbours some of the elderly will have a hard time. Were hit pretty hard here in Toronto many are helping out. Hope everyone stays warm and safe thru the holidays.

 

Chris, I Hotland we allways go buy milk and bread even if ya don't need it. It's kinda a tradition. Stay Safe

 

Brett, if we deserved what we got, I would have taken two tons of coal in the stocking instead!
No power at work also and everyone at work except me has no power also.

Reports that you have to go 100 miles north or south to get a generator.

Pat

 

It don't look like much but you have to realize everything is chopped up and stacked.

4hrs, maybe 75% work done!

Pat

 

im 30 mis ne of lansing. no power except my generator,it runs the house if everything isnt on at the same time. even ran the 5hp compressor for a bit. yard looks like a bomb went off. if we get any wind at all i'll lose all of my trees. so far "only" lost about 14,including my nice maple next to my deck. had to move the h/o because a branch was hanging down above it,good thing this am the limb was touching the ground and split. wont be cleaning up till spring. snowing now. great. was told power will be on around 12 am on the 27th. still. merry christmas to all.

 

Not getting the ice damage that you guys are, but I just came home from Whitehall, Mi. where we had 8" of snow in four hours, I'm about 18 miles south, but the snowfall is much less, about 4".

 

On the way home from work, traffic light still out near the highway, 2 more idiots that can't fathom how to work that are sitting in the middle of the intersection with broken cars. I went around, way around.

I ventured out again after work to get some checks in the bank.

Every road seems to be at least partially blocked by a fallen tree. Miller Rd. between here and the highway is totally blocked since about Sunday night. 2 more unlit traffic lights during this trip, I stop at the first, proceed with caution, to find another idiot coming from my right, with evidently no intention to stop... wow.

Stop at the store on the way home, out comes a lady with her.... bag of ICE. Which is what I was after as well.

Oh the irony!

Buying ice in the ice storm aftermath.

 

I feel for all of the families with little ones trying to deal with this crud, But it after all is a fact of life. The sense of community is so heartwarming though, one of my workmates...the bastard who still has power, all joking aside, had their kids make Christmas cookies and brought his wife over & dropped them off to check up, A 15 mile drive one way. Never say the spirit of the season is gone, they're good people everywhere.

 

I have no damage at my house but have been w/o power since 12/22 about 2am. 4000 watt generator is my savior but the voltage is erratic so the "Hi tech" Lennox furnace is giving me fits but once started will warm house up. It won't run my electric water heater though. I feel lucky. It's amazing how much you miss electricity until you don't have it. I have checked around all the small towns around her and you can't find road salt anywhere...

 

We still have power, but my supervisor and sister- not so lucky. Sister says estimate out in the small town is 11pm 12/27

My coworker, his tree took down the line between the road and his house, so, it may be a while.

Here's a few pictures of the carnage and the beauty in Lansing





















Notice the broken power pole in the background:







The fading sun lights up the high tension wires magnificently:

 

wow! that looks like what we had around here, back in '77. no fun at all.


bill

 

WOW, I hadn't been to Lansing in a week or so, didn't know it was quite so bad. I live north of St Johns, It was pretty bad in St Johns but less so in Ithaca and almost no Ice in Alma. My electric came back on about 6pm on Christmas eve. Most everyone I know is back on but the national news said a bunch were still out as of today.

 

I'm in Orion Township. No Power here .Detroit Edison just called and told me I didn't pay my Last Bill. I told them YES I DID.. Get me some power and we can talk. Not their Fault..Not their Problem ..But...

 

My dad's power is still out (south west Lansing near Jolly and Waverly). The people across the street have had power all week. We've opened a couple of water taps to dribble so the pipes won't (hopefully) freeze. Sunday night we tried to get him a hotel room, none available in a 26 mile radius. He has been staying with my brother instead. Keep going over to check the house and see if power is on. I feel sorry for the people who have nowhere to go until this is over. Amazing that the traffic light at Jolly and Logan (MLK) is still out. That is a very major intersection.

 

Well, luckily all the weak branches are down already, 'cause today we have major snow.

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/9983/4wt9.jpg

Cleared the driveway this morning and it's already in need of a clearing again.

Schools are closed.

I may have to not go to work tomorrow.

Guess what I get to do first thing at work? SHOVEL SNOW.

 

Ick. Looks like really wet snow. A back breaker.

Good luck!

- Eric

 

912am:
It's only super heavy and wet out where the city was kind enough to fill in the driveway with salted road crud. The Toro did a fine job of throwing it off the driveway otherwise.

Just looked up the weather for today:

Lansing heavy snow, low of -6, high of 7 F
Fairbanks AK - low 9, high 25
McMurdo Station, Antarctica - low of -11, high of 9

So, Lansing is no worse off than ANTARCTICA.
Whereas, It's relatively warm in ALASKA.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Right after posting the above I went out to see if maybe I could get to work if I had to. NO.
The city was kind enough to refill the driveway AGAIN

 

I feel sorry for all you guys, we are in the middle of a drought here(Northern Ca.) and have had many 70 degrees days in a row. Strange weather I'm usually up to the hubs in snow by this time but nothing for weeks now....Tedd

 

Ted and I mean this in all sincerity...we have MORE than enough to share. Have about 32" in my back yard. The 72 is a faint hump in a sea of whyte shyte.

 

The plow drivers here were kind enough to take out my mailbox.