Hello, everyone! Well, we got the mother of all ice storms in SD! It's still raging in fact. Hundreds of trees are down in the streets, some of 'em three feet in diameter. I don't remember ever seeing it quite this bad. We're supposed to get a foot or two of snow tonite, too.

Power is out over many areas. Mine is back on but the 'net is out, tree took out the cable line. On the bright side, it landed on my garage instead of my house.

I'm checking in from a local coffee shop/cafe. Sucks not having internet!

Glad you're okay and that you have power at home.

Sorry to hear that Phaedrus. Hope you and yours are doing well. South Dakota can be harsh indeed. I write a western series based there.

On the bright side, I had lamps, a butane stove, candles, dozens of flashlights and stored water! Being prepared makes it less of a struggle.

Next time, though, I gotta make sure my Kindle is charged!

One nice thing about so many rechargeable devices using USB is that I don't have to maintain a large selection of wall warts to keep things going. Each BOB has a small LiPo battery for recharging our phones, and my laptop bag has a larger one that I can use for my phone or my iPad. I backed Waka Waka Power on Kickstarter, so the small batteries in the BOBs will be replaced with those.

Other options for us include running a car, running the generator, or using one of the jumpstarters we keep in each car. One of those will run a smartphone or a Kindle for at least a week of heavy usage.

Pssstttt! Yeah you! Over here! Got this newfangled invention we call books and magazines. Shhh! Don't tell anyone, they'll want 'em too. LMAO. Glad to hear you made it through okay. Are you far from the Black Hills?

One day it could be gone forever!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wtmG-FH8eY

yep it could, Am-Fear. Just like that new series Revolution. They walk almost as much as the people in the Lord of the Rings LOL

WOW! Glad to hear you are OK,sorry about the tree.

Stay safe, Phaedrus. Would love to hear the full after-action report once the snow melts.

Still no net. We now have a foot of wet snow on top of it all. Had some excitement today when some wires on the pole outside my house caught fire!

I hate it when that happens.

This event doesn't seem to have garnered a lot of press. But I found some pictures, and it's just nasty. Ice storms are the worst. What a mess. The destruction of those fine old trees is so unfortunate.

Stay safe.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collect...minnesota.shtml

Hahaha! No press- it's SD! We're just flyover country to the rest of the world.

Took my laptop across town to my brother's place. He has both electricity and internet- luxury! One of the women I work with has been staying in a hotel since Tues. Her power still isn't restored.

Sucky thing is I'm taking a couple of my classes online this term. Today is the first time this week I was able to access the school website where I do my assignments.

You guys got press. Prominent picture of Rapid City enveloped in white stuff in the LA Times a couple of days ago. It truly was (is) a monster storm. I emailed a friend in hot Springs and asked him to store some of the snow for this July, when I will be once again in the Black Hills. SD is a great state (a fly to locality,not a fly over!).

If you have one of those pendants, you can drive your Cutlass Ciera.

Jeanette Isabelle

LMAO! True Jeanette-Isabelle. But I'd drive my Hummer because I could pack more stuff in it. And since they're really just flash drives what powers them? Kinda makes one say hmmm...
Haven't seen you for a while. You should post more often.

I haven’t had much to say recently.

Jeanette Isabelle

Say you need to buy a flashlight......

I have carried a 2D MAG-LITE in my purse since before my accident on January 27, 2007. The MAG-LITE was scuffed up in that accident and it still works.

Jeanette Isabelle

Using my brother's 'net again for awhile. If they don't restore service soon I'll have to get a hotel. I really need internet service since my classes are online.

The storm has petered out by this point, just waiting for the city to catch up!

When time warner couldn't keep our service working a few years ago I had escalated up to a manager and told them my wife couldn't do her online classes. She told me that was against the terms of their service, that it was 'for entertainment purposes only'.
The next bill I received from them I paid by check rather then through my bank's bill pay and wrote on the check "VOID - this check is for entertainment purposes only"

Well... you could say hi, at least, Jeanette. LOL. Hey I hear you. I often stay away for extended periods of time.

I didn't know you had an accident, jeanette. I hope you're ok?"

It was warm the afternoon my sister Ellie hosted a party so I did not bring a jacket with me. That night, after cleanup, it was cold as I took the trash to the dumpster. Wanting to get back to the warm building, I ran on the sidewalk with my MAG-LITE. My right foot hit a broken piece of concrete and my MAG-LITE went flying. It hit the concrete and kept on shining.

Meanwhile, my right knee was the first to hit the sidewalk followed by my left knee which then skids across the concrete. The accident caused a tear in both knees of a nice pair of black pants. I sat there as the pain subsided enough to check for damages. After I had determined it was safe to walk, Ellie helped me inside where I used my modified Pocket Medic and trusty EMT Shears to patch me up.

The following two months I could not wear pants or anything that would touch my knees, even on cold days.

Jeanette Isabelle

Wow. I'm so sorry to hear that jeanette. It seems you were well prepared and that you're better now. I'm glad to that at least. Please be more careful in the future. I hope the scarring is minimal and s=causes you no mobility problems.

I’m fine. The MAG-LITE is fine but scratched up. The pants were ruined.

Jeanette Isabelle

Pant's and flashlights can be replaced. Knees can't. Well, they can, but I've never seen a successful knee operation.

Thank goodness you're OK Jeanette!

I'm glad to see you're okay! My power is off again, and probably won't be back on til late Sun. It's been a PITA, but what can you do?

Are you using a generator?

It just takes the right orthopedic surgeon. One of my uncles had his rebuilt in the '60s and just had it replaced a few years ago. IIRC it was by the son of the original surgeon.

What procedure doesn't? I thank my lucky stars for the surgeon who carved on me a couple of years ago....

I'm happy for both Hiker and Utalumnus. But of all the people I've known who had knee surgery none were happy with the results. I won't let them butcher mine. Pain and I are old friends. In a few years I'll retire for good (couldn't handle it before and I'm working again) Then it won't matter as much.

Well, I'm baaaack! Electricity and 'net service restored. Seems like it took forever! I'll recap the fun we had here in SF a bit later. Right now I'm gonna take a long hot shower and relax.

Welcome back, wolfrider!
-Blast