Things have been hectic to say the least!

I can't believe it has been over two weeks since I last posted to this Blog. But Mother Nature got in the way with a severe ice storm here in the Ozarks of Southwest Missouri. We had three inches of ice on everything! Trees broke, power went out and left many people in the dark for over a week. Winter hit us on Friday evening, January 12 and on Saturday morning, many people got up to no electricity and no phone. Our electric did not go out until Sunday afternoon at about 4:30 p.m. and when you live in the country and are on a well, you have no water! BUT, I knew we would probably loose the power, so I had drawn water in the bathtub and in several 5 gallon pails and empty plastic milk cartons I had saved. Fortunately, we do have a wood heating stove in our home and three gas heaters for back-up. We were able to stay warm, but I cook on electic, so could not cook on the stove, but did manage to cook a little on the wood stove. We went until Wednesday evening about 9 p.m. without power and it came back on! Hip Hip Hooray! We had power all day Thursday and Thursday evening, THEN on Friday about 11 a.m. NO power again! Oh no, NO water in reserve! What to do............PRAY! Yeah, at about 4:30 it came back on. We do feel blesssed however, because today as I write this, two week later, there are still a few families without power.

My hubby has been very busy with his work, plumbing, trying to restore busted water lines in homes and businesses. And I have been doing my part, by helping to cook and feed the power companies that have sent their men into our town to help restore the power lines. The Missouri Baptist Convention has sent their chain-saw group to help trim and cut trees, clean-up yards and stack all the brush for pick-up. Our beautiful town looks like a war has hit us, there is so much damage all over town. It is hard to believe what has happened to us here. The photo's you see are just a small fraction of the damage, and they are only of the area here in my own front and back yards.

But, also, as I write this, life as we know it, is returning to normal. We did have church last Sunday and had a very good crowd. Hubby and had I two different families stay with us for a few days and enjoyed their fellowship greatly.

My best friend, Marie, was staying with here neighbors, who live next door, and they had a generator, so she was having a ball with them and their family. She said at one time there were 14 people staying there! She got to return to her home on Sunday, January 21. THEN, on Wednesday of this week, dear Marie had a heart attack. I just could not believe this was happening! Today, Friday, she had open heart surgery with 4 by-passes. The doctor says she is doing very well and came through the surgery well. When I left the hospital today, she was still asleep in ICU, and they said she would sleep for another 8 to 12 hours. They said she would probably move to her own private room sometime tomorrow and start rehab. I love this woman like my own mom. Her daughter, Theresa and I have become like sisters during these last few days, and her son, Carl, has a very special wife, Pam. They are such special people.