Still here...

This is really heartbreaking.

Here's a couple of slide shows of photos Submitted by Tulsans

So many trees, so many lives changed.

The first shot of the second slide show looks across Eva's neighborhood.

Joe(it's going to be a long time until Spring.)Nation

Thank you, J.
Thanks to all of you.
We're OK for now. It took us an hour tonight to find a gas station that still had gasoline. Both cars have full tanks now, and we refilled several containers for the generator. It is raining now, but it is forecast to turn to snow during the night or tomorrow morning.

Heartbreaking is right, Joe. But you don't know the half of it. The trees are bad enough, but the human cost is worse. SonofEva's piano teacher called tonight. Her next-door neighbor died when they took a charcoal grill inside to keep warm. Set their house on fire. Fortunately, her house wasn't damaged, but her peace of mind was completely shattered. We will stop by and check on her tomorrow.

People are dying from such foolishness...taking charcoal grills inside, trying to run generators INSIDE their homes...burning stuff they shouldn't...using gas appliances for heat without battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms, etc. The newspapers and TV (for those who can get it) are warning people not to do it, but you know how folks are. They think, "Oh, it'll be okay, I'll keep an eye on it." We've lost 35-40 in Tulsa so far.

We saw a group of line trucks...about 7 or 8...coming into town on the interstate. The signs on the cabs said they were from Sumter, SC. Everyone was flashing their lights and honking and waving. These guys are heroes to us. We saw a bunch of them last night walking into a local restaurant for dinner where we were eating. Everyone sent them to the head of the line, and one man promptly whipped out his credit card and announced he was paying for their dinner. Everyone applauded. Honestly, I cannot think of a worse job. They are working around the clock in the dark, in the cold, in the wet, in the ice, up in the air...with electricity. Can you think of anything you'd rather not do?!

I need to get off the computer. I'll try to check in tomorrow morning. Still no idea when we'll get power...hopefully in the next few days. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

On second thought, nevermind us. Keep the folks out there with no heat in your prayers. They need 'em more than we do.

Eva, Glad you and the family are ok. Horrifying. Devastating. Hope the new coming storm treats you more gently.

After seeing the pics Joe posted and reading your posts, it's much worse than I even imagined.

When we lost our power those 3 days, we at least found a nice warm cottage to stay at and I couldn't imagine having been stuck at home with no heat for all that time.

People are dying trying to get warm and it truly breaks my heart. This is so sad.

I'm so glad you guys are set up with your generator and my hopes will linger on those who continue to suffer.

(((((((((Eva)))))))))

I knew about the ice storm, But, I was so caught up in my own affairs, I admit ashamedly that I forgot to be concerned for the ones caught in it. I am relieved you are all right.

That really sound (and looks: it had been a couple of times in the news).

I hardly can imagine how everything is going there, Eva.

We are gald that you are alright.

Sending Eva and family warmth and power. Eva, and her neighbors, and the city.

It's hard to believe the death toll won't go higher. The cold gets in you and stays. It makes people crazy enough to do crazy things.

If they get through today without the rain turning to anything icy (The high is predicted at 35F) the folks out there will have four or five days of mid-50's and Sunny.

Back in '87, Louise and I lived right on the Broken Arrow Expressway on 14th Street. We were without power for seven days, but we had a gas fireplace, a gas stove for making soup and LOTS of blankets. And we, my son was with us, were experienced campers.


Joe(I hope everyone is checking on the old folks.)Nation

Checking in.

After we got our power back in the storm we had and got back home from the cottage, we see that there's another severe ice storm heading our way (they said it could be worse than the last), I went to our local hardware store, bought a wood stove and had it place in the basement.

We did get the other storm, but surprisingly enough, we never lost the power.

Right up until a few weeks ago, we only lost our power once where we needed the stove and it wasn't for very long.

Then this past summer, I disconnected the stove because I was going to have it installed upstairs. figured I'd save the mason/stove guy the trouble of disconnecting it.
After disconnecting it, I remembered that I was going to put laminate flooring down in the room I planned on putting the stove, so there was the stove, in the basement, disconnect.

So, when we lost our power for 24 hours a few weeks back, no heat for us.

I've had the stove re-connected and I think the guy likes me because he only chrged me $20. Phew!

Anyway, my thoughts are with all who are suffering in this awful mess.

The pictures are truly heartbreaking - all these nice trees are gone.

Eva, I'm glad you and your family are warm and safe. Hopefully,
there is a good emergency service in Tulsa who will check on the
old people to make sure they're okay. I can't imagine being without
heat for such a long time. What about families with young children
and babies? What are they supposed to do. Shouldn't FEMA get
in there and distribute gas heaters, and gas stoves?

I cannot begin to imagine what this must be like.

CJ, the whole region is short on these things.

The big retailers are reloading as fast as they can, but this was a BIG storm.

I was sourcing and sending supplies from Wichita to areas hurt much worse.

By the time FEMA could do anything, the rest of us midwesterners will have it well under control.

RH

Eva--

Hold your dominion. I'm thinking of you.

Things look much better...and worse...this morning.

The linemen are doing an amazing job. There are only 65,000 of us in Tulsa still without power -- just the ones in the hardest hit areas. (That's us.) It is 33 degrees and snowing. The internet forecast (no cable for TV) says 19 degrees tonight, and the main worry now is the probability of bursting pipes in homes without power tonight. I am so glad we have the generator!

There are conflicting reports on the number of fatalities, but suffice to say the emergency rooms are full. At least one hospital has announced it cannot take any more patients until its power is restored (it's running on generators.)

You find out a lot about people when things like this happen. We've called and checked on several people we know, and fortunately they were all OK, but nobody here in town has checked on us or offered to help us. Our next door neighbors went to a hotel the first two nights, then came home and fired up their generator. They just waved at us from their driveway. Grrr. We were sleeping in front of the fireplace at the time. Nobody at Hubby's office or the school where I work part-time offered us a place, either, and they had them. I could go on... At any rate, it is apparent that it's every man for himself.

Re: FEMA...my brother called and said in Oklahoma City they're announcing on TV that FEMA will reimburse homeowners for storm expenses not covered by their insurance. You have to call them (it can take hours to get through) and they will send you paperwork, no telling how long it will take to actually see the money. I wonder what people who rent will do?

Hubby worked through most of the week when he wasn't taking care of things at the house. He was very busy trying to keep major industries running (he's an automation specialist.) It seemed amazing that employers still expected everyone to show up for work, but I guess that's America for you. Can't let a little thing like a federal disaster interfere with work!

Eva, I am 5 hours from you, but I do have 2 associates near you, should circumstances become that you need something beyond your abilities, give a shout...

RH

I have piles of leaves in my yard and it's 30 degress. i am the ultimate sloth, send help. there is a half case of Pacifico beer on the patio that may freeze.

That's very woeful to read, Eva. How can your next door neighbors be so oblivious and just wave at you. At least a "do you need help?" would
have been nice. It is hurtful to realize that you're surrounded by egotistical
jerks who don't give a crap.

Needless to say, you'll scratch them from your christmas cookie list!

---
Doesn't FEMA have an online source to download the forms needed?

Oh my, just catching up.

I'm so glad that everyone's OK and that you have a generator.

We have a bunch of snow on the ground and rain falling... not sure what will end up happening. We had a multi-day power outage due an ice storm around Christmas 2004, in freezing weather, so not fun. Sounds like even that wasn't on the scale of what you're experiencing now though.

Stay warm!

Hoping your generator is safe, Eva ...

Yes, Walter. We chained the generator to the 1953 pickup in the detached garage (the truck doesn't run!) before we even started it. Lots of stories about generators being stolen.

No need to scratch them off the cookie list, CJ. They weren't on it to begin with. They've been pleasantly distant ever since we moved here 8+ years ago. If we had any delusions about them being "friends," we don't now.

Good idea about finding the forms online. We just got cable TV back, and they're running the FEMA number here now, so we'll see.

The snow is letting up, and it wasn't as bad as feared. The ground temp was still warm enough that it melted on contact with streets & driveways. Just an inch or two on the ground. I am hopeful we'll have power back on by tomorrow morning. We shall see.

Dys, you must stop thinking of those piles as "leaves." That is free mulch, I tell you. :-) (Hurry and drink that beer before it freezes, though.)

Thank you very much, Rockhead. I will definitely give you a shout if we need anything. You must be in...Wichita?