State of Emergency

What a week it's been!!  Below 0 temperatures are not normal for us down here in the Southwestern deserty areas of New Mexico.  Although we can get pretty cold since we are close to the mountains.

However, this week brought the coldest temps to Silver City that I've ever seen.  All over the state we were setting record lows.  When we got the big snowstorm over New Years it was 0 degrees, but this past Thursday was even colder than that.  It was 10 below zero (F)!!! 

It was so cold Thursday and Friday mornings that we had ice on the INSIDE of our windows. 

We were very blessed during this time because we rely primarily on wood heat for our house.  Our little woodstove is great and keeps our house nice and cozy.  We also have 2 infrared heaters that we use as supplemental heat when we need it.

However, others is Silver City and around New Mexico weren't so lucky.  New Mexico had a natural gas and power shortage this past week when the temps dipped so low.  Here in Silver City about 300 people lost their natural gas due to no pressure in the lines. 

Schools have been closed for 3 days, one for weather and the other 2 days for not having any gas for heat.  Our governor declared NM to be in a state of emergency and urged all schools to close.  (Of course my school didn't cancel :( 

On Thursday the high during the day was around 20 degrees and we had water when we got up that morning, but by that afternoon one of our pipes had frozen and burst.  It froze during the DAY!!! Isn't that just crazy?  Luckily Aaron was able to get it fixed pretty easily and it wasn't a critical line, it was just the pipe that goes to the yard water. 

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In other news:  Ole Punxsatawny Phil did not see his shadow, so winter shall soon be over.  :)