A Personal Note On the Freezing Weather Here in Austin

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

On a personal note:  It's been a crazy 6 days.  On Sunday, we received about 6.5 inches of snow. For our little corner of the world, that IS a lot.  We're just not used to that amount.  Then early Monday morning, our power went out.  On Tuesday morning, it was 5 F with a temp of 33 inside my apt.  I decided to secure a room at a local Holiday Inn Express for 4 nights.  I checked into my room on Tuesday afternoon.  The next day, the City of Austin cut off our water, basically in the entire city.  Luckily, I was located across the way from a local store called Fiesta Market.  On Thursday, I was able to get a 24 ct. package of water.  I also purchased a plastic bucket so I could get water from the swimming pool to flush the toilet.  Meanwhile, today I got in line at the grocery store at around 7:30 a.m. with a temp of 21 F.  That was not fun.  Later, I tried to thaw out my car, as it was literally encased in ice and snow.  I later managed to find some gasoline to get a full tank.  Tonight is my last night at my hotel.  My apt. has water, but no electricity....due to a damaged transformer.  Goody.  I'll be covering under 7-8 blankets.  This whole week has been a nightmare.  Our state officials and ERCOT are to blame for this mess.  In 2011, a similar storm caused havoc.  A subsequent report recommended that our state weatherize our electrical infrastructure.  Only El Paso listened and aligned with a different grid.  The roads are clearing up, but the main worry is a lack of water and power  (which includes my apt. building). It's very humbling that people are organizing collections to aid Texas.  Personally, I am generally o.k.  I live by myself but it's no fun looking forward to almost freezing temperatures in my apt.  I recognize that others are in a far, far worse situation than I.  I have read any number of criticisms of our state of Texas.  Please focus your ire at the state officials, who initially created our statewide grid to prevent federal regulations.  The people in our state have suffered tremendously under these....literally Arctic conditions.  I admire those states who have had the wisdom to weatherize their electrical structures against extremely cold conditions.  I have tried to keep it together, but it can be a stressful time.  Today, luckily, we had the sun come out.  It melted the remaining snow and ice.  We were thankful that we had a high of 40.  We're looking forward to warmer temperatures.  That's all I have to say about that.   Roman in Austin, Texas

[HogansHero]

I got shivers just reading your report. Thank you for writing it. Hang in there.

[ggersten]

I was worried you were burning your Playbills for warmth!

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

If I had a fireplace, I may have done that.

[Sutton Ross]

Oh man, so glad you are okay!

[FindingNamo]

I hope things are improving? Remember when The Former Guy swore to cut two regulations for every new regulation he signed into existence? It was so arbitrary and dangerous. This is what the land of the free market libertarians looks like. 

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Thank you Sutton.  I debated whether to even write that note.  I guess it helped to put my thoughts into words.  Roman in Austin, Texas

[kdogg36]

I’m so glad to hear that the OP has made it through the worst!

FindingNamo said: "I hope things are improving? Remember when The Former Guy swore to cut two regulations for every new regulation he signed into existence? It was so arbitrary and dangerous. This is what the land of the free market libertarians looks like."

FindingNamo, I have to respectfully disagree. You seem to conflate Trumpism with free-market libertarianism, and this seems very strange to a real libertarian. Trump was widely (and correctly) called an authoritarian, and this is precisely the opposite of a libertarian. He implemented all kinds of protectionist, anti-trade policies, and made back-room deals with corporations to achieve his ends. This is, likewise, the opposite of the free market. 

[My original reply was much longer, but I cut most of it so as not to totally thread-jack.]

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Thank you everyone for your kind words.  I came back to my apt. complex to check on things.  My power is back on!  I am washing clothes at the moment and then have to return to my hotel before 10 a.m.  I must confess that I used to wish and dream of snow in NYC whenever I visited during the winter (Nov/Dec).  I don't have that fondness for snow anymore, needless to say.  P.S.  I still have never made a snow angel.  It can wait.  

[uncageg]

Hang in there Patti. Just awful what you all are going through. Have been watching it all on tv. It just brought me to tears when I saw that poor little boy who passed away in his bedroom from hypothermia. And then of course seeing what Cruz did just made me mad. Sending you warm thoughts and good vibes.

[BrodyFosse123]

I must confess that I used to wish and dream of snow in NYC whenever I visited during the winter (Nov/Dec).

Also, NYC is prepared for all snow conditions so the city doesn’t shut down even during a blizzard.  I’ve been living in NYC for 6 years and have never once experienced a power outtage or frozen pipes.  Even when I owned a car and it was buried in snow I still drove it after the snow stopped and I dug it out.  The snow removal trucks are out promptly clearing the streets.  Heck, it takes a lot to even shutdown Broadway.  

[HogansHero]

Not the right place to discuss in depth but lots of people did bad things that blew up on Texas. We don't have to list what Trump and his sycophants did to recognize that what Texas did relative to the grid is pure libertarianism and as purely lethal as privitizing the fire department, another genius idea that got the kibosh around the time of the Roman empire.