Bless you! Hats off to all those out working during our ice storms, etc. Hope you are getting some much needed rest and that soon our weather improves! My father-in-law worked for the REA for many years. He was injured during an ice storm when a pole fell with him. He often was sent to other areas of Texas to help when that area was hit by ice and we were spared. In times of crisis we have to do what we can for ourselves and decide what is important (my son works for a cable/internet company...they had many irate people at Christmas because the co. refused to send their servic tech. out on the ice and endanger their lives. This morning our water was running at a trinkle. We learned the city had many water main breaks so I grabbed one of my storage boxes I normally use for Christmas treasures and put it next to the toilet, then let the water trinkle until I could fill that box so we could flush our toilets. We keep bottled water for such emergencies and I have candles on hand at all times and have had to use them. We went a week in 1972 without running water when our pump froze (I melted snow to flush the toilet) and we burned a lot of wood in our two fireplaces trying to stay warm. I fear we have become too soft. I marvel at what our ancestors had to do each day just to have meals and raise their families. Doctors now tell women they can't travel in the later months of their pregancies....I have records of babies born on or soon after long trips from Tennessee to Texas or Alabama to Kentucky, etc. My husband worked for over 20 years delivering propane....driving on the ice at times....taking big chances. Today he drove on the ice to get to his job because he is the mgr at his site and his company expects him to be there...he nearly had an accident going to work this morning at 3am. Not sure his company appreciates him enough ;-/ Happy New Year! http://www.moongear.com/thebearypatch/ny7.htm -- Peggy <'}}}}>< Winton Family Homepage http://sites.netscape.net/mawpeggywilson/homepage