Tag: weather

My cellar is very, very wet. Stay home from work wet. Throw down newspapers to soak up water, wet. When I called in saying I couldn’t come in, I apparently wasn’t the only one.
Ah, the joys of homeownership.
I have a sump pump. It probably should be replaced, as it ‘hiccuped’ leaving about 2-3 inches of water on the floor. It’s failed me before. I worry that one day I’ll lose power or the darned thing will just die and the ground will be rain soaked and I’ll be totally screwed.
Luckily, most things in the cellar in are plastic bins. But there are other things. Plugged in things. Mechanical things. Wood furniture things that are getting wet.
It will probably get better when the rain stops.

It’s still cold. Not as cold as the past couple of days, and hopefully it will be warming up later this week. But anyway, as a reminder to myself and y’all gotta put 1-800-535-7252 in the cell phone for the Hypotherma Hotline to report people sleeping on the streets when the weather is below freezing, 32F.

Most of the slush has melted but….

Residents, Merchants: Please Remember to Shovel Your Sidewalks When
Posted by: “Lyons, Nancee (DPW)” Nancee.Lyons-at-dc.gov
Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:29 am (PST)
Residents, Businesses Urged To Clear Snow/Ice from Sidewalks, Entrances

DPW Encourages Citizens to Help Others Unable to Shovel

The Department of Public Works (DPW) urges District residents and businesses to clear their sidewalks, sidewalk entrances, nearby catch basin openings, and the area surrounding hydrants of snow, sleet and ice to prevent injury to pedestrians. DPW also asks businesses to make sure the handicap ramps located at intersections are clear of snow and ice.
“After a snowfall, we get many complaints from pedestrians who are having difficulty traveling because so many residents and business owners don’t clear their sidewalks,” said DPW Director William O. Howland, Jr. “I want to remind residents that DC law requires all property owners to clear snow, sleet or ice from the walkways surrounding their property within the first eight hours of daylight
after a snow storm ends.”
While DPW does not have the authority to issue tickets to residents for failure to remove snow from sidewalks, the agency can and will enforce this law with commercial property owners. The main goal however, says Howland, is to educate both residents and business owners about their responsibilities during a snow event and to encourage them to be good neighbors.
“When I was a kid, we made a little extra money shoveling snow and helped our elderly, ailing, and frail neighbors,” Howland said. “It’s important to establish and maintain a sense of community in our neighborhoods.
“Many communities have developed lists of those willing to shovel snow for neighbors who are unable to shovel on their own,” Howland continued. “I encourage all communities to identify those in your neighborhood who are willing to provide this service so that our sidewalks are safe and passable for all.”
For more information about how the District handles snow events, visit DPW at www.dpw.dc.gov on the Internet.
Nancee Lyons
Public Affairs Specialist
DC Department of Public Works
2000 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 671-2637
www.dpw.dc.gov

Of course, I don’t pay the neighborhood kids or lawn guys for shoveling, I’ve seen the quality of their work.

First. My personal BACA meeting notes are over at the super secret site. User: thismeeting PSW: neverhappened.
Second. It is 16F outside and I’m ok. Not happy but OK. My electric meter is spinning like a CD. It is spinning so fast I don’t even want to think about it. The heated floor for the kitchen and 4 heater fans are keeping the house above freezing. Somewhere, there is a polar bear drowning because of me.
The two heater fans, are keeping the 1st floor at 63F. It did get up to 66F, but I was cooking with the gas oven and had the fans at full blast. I also tried to stop up any leaks I found. In recent days I have bought heavy curtains to block leakage around the windows. IKEA has some very ugly plaid curtains for sale at 19.99. Ugly but thick and warm. Maybe when it warms up and I develop a crush on a Austrian widower, I’ll make clothes out of them.* I also made a wind break between the front door and the hallway. It helps a little.
I have currently retired to the second floor where I am keeping one room warm with one little heater fan. It feels like 68F. When I do go to bed I’ll keep the heater on and heat up my little bags of rice to keep the bed warm. I took some short grained rice, sewed it up in a old sleeve of a shirt I had torn apart, and made a little rice pillow. I heat up the pillow, about 1 minute per each cup of rice in it, in the microwave. Then I throw them (I made two) under the covers at the foot of the bed. They keep my feet toasty warm all night, and is still moderately warm in the morning when I wake up.
This is not an ideal situation, and I am going to hate to see my electric bill when it comes. I typically don’t use a lot of electricity. Usually when I see my meter spinning fast I rush in the house trying to figure out what is hogging up the juice and turn it off. I hope Spring comes soon.

* Please tell me you did get the Sound of Music reference.

My basement is okay. Okay in the sense that I don’t have to lift my ankle length skirts. There is water in there, but the dehumidifer is going and the sump pump is working so all is well. Once the rain stops the basement will be dryish in a day.
I do remember the August 2001 flood that destroyed several of my neighbors’ basments. The water runoff joined the sewage in the ancient pipes and overflowed. Their toilets and drains in the basements backed up and cause a lot of damage as many of them had apartments and full fledged living quarters down there.
Of course, in 2001 I don’t remember so much other stuff around town flooding. The National Archives downtown is closed, OPM has an unscheduled leave for today because so much has been disturbed downtown. I don’t remember Metro having to close stations in 2001. All this is new and worrying.
As long as the electricity holds up I’ll be fine.

My basement is okay. Okay in the sense that I don’t have to lift my ankle length skirts. There is water in there, but the dehumidifer is going and the sump pump is working so all is well. Once the rain stops the basement will be dryish in a day.
I do remember the August 2001 flood that destroyed several of my neighbors’ basments. The water runoff joined the sewage in the ancient pipes and overflowed. Their toilets and drains in the basements backed up and cause a lot of damage as many of them had apartments and full fledged living quarters down there.
Of course, in 2001 I don’t remember so much other stuff around town flooding. The National Archives downtown is closed, OPM has an unscheduled leave for today because so much has been disturbed downtown. I don’t remember Metro having to close stations in 2001. All this is new and worrying.
As long as the electricity holds up I’ll be fine.