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Snow Apocalypse

I remember February 12, 2021, vividly. In preparation for moving from our fifth-wheel trailer at the Stocktank RV Park in Liberty Hill, Texas, we had packed a bunch of our stuff into the 2001 GMC pickup that we called Rudolph. With the help of our kids, we took that first load to the Hills at Leander Senior Living apartments.

The day was gray and heavy. Even though the high barely touched the low 30s, the real bite came as the sun went down. Living in the Texas Hill Country from October through April since 2012, we had gotten used to the occasional “blue norther,” but this felt different from the start—it was the beginning of what we’d eventually call the Great Texas Freeze or Snow Apocalypse.

By the time evening rolled around, we had unloaded and reloaded the truck. Having no bed at the apartment, we spent that last night in our rolling home at the Stocktank. Overnight, the mercury crashed into the mid-20s. It wasn’t just cold; it was damp, with a must in the air. As the day progressed, I watched as overcast skies spat out a miserable mix of light freezing rain and drizzle while we unloaded most of the second load from the truck to the apartment.

Because of my inability to go up and down stairs, we had specifically asked for a ground-floor apartment. Thus, we were able to pass most things over the fence and into the apartment through the patio door. Our new (to us) bed arrived and was manhandled into the apartment in that manner. There was some difficulty getting the queen-size pillowtop mattress smushed through the door. The new (again, to us) washer and dryer came in on dollies through the apartment’s main entrance. Adam and Leigha brought us a dresser that they had picked up “curb shopping.” The last thing we brought in was a box of food that we intended to take to the food pantry. The box contained multiple cans of tuna, jars of peanut butter, and packs of spaghetti noodles. This was the extent of the food we had with us.

Looking back, that Friday was the tipping point. We’d had a little ice the day before, but this was the start of the true “deep freeze” phase. Every time the freezing drizzle hit the pavement, it stayed there. I watched the roads transform into a skating rink, making even a quick trip for supplies feel like a gamble. A thin, glass-like glaze started coating the trees and power lines across the Hill Country. There was an eerie quiet that settles in when people realize they’re about to be hunkered down for a while.

We didn’t know it yet, but we were looking at the most severe sustained cold our region had seen since 1989. At the time, I hadn’t even thought to drip the faucets, thereby making sure the pipes were kept from freezing. Of course, we were unaware that the coming days would bring a historic power crisis and temperatures that wouldn’t climb back above freezing for a long, long time.

By Sunday, February 14, the situation shifted from a local “winter event” to a full-blown crisis. Valentine’s Day was the last time many of us in the Texas Hill Country saw a light on or felt a heater kick in for days. That morning, Ella and I loaded into the truck and went searching for food. There was a Circle K convenience store within a mile. The roads were solid ice, and we were the only fools on them. Fortunately, unlike most Texans, we had grown up with blizzard conditions in Iowa. We knew the tricks of driving on ice: one, drive with one set of wheels off the road because there is better traction there; two, don’t stop unless you have to; and three, don’t accelerate unless you must.

We made it to the store and grabbed some sandwiches for breakfast and more for lunch. Because we had to drive the frontage roads of the toll road, it took a mile to get to the store but three miles to get back to the apartments. There are two entrance drives at the apartments, both uphill. I was unable to get up the first drive because of the incline and the ice. However, the second drive was less steep, and I was able to get up and into a parking spot. I attempted to retrieve more items from the back of the truck; however, because by then everything was coated with nearly ¾ of an inch of ice, the box on the back of the truck was frozen closed.

The temperatures didn’t just drop; they vanished. We watched the mercury sink into the single digits, and with the wind chill, it felt well below zero. That night, as the snow began to fall in earnest—layering over the thick sheets of ice that had already claimed the roads—the power grid finally buckled.

Around 1:30 AM on Monday, February 15, the “rolling blackouts” started, but for some, they weren’t rolling. The lights went out and simply didn’t come back. At the apartments, we would have electricity for about three hours and then off for five to six. We were left in a silent, cold apartment while the storm roared outside. We didn’t find out until over a week later that the electric heat source for our apartment had never been connected. We were the first tenants in it. The maintenance men and office workers were unable to make it to work for over a week.

Inside the apartment, it wasn’t long before we huddled in the bed, wearing every layer we owned, watching the outside thermometer on the wall slowly descend toward the 40s, then the 30s, while the inside thermometer showed a steady 55°.

By Monday morning, this part of Texas looked like the Arctic. We had several inches of snow on top of the ice. It was beautiful, but it was also a prison. There was no leaving; the I-35 corridor and our local backroads were completely impassable. By February 16, it was a battle of endurance. We were dipping buckets of water from the swimming pool and melting snow just to have water to flush the toilets—a common story across the Hill Country as pipes began to freeze and burst. The apartment residents banded together and began an in-house food pantry, with people sharing what they could with their neighbors.

Speaking of neighbors, folks from the adjacent housing development began bringing food and supplies to the apartments. Several churches chipped in as well. A local restaurant had lost power; without working freezers, they began cooking what they could and distributing it where they could, which included us. The local firefighters did a door-by-door welfare check of the apartments. They also provided a sump pump to help get water from the pool.

The “Great Texas Freeze” had officially become the most expensive and dangerous winter storm in our history. Those days are a blur of checking on neighbors via fading cell service and trying to keep the food going. We were living through a week where “Texas cold” meant record-breaking lows that didn’t let up until the 20th.

Thanks to the kindness of strangers, we survived. And those strangers became friends.

2026 January 03 Saturday in Leander and Round Rock

Proof of Life Photo

Coffee Klatsch: Tom and Ella were at coffee with Muriel, Dianna, Jo, Grace, Joan, and Michelle.

Agenda: SAT January 3

Love your spouse ✓

10:00 a Coffee at the Hills✓

12:00 p Emery’s grad. party✓

Weather:

Allergies: Allergies can greatly impact an individual’s quality of life, causing discomfort and sometimes even leading to life-threatening situations. With over 60 million people suffering from allergies every year, it is a major concern for overall health. This country spends billions of dollars annually on medications and treatments to control symptoms and prevent severe allergic reactions. Different types of plants, including weeds, trees, and grasses, release tiny particles called pollen at different times of the year, triggering common symptoms such as sneezing and watery eyes. With the constant presence of allergens in the environment, it is crucial for individuals to take necessary precautions and seek proper treatment to manage their allergies effectively.

Graduation: Today (not yesterday) was Emery’s graduation party with family and friends in attendance.

News: The recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela, authorized by President Trump, included seizing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and taking them out of the country. This action, carried out by the elite Delta Force, has been heavily criticized and raised concerns worldwide. According to Trump, the U.S. will temporarily govern Venezuela during the transition and prioritize restoring oil production. The reasoning behind this attack is linked to accusations of Maduro’s involvement in drug trafficking and support of designated terrorist groups. The U.S. had been gradually increasing its military presence in the region for months, with warships stationed in the Caribbean. In addition to this operation, the U.S. has also confiscated oil tankers and launched attacks on suspected drug-carrying boats. The situation in Venezuela remains tense as the country is now under temporary U.S. rule and its leader faces charges in the U.S. court system.

Health: Heart Rate 65 bpm, BP —/–, Oxy 98%, Sleep 11:09 pm to 08:24 am, Total 08hr54m, REM 00h10m. , 100% of goal, 02h25m Deep, 06h19m Light, 00h21m Awake, 1.6 Events per hour, 1302 Steps, .60 miles, Weight 276.6 lb

Driving: 21 miles

2024 May 11 Saturday in Leander

COFFEE AT THE HILLS: Ray, Fran, Val, Joan, Reatha, Muriel, Andrea, Grace, Sandy A , Avis, Donna, Joan, Ella, and I were present. It was

good to see Ray. He hasn’t been around much lately. He has lost a lot of weight. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.

AGENDA:

✓ Love your spouse

✓ 9:00 a Coffee at the Hills

✓ 1:00 p Second Hand

Cross Tracks Church Fire 2019: The following is what I posted on May 11, 2019, “We received some sad news this evening. The Fellowship Hall at our church in Liberty Hill, Texas is burning. This building has the church offices and a daycare facility. It is a freestanding building, neither attached to the old Chapel nor the new Worship Center. At this point it looks like it may have been a lightning strike that started the fire. But the fire is still burning, so no real determination can be made yet. No one was injured. Prayers are needed.”

The good news is that the building was replaced. The replacement building is a one story. Part of the insurance money was used to finish the upstairs of the Worship Center which added two bathrooms and a half dozen Sunday school rooms.

The church office, pastor’s office and fellowship hall are now located in the Worship Center. This is proof that Romans 8:28 is true. “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

LUNCH: Twelve hours in the making of these ribs. Slow and low cooking made ‘em fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy. I know that some y’all think that is over cooked.

However, until Ella gets her new teeth, the meat needs to be very tender. Once she has her teeth extracted and dentures installed, I want to go to an-honest-to-God steak house.

Weather: Day 80° Partly then mostly cloudy. E. winds 5 to 10 mph, 20 mph gusts.

Night 67° Cloudy, E. winds 5 to 10 mph, 20 mph gusts, 50% showers and thunderstorms

HEALTH: BP 138/72 Pulse 74, Oxygen 98%, Sleep* data not available, Medication 10 mg, Weight 284.2 Ibs, Water weight 41.7%, Steps , Distance. miles. *I disagree with my watche’s metrics. I was not awake during the night at all.

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Please, stop following this blog. It will not be updated. I’m posting on www.TomAndEllaJournal.com

Go to http://www.tomandellajournal.com

All new posts will be ONLY on

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I am slowly easing my journaling to my other blog http://TomAndEllaJournal.com RVingFulltimeWithTomAndElla was originally set up to blog our RV journey. As both of our RVs are on, more or less, permanent sites now, it seems reasonable to change our focus to journaling this stage of our lives on http://TomAndEllaJournal.com.If you have been following this, the old site, I strongly encourage you to follow our continuing story on http://TomAndEllaJournal.com.

By the end of March, I will either close this blog or only post things related to RVs. Thank you

Go to www.tomandellajournal.com

Go to http://www.tomandellajournal.com

All new posts will be ONLY on

www.TomAndEllaJournal.com

By the end of March, I will either close this blog or only post things related to RVs. Thank you

Go to www.tomandellajournal.com

Go to http://www.tomandellajournal.com

All new posts will be ONLY on

www.TomAndEllaJournal.com

By the end of March, I will either close this blog or only post things related to RVs. Thank you

2020 March 16 Monday

2020 March 16 Monday Liberty Hill, Texas

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By the end of March, I will either close this blog or only post things related to RVs. Thank you

2020 March 15 Sunday

2020 March 15 Sunday Liberty Hill, Texas

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By the end of March, I will either close this blog or only post things related to RVs. Thank you

2020 March 14 Saturday

2020 March 14 Saturday Liberty Hill, Texas

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2020 March 13 Friday

2020 March 13 Friday in Liberty Hill, Texas

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By the end of March, I will either close this blog or only post things related to RVs. Thank you