A Crazy Roller Coaster Week

We are okay but it's been a crazy roller-coaster week. The weather has been like a normal Vermont winter but they are just not ready for that down here. And neither were we as it turned out. We started up to Oklahoma last Tuesday to visit our cruiser friends Jerry and Deborah. The first night north of Dallas our trailer freshwater hook-up froze and we only got it back running yesterday. There were so many accidents and road closings due to icing that we turned around and headed back to our son's in Dallas. 

Jonathan and Shira make a snowman in the 
backyard

Before the snow the below freezing
conditions caused serious ice 
problems!

There Scott poured anti-freeze into the black and grey water tanks so they were all right until we finally reach below-freezing conditions at night. Then our flights to Florida to get the second vaccine shots were canceled and rescheduled through NC and then to Miami. On the morning of our flight, we had been through two days of intermittent but lengthy blackouts and below-freezing conditions. At 4:30 in the morning on Tuesday, he informed me that he couldn't leave. He needed to refill the propane and charge up the batteries on the trailer to keep the heat going for our days away. He insisted I leave on my own. 

So I flew to Miami after 4 hour delays and then I drove up to Orlando (5 hours with torrential rain)  arriving at 10 PM  Scott did all he needed to do and managed to get a late flight to Orlando and join me.

We stayed at Harpal's house in Winter Park again. He is spending the winter in California. Our appointments for the second shots were for the next morning. Of all things, the water wasn't working at his home either! It turned out his credit card had changed on the automatic payment and the water had been turned off. Then lightning forced a temporary closing of the drive in clinic and the wait turned into hours. We got the shots but we sure worked hard for them. 

Winter Park is a beautiful community and we treated ourselves to 3 very nice meals outdoors in the historic district. On Thursday we flew back on separate flights. The water got turned on just before we left.  Meanwhile, our son's home, like most others in the North Texas area, couldn't handle the lack of heat and the pipes burst and several rooms flooded. They were without water for 24 hours. Luckily they knew of a plumber who managed to fit them in but two rooms are uninhabitable and it will be a long time before they can get them repaired. Still, we are all lucky compared to the thousands who don't have the resources to fix their homes and in many cases keep warm and safe. We are indeed blessed. 

Conditions in Dallas improved quickly on Friday and Saturday morning our water came back on. We are heading south to Big Bend National Park this Sunday morning for at least 4 days and then on through southern New Mexico and Arizona to San Diego. We're hoping to avoid freezing conditions for the rest of our trip!

Josh, Jonathan, Maya, Shira and ourselves

Scott and Shira made challah every Shabbat

We sprawled all over the living room before
the deep freeze occurred

Ariella, Shira, and I make waffles (and lots of
other baked goods)

Shira, Maya, and I painted together on
multiple days

When the power went off we all adjourned to
Josh and Michal's bedroom where they had
a gas fireplace. That is until their bathroom
pipes burst and flooded it and this room.

Winter Park has a series of lakes with parks
encircling them. Downtown is lively with a big
park and lots of landscaping. We ate at 3 of their
many excellent restaurants.

My wonderful and beautiful daughter-in-law
Michal "Mish".