Friday Free-For-All #Ice

Published on by Jan Sikes

Happy Friday! It’s the beginning of another weekend, and it’s been quite a week here in Texas.

I’m sure if you’ve had access to any news this week, you’ve heard about the layer of ice that decided to blanket Texas. Here in the Dallas area, everything shut down. I know you folks who live up north will laugh at this, but seriously, we are not equipped to handle ice on our roadways. It doesn’t happen often enough to offset the cost of equipment to take care of the issue. So, everything comes to a standstill.

Here’s a glimpse of what it looked like. As you can see, this major freeway was covered and impassable.

Photo courtesy Dallas Morning News

And, of course, the schools were all closed. That meant I had two granddaughters to take care of while mama and daddy kept working. My son-in-law picked me up in his Tesla and took me to their house, where I stayed for two days. I didn’t know Teslas were all-wheel drive vehicles, but it sure came in handy.

The girls wanted so badly to have snow so they could build a snowman but had to settle for trying to slide around on the ice.

This was the view out their back door yesterday morning.

And next week, we will be in the seventies. I call it bipolar weather.

I had hoped school would resume today, but alas, they are still closed, so I have the girls again all day. Don’t get me wrong. I love my grandchildren with all my heart. But I was so glad to get back home last night, sleep in my own bed and have total silence. 🙂 Life will return to normal next week.

I have a sister who is the oldest in the family. Her birthday is today, and she is 87 years young! If you’ve read my book, Flowers and Stone, she was Norma. Her name is Norma Jean, but she always hated Norma and went by Jean. Most people never knew she had another name. We almost lost her two years ago, so we feel incredibly blessed to still have her. Here’s the last photo I took with her.

Jan and sister, Jean

On the reading front, I am enjoying a book by a new author and will have a review up soon. It is another one of those too-real stories about a catastrophic event that shuts down the grid and puts everyone into survival mode.

I also recently downloaded a book from NetGalley that drew my attention. It had been a while since I had requested anything from them, but this note from the publisher did it for me: WARNING! This book is the most messed up thing you will ever read. So, we’ll see, but I’m curious. I’ll let you know.

On the writing front, I think I am finally over the hump with my WIP and ready to move on with the story. I was having trouble connecting with my characters, but with this last scene I wrote, I really felt them. That tells me I’m moving in the right direction. So far, I’ve had two rejections from the queries I sent out for my new series. I’m not discouraged. If it’s meant to be, someone will bite. I do think of it much like fishing. If you never put a hook with bait in the water, you will never catch a fish. And if I don’t catch a fish, I’ll do something different. It won’t be the end of my world.

I want to share a quote from the book I am reading. “Soul Teach” is a daily inspiration book with 365 entries. But what I read today struck a chord with me, and maybe it will you too.

“We can believe whatever we want to believe. And we can find a lot of evidence to support whatever belief or mindset we choose, so we might as well choose beliefs that empower us and move us forward.”

Dr. Michelle Barr

I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day to stop by my humble blog and leave comments. It truly means the world to me. I will answer your comments as I can. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

47 thoughts on “Friday Free-For-All #Ice”

      2. Oh my! I am VERY familiar with Eastland County. I lived in Abilene for many years and in Coleman for twenty-five. I will be in Abilene in March for the Outlaws and Legends music festival. Small world!

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  2. Jan, from all I’ve ever read or heard I imagine Texas to be a warm state and no wonder this burst of winter ice has thrown the infrastructure into chaos! It’s lovely you could help with your grandchildren and oh, I wish there was enough snow for a snowman! Enjoy being back to more normal temperatures and your own bed! I look forward to learning about the book you’re reading and yeah, great news you’re connecting with your characters. How true that you must believe and be carried away by them for anyone else to then feel the same. Thank you for the quote and one that resonates with me a lot. hugs xx

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    1. Texas is definitely warm and in the summer, downright hot. So, these frigid storms send everyone reeling. Three days later, we were back in the seventies. Thank you for leaving a comment, Annika. Much appreciated!

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  3. I saw the ice storm on the news, Jan. Sorry to see so much destruction of trees. My sister used to live in Dallas, so I understand the conundrum when this type of weather hits down there. Stay safe and warm.

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  4. I heard about the ice, Jan. Kids love those days off from school, but for adults, it can be such a hassle. I’m glad you all stayed safe. “Bipolar weather.” Lol. And good news on your WIP. I always love it when the story starts to click. Have a great weekend. ❤

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    1. Thanks, Diana. Yes. I am happy I finally connected with the characters. That was the element that was missing. And yes, the kids loved all the days out of school. I don’t know what Mom and Dad would have done if I couldn’t have gone and taken care of the girls, as they both work from home. Glad I could help out. Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment.

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  5. Wow, Jan! That ice storm really did a number on Texas. Somehow, I missed out on the news about it, but your picture says it all. As does your picture of you and your sister! How wonderful to have her with you, and I hope she had a lovely birthday! Terrific post, made me feel good all over … except, of course, for the wretched ice. So glad you made it through that safely, and hope it’s smooth sailing weather-wise for the rest of the season! 😀 ❤

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Marcia. Yes, the ice was NO fun, but now the sun is shining, and it’s all gone. And that’s why I live in the south. 🙂 Thank you for the lovely comment and birthday wish for my big sister.

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  7. Happy birthday to your sis! Our son is on the road today, carrying his and his fiancee’s belongings in a 20-foot U-haul as they navigate some of those winter storms. He started a new job a month ago, and they’re moving 900 miles to their new home in South Dakota.

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    1. Oh my goodness, Pete! They are going where it is really cold. I do hope they have a great life and are happy with their move. I’m sure you and your wife will hate that distance. Thank goodness for technology. I appreciate you stopping by and leaving a comment.

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  8. So, your sister has the same name as Marilyn Monroe. Talking about snow… I think it is rarely happening that it snows in your area. But yes, it is only a sneeze compared to what we are used to receiving… lol

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    1. She did have the same name as Marilyn Monroe, but I doubt that my parents had ever heard of her. And I never thought to ask Mom where she got the name. I totally get it about the snow. We can deal with snow much easier than we can with layers of ice. But now, it’s all gone, and the sun is shining again. That’s why I live in the south! Thanks for visiting, Erika.

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  10. That’s a great quote with so much truth in it. Anything can be slanted toward whatever the writer chooses so why not something more positive? I dislike when roads ice over and refuse to drive on them anymore. I’ve had a break from grandma duties with my daughter on disability but she’s going back to work soon and I’m back to picking up the slack without her there. I love being around them but enjoy my time too. It does push me to manage my free time better, which I am not good at. Happy birthday to your sister too!

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    1. I so relate to your comment, Denise. I feel like I am horrible at managing my time, and having the kids every day through the week, my time is limited. I need to get better at it. I’m glad you enjoyed the quote. It’s so true. Thank you for the happy birthday wish for my sister. I appreciate you stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  12. A super post, Jan. I’m glad you are connecting with the characters in your WIP. I can’t imagine doing a book without that connection. Best wishes on the queries.It takes many rejections before a hit. Have a great weekend.

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    1. It was certainly a struggle, John. Once I began to connect with them, it came together. This is the first book I’ve ever tried to write that wasn’t 100% inspired, so it’s different. Thank you for the good wishes. Have a wonderful weekend, too!

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  13. When the temps struggle between one extreme to the other I call it the “battle between the outgoing and incoming seasons.” You and your sister have lovely smiles! So happy she’s here for another birthday. Wishing her many more!

    Enjoy your weekend, Jan! 🙂

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    1. That is an excellent way to look at the weather extremes, Mary. It is a battle for sure. Thank you for the lovely comment about my sister. I feel so blessed that she lived to see another birthday. I appreciate you stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend.

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  15. People up north laugh, but there is a huge difference between driving on snow and driving on ice. I welcome next week’s temperatures. I hate winter.

    You have me curious about the book. I recently downloaded a book from Net Galley that was horrible. I rarely give one-star reviews, but this one didn’t even deserve that.

    Enjoy your weekend!

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    1. Wow, Joan. That’s horrible to have that experience with a book. I most likely would not finish it and, in my feedback, say why. I agree about the difference in driving on snow and on ice. I also welcome next week’s temps! Thanks for stopping by.

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  16. Aw…happy birthday to your sweet sister, Jan. I love the photo of you two! I’m happy you were able to spend time with your grandies during the storm. You can’t mess with ice! A little can do a lot of damage and cause injuries. Happy weekend!

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    1. Thank you, Jill. You are so right about a little can do a lot of damage. I fear falling on the ice. It would be awful, so I am very careful. Thankfully, it’s over for now. I appreciate you taking the time to visit, and wish you a wonderful weekend as well!

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  17. We got hammered with winter, too. I’m tired of it and looking forward to warmer temperatures. Glad you’re safe. Have a great weekend!

    (I’m curious about that messed-up story. Looking forward to that review.)

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    1. Yes, you did. You probably got more of it than we did, Staci, because you’re farther north. But today, the sun is coming up, and the solar energy will bring warmth. And that’s why I like living in the south. 🙂 I’m curious about that messed-up story, too. Of course, the publisher may have been going for a shock effect. But they also listed some trigger warnings. I will definitely post a review when I read it. Thanks for visiting today. Have a great weekend!

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  20. What a great quote, Jan! And there is so much truth in it. Our mindsets are quite powerful. Happy belated birthday to your sister! I hope she had a wonderful day. I’m quite happy we don’t get those icy winter days. I can barely handle when it drops into the 40s and 50s. Snow and ice are not welcomed in South Florida. Lol! 🙂

    Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
    http://yvettecalleiro.blogspot.com

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    1. The quote really did resonate with me on a deep level, Yvette. Thank you for stopping by. It’s easy to see why people love living in Florida (except for the hurricanes). I suppose every location has its upside and downside. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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