2020-21 Winter weather; bring it on

[Anastasis 23394]

what kind of tent is that?

[Brisketexan 104631]

Noice!  Is the boy coming out of his fatigue issues you’ve mentioned previously? I know that shit was dragging on for awhile, so it’s good to see he has the energy to keep up with the Jeremiah Jackson version of BT. 

He’s making progress. Still gets run down if his motor runs too long, but able to function on a schedule that’s close to normal teenage boy. Still will sleep 12-13 hours on a weekend if he can, but it’s not essential to him being able to function.

And baseball season has started, so he’s active most every day, which is good for him. That’s one reason I wanted us to lumberjack today - we both needed the physical activity.

And the reward....stupid f’n cat:

[Gardner Barnes 1562]

what kind of tent is that?

It’s a hotel out there. They have these bubbles you can rent.

https://basecampterlingua.com

[Gardner Barnes 1562]

Friend that lives in Senna Hills sent me this..

[Hate 20103]

1 hour ago, South Austin said:

I’m not terrified, but was thinking about running my dishwasher around midnight.

Would you say you're scared to death?

[TwiceHorn 31289]

5 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

He’s making progress. Still gets run down if his motor runs too long, but able to function on a schedule that’s close to normal teenage boy. Still will sleep 12-13 hours on a weekend if he can, but it’s not essential to him being able to function.

And baseball season has started, so he’s active most every day, which is good for him. That’s one reason I wanted us to lumberjack today - we both needed the physical activity.

And the reward....stupid f’n cat:

Shiny cat?

[staboner 4959]

angus, please. propane is a bastard gas. 

[Trey3216 15325]

2 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Shiny cat?

What are they feeding you?

[clapclapclap 9000]

18 minutes ago, GreenspointTexas said:

17 degrees outside with crazy snow flurries in Terlingua right now

A balmy 75 degrees inside while I lay around in my underwear


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

"Juego de pelota!"

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

Crossposted from the Big Green Egg thread. Making smoked chili while waiting for the snow here in Sugar Land.

Farm wells have been shut off and drained. Chickens have food and coops are turned out of the north. Sprinkler system here at the house has been drained. Going to shut off and drain the house plumbing tonight before bed. Also plan to turn the pool pump on to run overnight too. 

Now we just wait and eat chili and drink. 

 

 

 

 

[Anastasis 23394]

Just now, Gardner Barnes said:

Friend that lives in Senna Hills sent me this..

Wife tells me the facetron is all abuzz about our neighborhood running out of propane tomorrow.  

[Biff Tannen 45499]

Why do these neighborhoods a) run off propane and b) share it?

[Paper_jam 831]

Sleet is starting to accumulate (NE Austin). I had a grocery delivery from Walmart that was scheduled for 2:00 and it's still not here. At this point I don't think it's possible.

 

[Surly Bevo 24696]

13 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

He’s making progress. Still gets run down if his motor runs too long, but able to function on a schedule that’s close to normal teenage boy. Still will sleep 12-13 hours on a weekend if he can, but it’s not essential to him being able to function.

And baseball season has started, so he’s active most every day, which is good for him. That’s one reason I wanted us to lumberjack today - we both needed the physical activity.

And the reward....stupid f’n cat:

That cat looks Armybrat old

[Orange&White 5516]

This is probably more info for another well known thread.

I’ve had the heat set on 73 all day to help keep the pipes warm. Earlier the lady decided to clean her sons room while he is at his dads house. I helped her pull the bedding and start washing it and went about my business.

Two hours goes by and I am noticing it get cooler and cooler very rapidly. So I bump the thermostat to 75. Still getting cooler.

A few minutes ago the last of the bedding from the boys bed is dry so I go to take it into the room. Open the door and it is COLD. The window is OPEN!
 

”I just wanted to let some fresh air in”

[ztejas 43266]

1 minute ago, Orange&White said:

This is probably more info for another well known thread.

I’ve had the heat set on 73 all day to help keep the pipes warm. Earlier the lady decided to clean her sons room while he is at his dads house. I helped her pull the bedding and start washing it and went about my business.

Two hours goes by and I am noticing it get cooler and cooler very rapidly. So I bump the thermostat to 75. Still getting cooler.

A few minutes ago the last of the bedding from the boys bed is dry so I go to take it into the room. Open the door and it is COLD. The window is OPEN!
 

”I just wanted to let some fresh air in”

No fucking way 

[Orange&White 5516]

Just now, ztejas said:

No fucking way 

I wish I was making it up. I really, really wish I was.

[Homercles 10205]

40 minutes ago, Damor said:

Thank you.  Unfortunately I don't have a master cutoff valve to the outdoor kitchen (don't get me started).

Since a picture's worth a thousand words and I'm probably using the wrong terminology, here's my current situation:

So the valve is off, but I couldn't get all up in there to disconnect the hot water line to the sink.  The cold water line is disconnected and the valve closed.

My ignorant thought was that if this valve is closed and I keep it reasonably warm in there, ice shouldn't be able to propagate back in to the PEX line.  But is it worth flailing around back there to try to disconnect this line?

Looks good.  I’ve just got a shop lamp with a 75W bulb under where the pipes come out of the wall.  The stub outs have been there for a decade, and far as I know never froze...now they’re protected by the cabinet and warmed by the bulb (hopefully).  Shall see

[Brisketexan 104631]

Shiny cat?

Yep.

That cat looks Armybrat old

Well, he ain’t young...but armybrat probably has a better ticker. He just spent two nights at the vet ER with a cardiac event a few weeks ago. It was his second such event, he has congestive heart failure. Trying to keep him going till the boy graduates high school. Sigh. And the dog is getting old. And my mom is in cancer treatment. The family is going to deal with a lot of death in the next few years, that’s just the way it be.

So enjoying the moments while we’ve got em. Sitting by the fire on a snowy day is such a pleasure.

[Biff Tannen 45499]

8 minutes ago, Orange&White said:

This is probably more info for another well known thread.

I’ve had the heat set on 73 all day to help keep the pipes warm. Earlier the lady decided to clean her sons room while he is at his dads house. I helped her pull the bedding and start washing it and went about my business.

Two hours goes by and I am noticing it get cooler and cooler very rapidly. So I bump the thermostat to 75. Still getting cooler.

A few minutes ago the last of the bedding from the boys bed is dry so I go to take it into the room. Open the door and it is COLD. The window is OPEN!
 

”I just wanted to let some fresh air in”

Torbush.  Hope you put this in the wives thread too.

[phdhorn 6224]

1 hour ago, texhorn said:

The power grid is getting slammed... ERCOT forecast has demand exceeding supply tonight at 9. Urging customers to conserve electricity to prevent rolling blackouts. Unplug/turn off shit you’re not using.

This is their latest graph:



Not sure what that large dropoff after current time means, but that don't look good.

Here's their message, I've bolded the stuff that we should all be doing:
 

Grid operator requests energy conservation for system reliability

 

AUSTIN, TX, Feb. 14, 2021 – The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is asking consumers and businesses to reduce their electricity use as much as possible Sunday, Feb. 14 through Tuesday, Feb. 16.

"We are experiencing record-breaking electric demand due to the extreme cold temperatures that have gripped Texas," said ERCOT President and CEO Bill Magness. "At the same time, we are dealing with higher-than-normal generation outages due to frozen wind turbines and limited natural gas supplies available to generating units. We are asking Texans to take some simple, safe steps to lower their energy use during this time."

Here are some tips to reduce electricity use:

• Turn down thermostats to 68-degrees.
• Close shades and blinds to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows.
• Turn off and unplug non-essential lights and appliances.
• Avoid using large appliances (i.e., ovens, washing machines, etc.).
• Businesses should minimize the use of electric lighting and electricity-consuming equipment as much as possible.
• Large consumers of electricity should consider shutting down or reducing non-essential production processes.

Given the prolonged, below-freezing temperatures, conservation measures should be implemented safely and within reason.

ERCOT has the tools and procedures in place to maintain a reliable electric system during tight grid conditions. If power reserves drop too low, ERCOT may need to declare an Energy Emergency Alert, or EEA. Declaring an EEA allows the grid operator to take advantage of additional resources that are only available during scarcity conditions. There are three levels of EEA, and rotating outages are only implemented as a last resort to maintain reliability of the electric system.

 

[Mrs Whiggins 13049]

43 minutes ago, washparkhorn said:

The weather person I follow highlighted the scope of the storm:

 

Undefeated.

Mother Nature.

 

[phdhorn 6224]

... but you just know there are tons of people running 80° thermostats while doing laundry and blasting space heaters.  Because I'm too important (or ignorant) to follow the rules.

[MNLonghornFUKM 8799]

17 degrees outside with crazy snow flurries in Terlingua right now

A balmy 75 degrees inside while I lay around in my underwear


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mrs Whiggins 13049]

Just now, phdhorn said:

... but you just know there are tons of people running 80° thermostats while doing laundry and blasting space heaters.  Because I'm too important (or ignorant) to follow the rules.

80? Seriously? We keep ours at 67 in the winter and just layer if we feel cold. Lots of cocoa and hot tea.

[Message Board User 12389]

Lots of red and orange on the highways from El Paso to SA to DFW.  What a mess.

[hornbri 1375]

LISD just called it for in person school through Thursday. 

[South Austin 52149]

ERCOT can’t bring itself to recommend setting thermostats at 69.

[Biff Tannen 45499]

[South Austin 52149]

18 minutes ago, phdhorn said:

... but you just know there are tons of people running 80° thermostats while doing laundry and blasting space heaters.  Because I'm too important (or ignorant) to follow the rules.

My ice cream maker isn’t going to run itself.

[Biff Tannen 45499]

2222 hill up to 620 closed.  No way anyone is making up that thing.

[Surly Bevo 24696]

3 minutes ago, South Austin said:

ERCOT can’t bring itself to recommend setting thermostats at 69.

This is why we can't have nice....things

[hornbri 1375]

1 minute ago, Biff Tannen said:

2222 hill up to 620 closed.  No way anyone is making up that thing.

We live very close. That thing has to be a sheet of ice right now. 

[Judge Roybeanbag 11810]

Just now, Surly Bevo said:

This is why we can't have nice....things

I have gas heat.  The blower runs on electric, but not like an electric furnace.  Hopefully people don’t ruin it for the rest of us.  Haha what am I thinking?

[Dewey 3280]

1 minute ago, hornbri said:

We live very close. That thing has to be a sheet of ice right now. 

Who's got a sled?

[Brisketexan 104631]

Who's got a sled?

I have no sled.

Cry.

[Biff Tannen 45499]

1 minute ago, Dewey said:

Who's got a sled?

[RamjetFDO 10554]

What are they feeding you?

It's not your fault!

[Gardner Barnes 1562]

2222 hill up to 620 closed.  No way anyone is making up that thing.

I slid all over the place on Spicewood springs heading down to 360

[jimmyjazz 45560]

austintexas.gov is recommending outdoor faucets be dripped at a rate of 5 per minute.

I am here to tell you that does not work.

[Ghost of LL 15492]

What’s wrong with all you fuckers—my thermostat is at 63*. It’s glorious.

[cactusflinthead 27594]

 

[Somnio 751]

1 minute ago, Ghost of LL said:

What’s wrong with all you fuckers—my thermostat is at 63*. It’s glorious.

People can't fathom anything but bare feet, shorts, and a tank inside.  Instead of putting on something warm, they think they should crank up the heat.

 

[phdhorn 6224]

16 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

2222 hill up to 620 closed.  No way anyone is making up that thing.

I bet you can get down it though.

[Red Five 40666]

6 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

austintexas.gov is recommending outdoor faucets be dripped at a rate of 5 per minute.

I am here to tell you that does not work.

Cosigned. Unless what you're going for is a frozen faucet.

[Guest Lobo]

I ain't wearing no fucking mask and I ain't setting my thermostat below 70 because I am a southern gentleman who takes care of my neighbors.

 

Actually, we're running at 64 right now and we're gonna keep it there to do our part.  Hand washed all dinner dishes just now and ain't doing laundry tomorrow.  It's what men do to take care of those in their community but that's lost on most "Texans" these days.  Using mostly the outdoor grill and the inside gas stove to cook to avoid using the oven but maybe once every two days for one family meal.  

[Damor 1233]

Appreciate all the good advice on this thread.  And the shitty advice too.

All of my fretting is probably just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, though, because this outdoor pot filler is going to be the thing that gets me:

FML.  But whatever, here comes the snow.  Let's do this.

Edited February 15, 2021 by Damor
muledick

[UTexasFight 9380]

1 hour ago, Anastasis said:

Wife tells me the facetron is all abuzz about our neighborhood running out of propane tomorrow.  

Dangit, Bobby

[Blotto 23434]

3 minutes ago, Lobo said:

I ain't wearing no fucking mask and I ain't setting my thermostat below 70 because I am a southern gentleman who takes care of my neighbors.

 

Actually, we're running at 64 right now and we're gonna keep it there to do our part.  Hand washed all dinner dishes just now and ain't doing laundry tomorrow.  It's what men do to take care of those in their community but that's lost on most "Texans" these days.  Using mostly the outdoor grill and the inside gas stove to cook to avoid using the oven but maybe once every two days for one family meal.  

64/65 is my usual setting although I bumped it up to 67 this morning in anticipation of Hoth like conditions. Guess i'll bump it back down. 

[Orange&White 5516]

9 minutes ago, phdhorn said:

I bet you can get down it though.

Gravity really does most of the work.