Friday Smiles 409: hard to find something to smile about this week

 

It's been a difficult week here, and I'm trying to find something to smile about.  After all, it is Friday, which means it's time to join Annie (at A Stitch in Time) along with the wonderful ladies at Friday Smiles.  

For those who didn't know, I had surgery recently, which got infected.  I was not supposed to do anything on the computer, I couldn't watch TV, read a book, or do anything that put undo stress on my eye.  When I looked in the mirror, one entire side of my face was swollen and turning a putrid color.  Out of boredom, the boys and I slept most of the time, which was good, because

like much of the country, my world was white and bitterly cold.

 

I was also one of the thousands of people who was caught in a power outage blackout.

 

Here is information from Kansas.com: 

The largest energy company in Kansas has been directed to implement rolling blackouts and move into emergency operating plans amid a Midwest cold snap that is stressing the nation’s energy supply.

“In the Kansas region of Evergy, we haven’t had to do something like this since the 1980s,” said Evergy spokesman Chuck Caisley.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday afternoon that the next two or three days will be “critical” to weathering the arctic freeze and energy crisis that has sent natural gas prices soaring.

Although the crisis isn't as bad as in Texas, where much of that state has been without power for four days, it's still been almost unbearably cold here.

 

For 14 days, the state of Kansas has been below freezing for daytime highs.  On Monday, the surface temperature night time low was -15F (-26C).  The feels like temp was -28F (-33,3C). It was even worse on Tuesday, with a surface temperature of -17F (-27,2C).  We are starting to warm a bit, though because tonight it is only 0F (-17,8C).

I admit I'm not just frugal, I'm downright cheap when it comes to utilities. My rule is it must be below freezing two days in a row before I turn my heat on.  When I turn it on, I place it at 55F (12,8C), the lowest temperature my thermometer will go.  I drip my water into buckets, which I use to water my plants or help flush my toilet.  Nothing goes to waste when it comes to my utilities.

When I lost electricity (and gas because it is controlled by an electric starter), I feared my pipes would burst.  Luckily they didn't.  It was hours before I had electricity again, and it took almost a day for the house to warm to the point I could walk around without a blanket.  That was yesterday.  I'm hoping the weather will begin to improve soon, and I can once again turn my heat off.

However, there is one thing that made me smile this week.  On Sunday, which was Valentine's Day, I found this gift tied to my front door knob.

I think it came from my next door neighbors, but I have no real idea who left it.  It was certainly something to smile about.

I will leave you with a few of my favorite Bernie Sanders and his mittens memes.

Honoring the Mars Rover's successful landing yesterday.

Now let's head over to Annie's because she knows how to put a smile on everyone's faces.  And whatever you do, please don't forget to start your weekend off right with a few Friday Smiles of your own.  If you would like to play along, Annie would love to have you join us.  After all, your smiles are more than likely much better than mine today.

I just saw that Shaz has died.  I "met" her through WOYWW.  She battled cancer for years and that ugly disease finally took her from all of us.  She was giving, caring, and warm.  My heart goes out to Doug, her loving husband who has been by her side through this entire ordeal.  You will be missed, dear.

After I link today, I am going to eat something and go to bed.  All this shivering has made me hungry and sleepy.  Now where are those two gray purring heaters I feed so they'll keep me warm?