The Great Texas Freeze

   The Great Texas Freeze

Suzanne Marsh

I had moved from New York State to Texas to avoid the cold and snow until February 11, 2021, which was the beginning of the Great Texas Freeze. I awoke in the middle of the night, it was cold in the house. I poked my husband, and he got up and attempted to turn on the lights, we had no electricity! This did not bode well, we got out an extra comforter put it on the bed, and went back to sleep. This meant no stove, heat, nothing; just a very cold house. The roads had been closed since the night before, believe me when I say: “Texans have no idea how to drive in snow, they firmly believe that if God put it there God will take it away.” I accepted that premise when we moved to Texas twenty-one years ago. I should have known I could not escape snow forever, that comes from growing up in New York.

We arose at six thirty in the morning to a very cold house; and made our way to the kitchen, no stove, so no breakfast. Wonderful, now what do we do? Having lived in the north I found the long johns I had put away when we moved to Texas. I dug those out, found the warmest socks, and pulled on my jeans, and two sweatshirts. I had become a hot house plant and spoiled living in Texas. I looked like Nanook of the North, my husband and daughter thought it was hysterical, but I wasn’t laughing.

We decided to take the dogs and go to a motel, that would have been great except all the motels were full of people, just like us with no electricity in an all-electric home! Even the dogs were cold, we had a chocolate lab at that time, she was double-coated, but her feet were like icicles. This was not a good sign. We finally found one motel that still had a few rooms left. We packed up the dogs and ourselves. We got out on the road, there was a small hill and people were getting stuck. I will never forget the sight of the police out there not only directing traffic but also pushing stranded vehicles out of the way. It was a winter wonderland, the police officers almost looked like they were enjoying this challenge!

We arrived at the motel, of course, we were on the second floor, with two separate rooms. We did not bring any food and had no idea how to obtain any. A large food chain here in Texas sends over all types of meat, and the folks who work in the warehouse send food. Barbecue chicken, brisket, chops. The food was great, even the dogs enjoyed it, although they did have their own food. We are very well for our time away from home, camped out in a motel.

We knew sooner or later we were going to have to go to the store, the big food warehouse wasn’t going to keep supplying the entire motel with food. My husband decided to walk to a grocery store about half a mile from the motel. He returned to the room with snacks, some frozen dinners, coffee, and tea. This was becoming once in a lifetime experience.

A friend of ours had two generators, he brought one over for our refrigerator and freezers. They had not been opened in three days but the food was defrosting. If we did not do something quickly we would have mush all over the place, not a pleasant thought, at least not for me. They ran the generator most of the day, and then the gentleman came and got it the following morning. We were still lodged in the motel; that was a really strange thing, half of the town has gas the other is all-electric, of course picked the wrong side. There was no sign that we would have the electricity on any time soon. The wallet was getting thin so we knew we would have to do something shortly.

Ice and snow were still part of any conversation, it was COLD, very cold. That is the problem with the weather here, there is no happy medium the cold is not the type of cold up north, it is the type of cold that is moist, goes right through you keeps right on going.

The dogs had to go out several times a day. The stairs were treacherous, and I found myself grabbing onto whatever I could reach to keep from falling. The motel did not salt the stairs or anyplace else. You took your chances walking on the ice, several people while staying there took headers.

Around this time, the great freeze was beginning to thaw ever so slightly. We were still hunkered down at the motel. Then the motel manager told my husband that we would have to vacate since they had reservations coming in the following day.

What to do, what to do? There were not many choices, so we called our neighbor who said the electric company was close by, could be we were going to have electricity shortly! I could not wait to go home. Motels are great for short stays, like overnight, but not for almost a week.

I still looked at Nanook of the North once we returned home, and then suddenly there were lights on! This was wonderful, and then the heat came on. I finally began to thaw out! We took pictures of the food we lost but insurance would not cover it. I am sure there several lessons here. The biggest lesson is to have a generator because if you don’t you lose heavily.

The Great Texas Freeze is now a note in the meteorologist's history of weather here in Texas. When you hear the comment: “Just wait five minutes the weather will change.” It changed, it went from forty to I believe minus two. For New Yorkers that is not bad for Texans, it was The Great Texas Freeze, hopefully, there won’t be any more freezes like that one.