Nighttime has fallen. The freeze begins in about two hours by the forecast. However, the temperature here at the house is about 4°F warmer than the readings online, 38°F compared to 34°F. The forecast doesn’t show 20s until after midnight. In a 60 hour period below freezing, a few hours are moot.
Today I finished the prep that started well before dark yesterday. I finished covering the skirt, on the south side. I had to wait until it quit raining. It rained an inch this morning, the bulk of it before dawn, but it left things wet and messy.
After I finished the tasks of making ready, I washed up with a shallow pot of water warmed on the stove and then I got into fresh clothes, complete with thermals, a walking cocoon. Alpaca is ready at hand for added layering.
I’ve been 26 hours without running water now. I have ample water supplies for the event.
So, I am prepared for the plunge. May it not break any pipes and postpone the water inconvenience further.
ERCOT forecast looks optimistic, the closest margin between supply and demand is 5 GW (8 am Monday, lack of solar and depleted batteries, coldest temp), most of the time 15 – 40 GW. It doesn’t look like rolling blackouts this time. The digitals all stay plugged in for full charge. I have the Jackery for powering the modem. I have a dozen flashlights, two of them work lights with serious lumen output.
The pressure washer nozzles arrived today. I checked that they fit the wand’s nozzle socket. I couldn’t test them with the water off, but they looked proper when compared to the ones that came with the unit.
I finished off the tater bits for a late lunch today. I’ll probably have a rib eye taco for dinner. The menu is vast, all designed to keep dish washing to an absolute minimum. One fork or one paring knife, if anything.
I’m ready. Nothing left but the boredom.