texas freeze (or why I’m going to start composting)
Timeline of events
Mon: why is it so cold in here
When I woke up on Monday something seemed off. It was cold. I got up and walked to the kitchen: it was eerily silent and the oven clock was off.
“Ah shit…power’s out.”
We’d already cancelled our plans that weekend as we’d heard about the disastrous road conditions. Our apartment stairs had already turned into a treacherous ice precipice due to heavy rain followed by subzero temps then more rain and snow. It was a perfect storm.
Expect rolling blackouts and stay off roads if you can, the news said. Okay.
The first day was almost…fun. It was like camping indoors. We’d just restocked on groceries and cooked dinner outside with our camping stove.
Tues: oh no it’s getting colder
Tuesday morning I sat up and looked at the WiFi router. No light. I did my best to reply to work messages over phone while figuring out our plan for the day.
We bundled up in our warmest layers upon layers and sat in our sleeping bags on the couch. Huddled next to each other for body heat, the scene was simultaneously loving and tragic.
I kept taking pictures of the thermostat to document because I had no idea how low it'd go. For reference fridges are kept at 40F or lower. We went to bed at 44F.
Wed: what if this continues
Woke up and checked the thermostat: 40F.
Our portable phone chargers were nearly out. We’d given up on getting any useful updates from Austin Energy or other local news sources. The water pressure seemed low so I filled up our travel jug.
The day was a blur.
At some point in the afternoon the fridge whirred to life…power was back!
We bolted out of our sleeping bags and cranked up the heat. Then we frantically plugged in our devices and cooked the food. Who knew how long it’d last?
Thu: no water
As soon as the power came back on, the water went out.
We had 6 gal of the water in the travel jug so wasn’t too worried. However we were still under boil water notice.
It was getting physically uncomfortable. Couldn’t focus. Responded to friends and posted on social about the whole ordeal. At least the power outage was over. Or was it?
Fri: still no water
Went back to work, like a productive member of society. My mind was still frazzled.
The rest of my reflections come in no particular order. I hesitate to label this a traumatic experience but it kinda was. It had pandemic vibes: an unwelcome 2021 aftershock.
How many times can we live through a state of emergency and emerge with intact sanity? I’ve read situations like this trigger a prolonged fight or flight response, but to me it was duller than that. Which in some ways is more tiring than having a brief fight or flight response and having time to recover.
Disproportionate impact: When people are dealt the same bad luck, those with less money and resources are hit so much harder. There were stories of those living in mobile homes freezing with little to no insulation. Of those who tried to venture out for food (it’s harder stock up if you’re living paycheck to paycheck) only to be met with an accident on the road.
Unexpected events like this compound at lower income levels and take much longer to recover from.
Hardship is distracting: Was I worried about surviving during the storm? No. Was I rationing out food in my head to make our food and water stretch out as long as possible? Yes.
It was exhausting. Camping is fun because you’re prepared. You don’t ask to be thrown into the wilderness at random.
A friend asked if we were playing cards to pass the time. Not in the mood. I tried to write. Couldn’t focus.
It was from the uncertainty. Not knowing while having to deal with every day life just passing by. The blackouts were still “rolling” so I was prepared to switch back on into work mode at a moment’s notice.
Plus we hadn’t showered in a week. When your scalp is itchy and you feel gross, it’s hard to be productive.
It gave me new empathy for those who live in less fortunate situations and for whom uncertainty is a constant. Even if someone isn’t at risk of survival, not having extra buffer makes it extremely difficult to study or work.
Lack of understanding from others: This disillusionment came in 2 parts. The first was in the form of identity as a “Northerner” who’s lived through far worse winters and scoffed when the whole situation was unfolding. After the experience I found myself getting defensive against and identifying with Texans who lived through this disaster. A new hyphenated space to have an identity crisis about sigh: what part of the country do I identify with?
The second part came with the confusion of seeing everyday life play out and generally how little people cared. *Many people reached out and offered to help so it was less about personal interactions and more a general realization that life goes on when people are suffering.
It was extremely confusing logging onto social media and context switching between people in tropical locations on social media and local communities under intense strain in community groups. It was bewildering reading about the Mars rover and wondering how we’d started exploring a whole new planet but still couldn’t care for those on our existing one.
Clean water is not the norm: Travel outside of the US and you’ll find yourself under a constant boil water notice. No one would assume the tap water is potable. That’s just asking for too much.
Sense of community: A positive that came out of all this was seeing the community come together and as a recent transplant, feeling closer to community. I had a few contacts that I’d started texting in the area and it didn’t matter how close we were before - people were offering their houses, water, food etc. It was heartwarming.
Environmental awareness: Another positive and the title of this piece. Living through harsh weather makes you feel really small in the grand scheme of things. Earth is regenerative but can only put up with so much of our crap. Quite literally. I spent the following weekend reading up on little steps you can take to be more sustainable. 3 things we’ve landed on: 1) opting to pay 10% more on our energy bill to ensure it comes from renewable sources 2) thrifting when possible and 3) composting.