Setting here with coffee in hand and observing the present weather, my memory drifts back to January 23-25 of 1967. I had just gotten back (Xmas day 1966) from a tour in Vietnam (USMC) and discharged from active duty. I was hired by Bell Telephone and was waiting for the call to start work when we had weather much like the last couple of days, unseasonably warm temps, t-storms, tornadoes and the like.
As you know, I grew up on a farm here in Central Illinois and my family still lived there at that time. I had moved into the town of Ogden, my present home. Well, the temps were in the upper 60’s F to lower 70”s F and in the afternoon the storms come rumbling through. My Dad called in the early evening and said the neighbors barn had been damaged and wanted to know if I could come out the next day and help with repairs and I said “sure, not a problem”. A cold front was suppose to pass through so I got everything together that I would need to help.
We went to bed thinking everything was under control….I woke up around 2 AM and the place was cold, no lights and the furnace didn’t work. I check the circuit breaker box and everything was ok there and as I went to the kitchen I glanced out the window and this is what I saw;
My neighbors house, ICE STORM, we were out of power and we would be for a week. Kathy’s mom house had a couple of space heaters in it so we could keep warm there and about half the neighborhood was there also. In the day we would clean up and get supplies and at night we would play cards but kerosene lamp and candles choice of games; Hearts, Canasta and Euchre. Luckily the power came back on before our eyes went totally bad. (*^-^*)
Although we had t-storms and tornadoes, history didn’t repeat itself in it’s entirety and no ice or snow. Not a great deal of damage from the storms here and no injuries. Well, got things to do, best close this chapter for now..................
