Candles, fireplaces busy after ice storm

"We set up an emergency shelter for people to get relief from not having any electricity because their homes are freezing cold at this point," said Margaret Bilyard, Red Cross shelter manager.

Stanford welcomed families and pets, but few showed up to take advantage.

Just across the street, the Durham family was surviving by candlelight and the heat of gas logs in their Hillsborough home.

Ann Durham and her granddaughters, ages 12 and 13, had been without power since 5 a.m. on Friday. They told stories and used their phones and iPads to stay busy.

Next door, the Amador family was also without power and raided their own refrigerator for a preventative cookout.

"I have been cooking stuff on the grill, cooking all the meat I have," said Javier Amador.

Utility workers and tree-clearing crews from the North Carolina Forest Service were expected to be back at work early Saturday to finish the work necessary to get the lights back on in Orange County.

Both families live across the street from C.W. Stanford Middle School...which has been converted into a shelter since ice and rain downed trees and knocked out power across Orange County.

Another day with no way to charge the electronics might be more than Ann Durham can take.

"Oh, I hope it comes on before I wake up in the morning," she said.