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Geoffrey Mules was born on Glebe Street in 1946.

No one could have predicted that 75 years later he would be just outside Houston, Texas, close to freezing in the middle of a pandemic.

But that's exactly what he and his wife Annette (born on Salop Street a year later) are doing.

They credit their post-war Penarth roots with helping them brave the great freeze, both practically and psychologically.

What's happening in Texas?

The Lone Star State, living up to its name, has its own electricity grid separate from the rest of the US.

This was overwhelmed by a surge in demand for heat as temperatures plummeted to 30-year lows, hitting 0F (-18C) earlier this week.

The grid failed, and as of last week as many as 4.3 million Texans have been left without power.

Close to half of the state's population have faced some disruption of water services as hundreds of water systems have been damaged by the freeze.

The deaths of 30 people have been linked to the low temperatures, or (more aptly) the lack of preparation for them.

In the middle of the storm, Senator Ted Cruz fled for the warmth of Cancun, adding fuel to the political debate which is raging around the issue.

At one point, 1.4 million Houston homes were without grid electricity... including the Mules household.

From Penarth to Alberta to Houston

Geoffrey Mules was born into the scaffolding industry. His father was Wales manager of SGB Scaffolding, so it was perhaps always likely that it would be his chosen trade.

He went to Penarth County Grammar School and met Annette on the Clock Tower Roundabout when she was 14.

By 23, Geoffrey was Chairman of the Penarth Labour Party and of the Crane Drivers, Steel Erectors and Scaffolders Union.

Driven by "helping people around me get access to better opportunities", he developed lofty political ambitions. In another life, Geoffrey would have become an MP.

But, like a surprising number of Welsh construction workers, he took the opportunity to travel to Canada and work on the oil fields.

From there, he was given the opportunity to move to Houston where he set up his own scaffolding company.

"We've trained and employed thousands of people here," he tells Nub News.

"We love it here. The politics are a little different from mine but Texans are wonderful, hospitable people."

"Geoff dreams of Penarth every day of his life," chimes in Annette. "He can't wait to get back there."

The big freeze

The post-war spirit of resilience and ruggedness was perhaps most highly developed in the Bowery ward of Penarth.

"We looked after each other as there was a lot of poverty. If you lived higher than Plassey Street you were doing okay, but it was difficult lower down," says Geoffrey.

"So, when this came around it was difficult for Texans but it wasn't really a problem for us.

"It has been around freezing at night, but we grew up in Wales with a coal fire in the living room that burnt your face but the back of your neck was cold and the beds were damp.

"It was a long time ago, but we are mentally ready for this sort of thing."

Geoffrey and Annette's upbringings also prepared them in more concrete ways for the events of the last couple of weeks.

They are one of the few local houses to possess an operational woodburner and even invested in solar energy, meaning they've been able to light their house.

The couple also have a 1950s gas stove in the outhouse tavern Geoffrey built, allowing them to cook out there and keep warm.

But, of course, a lot of getting by in a situation like this comes down to luck of the draw.

Geoffrey and Annette's grandson's ceiling collapsed after their water pipes froze and burst.

"The main lesson from the Bowery is the community spirit and closeness to family," says Geoffrey.

"First generation immigrants don't go too far, so our three children all live very close and we've got six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

"We're in total contact all the time so at times like this they can all pile in our house.

"The family aspect of it has kept our mental ability alive. We've made a lot of friends out here so we're not going to be neglected in any way."

"We've made the best of it and kept busy," adds Annette.

Geoffrey and Annette are avid Celtic-folk musicians, performing regularly when COVID allows it around Houston.

Perhaps I should not have been surprised when the Labour veteran broke out in sing-song during our Zoom interview:

"The lights at night

Ted Cruz abandoned texas"