Phew – it’s been awhile

I’m startled to see how much time has passed since my last entry…  Hurricane was intense for us.  We went from California to Pittsburgh that next Sunday.  From Pittsburgh we convinced Hannah on St. Thomas to check out generators at Home Depot – which she did.  She ended up buying a 6000 kva(?) one and she hauled it to the ferry and then she put herself on a plane and went over to St. Croix (on Wednesday Oct. 22).  

The tenants were happy to see her and the generator and the chain saw.  They had lost electricity the evening of Omar and it still wasn’t restored.  And the big sea grape tree on the south street side of the house has broken some big branches and was pretty much blocking Bob’s driveway access.  

Ted and I arrived Friday the 24th – noonish.  Hannah met us and we made a quick grocery trip – then to the house.  We surveyed and basically went right to work on the property.  The house was fine – inside is dirty (6+ months of not being there – the Sahara dust combined with the ocean-front atmosphere = grime on everything….), outside was equally poorly maintained.  The landscape guy was coming by more less than often it appears.  So there was a lot of neglect along with the hurricane damage.

The house – after our 10 day stay is still not really cleaned up.  We didn’t get electric until Sunday evening Nov. 2nd (18 days without – thanks WAPA!).  The generator is so loud and intrusive that you ran it only when really needed – and we powered 3 fridges, fans, washing machine, lights, computers with the generator – it didn’t support the water heater.  I cleaned the floors with a mopping of bleach and water.  I got most surfaces with some cleaning products and a rag.  But….  Ted worked like a fool on the yard.  He put a lot of energy into getting things back in shape and did well.  He even sifted the beach sand (we could use more to ‘freshen’ things up – but the stuff is $85/ton and you have to haul it yourself – whoa).

Hannah arranged a trip to Buck Island for us with one of her peers – Ian Lundgren.  He works for Fish and Game and his normal job is monitoring turtles on Buck Island – so he’s used that to form the basis of his masters thesis.  In a nutshell – he is studying how soil composition and shade/sun variations equate to success in turtle hatches.  We went over around 5:30pm – and were back by 11pm.  We witnessed two Hawk’s Bill turtle ladies dig nests and lay eggs (awesome) and one of Ian’s relocated nests hatched while we were there – so we helped him to take his data from the hatchlings and release them to the ocean.  Hannah is sending me pictures – and I’ll post some once I get them.  It was an amazing evening.

We’ve been home since late on Nov. 4th.  I’m almost recovered from the 4-hour time change (I’m definately getting older….)  Ted left for Arkansas for work yesterday.  

The SLO weaver’s guild held their annual sale this weekend.  It was amazing.  I’m inspired and have new energy to work at the loom.  The Alpaca Scarves I’ve been weaving measure up nicely to some of the very lovely things I saw these amazing weavers have done – so I have renewed confidence.  …. now I just need to be home more than a few weeks at a time….