We finally got power back yesterday, the 13th of November, 55 days after hurricane Maria wrecked Puerto Rico. We still have no running water and remain dependent on collected rainwater, which is thankfully plentiful right now. We have a filtration system that my brother sent us to make the water potable. Roads are still washed out and the detours have detours. Steady internet remains a fanciful dream, and using my phone as a router is like petting a cat: it's on his terms, not mine. Most of the cell towers were destroyed and the island is making use of a makeshift system of towers that were hurriedly put up. Its hard for me to even know where to start with any of this. It's all anyone has been talking about for a month and a half. Here, locally, in my little bubble, we're all tired of talking about it and describing it. What can I say other than it's been crazy. The hurricane itself was like nothing I had ever experienced, and I'm a Florida boy; I'm no stranger to hurricanes. I'm not a man of faith, but after experiencing that monster, that maw of roaring white wind and rain that pulled trees from the woods at the bottom of the property and left them lying at the top of the property, I can understand how ancient peoples would envision angry omnipotent beings who must be appeased just to try to make sense of this event that makes no sense. For days afterwards, we had other strange weather phenomena. Storms that made noise I've never heard a storm make. A constant metallic rumble like a large jet passing overhead, but the sound lasted for hours. It wasn't thunder. Thunder has a boom and a rippled fade. This didn't boom or fade. It slowly ramped up and remained and then dissipated after a few hours. Seriously, I've never heard anything like it. Other than all my trees destroyed, we were lucky. My house has minor cosmetic damage, and the fence along one side of the property is a loss where trees flattened it. Some of my neighbors lost everything. There's still tons of work to do, and I expect power to be touch and go for a while. Power had been restored to the metro San Juan area for about a week and then the whole grid collapsed. I expect similar to happen across the island for a while. I feel secure in the fact that the mods have everything well in hand and I will resume my duties as time, access, and being in the right head-space allows.
Great to see you back here in your natural habitat, Wrey! Oh, how the members have missed you! (I mean that seriously, not a microsmidge of sarcasm intended.) EDIT: Forgot to say that we mods have missed you especially. It can be hard to know what to do in the absence of our fearless leader.
I've missed you all too! I just finished with all the retro-awarding of contest medals for the last couple of months. My inbox is SUPER FULL!
Some photos... I've got zillions, but these are ones I already posted elsewhere so I can just link them. The data-cost to upload new ones is a little prohibitive at the moment because internet is via my cellphone... This is just down the street from me, on the main road (PR-111). There are five such spots within about a three mile stretch. A little further back on the same main street. Power poles lay scattered for miles... ... like this...
Great you're climbing out of the pit. Still a ways to go, but in the right direction. With any luck, Puerto Rico's communications and electrical system and other infrastructure will end up being better than it was beforehand. But still. So much loss, in terms of property and wasted time. Anyway, good to know you're okay.
Well, I'll tell you this: I have been disabused of many wrong ideas I had about "simple life". "Simple life" is flipping hard! When you manage to do everything you need to do in a day without the benefit of modern culture and all its mod-cons, it's already dark and time for bed, and trust me, you just want to sleep. It's exhausting. I didn't really get any writing done during this period of time, but my WIP takes place in a world where mod-cons as we know them don't exist, so this experience has opened my eyes to what it takes and just how busy "simple life" really is. So, yeah... silver linings and all that, wot wot!
Hey, you! I think I got all the medals caught up, including the Hall of Fame. Let me know if I missed anything.
Yes. You've just experienced dystopia. And in a climate where it stays warm and help does exist 'out there.' But it will give you a close-up taste of what that might be really like, if it happens world-wide. Our ancestors of 200 plus years ago did cope and did well, but folks who have had it suddenly dropped upon them? Dunno. This will certainly inform your writing, I imagine.
Yes, I ran a bunch of mini contests and won 23 other medals You're so dedicated. I wasn't even going to mention medals to you until you were settled back in.
Now you know why I told you to buy a 4x4, right Joking aside, good to see you back, I don't hug I'm too manly for that.... have a big manly hand sh..... who am I kidding
Glad you're back, hope you enjoyed your vacation to the past, remember, people pay good money for experiences like that!
Wrey, I'm glad you were able to drop in, and I'm thankful that for all the hardship you've endured, your house is still standing. It's difficult to look at those pictures you posted and think, "That's not a movie set." I know you're not religious, but I hope you don't mind if I keep you in my prayers.
How did I only just now see this? Good to see you on here again, be it ever so brief. Glad you are doing ok.
Make sure you go on Twitter and thank President Trump for all the paper towels he gave you guys. He's big on people thanking him for stuff. Glad you're back among the living.