We’re in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, and the more I see on social media, the more my gratitude grows for all we have, because the storm hit parts of the island much harder.
The work to rebuild has begun, and it’s impressive to see Jamaica’s resilience firsthand. We don’t know when we’ll get power back, but we’re grateful for the use of a generator in the meantime.
We had our fence repaired this week, so the dogs can run free again. I’m sure they’ve been wondering what’s been going on – they got to come inside for the first time, and stayed inside for three days. After we got back home, they had to be tied up because the fence was down, and they weren’t happy about it.
Last week, I started my workout routine. That, along with the dogs being free to to run around again, helps to normalize life after the storm. Every time we overcome another hurdle caused by the storm, it makes me feel like we’re making progress towards recovery.
Unlike last year after Beryl, we invested in Starlink for home, work, and the shop. The Starlink we got for the shop is what we’re using now for internet at home until we get a replacement wire for our main terminal, which got damaged in the storm.
The ability to speak with friends and family on WhatsApp without the need to hunt for a signal on the road is one of the biggest blessings I’m grateful for.
We learned a lot from our experience with Beryl, which helps us better prepare for Melissa. We have barrels that we used to ship stuff to collect rainwater, including one we filled with water before the electricity went out, which we used for washing dishes and showering.
We also have a lot of solar battery packs to charge things, so we don’t always have to depend on the generator. We also have a solar-powered camping fan that holds a charge for a long time.
Although we don’t have power or running water, we do have a roof over our heads, food to eat, and water to drink, and that’s a lot better than many. 🙏🏽🩵