Barely a week here and already I've been baptized! TS Jeanne blew in with close to Category 1 winds and left widespread flooding, downed trees, power outages, and disconnected communication systems, but no loss of life, fortunately. Where I'm staying, we've been without power for almost 48 hours now. We've got water in buckets and containers for washing and drinking, and the gas stove is still working so at least we can cook. Our refrigerated food is in danger of spoiling, however, so we're taking some over to ML's daughter's house today, and I brought my freezer stuff to work to store it in the mini-frig here.
In Christiansted (C'sted), the streets flooded, causing the sewer system to overflow, which in turn floated manhole covers free. This presented hazards in several ways: to unsuspecting drivers who could get stuck in the open hole, to pedestrians who could fall through the open holes into the sewer system (yech!), and to the general water supply because of the possibilities of disease, especially hepatitis. Not a pretty picture!
ML and I spent most of the day clearing debris out of her yard. Her beautiful frangipani tree sustained a direct hit and the trunk split right down the middle. Other trees and bushes affected included one lime tree, three coconut palms, the pigeon pea trees, one of the sugar apple trees, several papaya trees, and I don't remember what all else. The door flew open on the chicken coop, and both chickens got out. We're back to two chickens, though, as ML caught one yesterday who accidentally wandered into the yard and was in danger of being killed by the dogs, and today she caught one of the original two that she had when we discovered it under the passion flower vines. Lucky chicken, or it could have been dead, too, tonight if the dogs got hold of it. ML is amazing: at 68, she is incredibly spry and quick. I never saw anyone who could catch chickens so well!
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