2017 Life Logs, Day 265: Still No Word from Justin and Family
Date: Friday, September 22, 2017
Weather: Overcast, Rainy, Windy and Cooler; High 61, Low 62 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA
Still, we have not heard from Justin and Jo. I posted a rare message on my Facebook page last night and we got more information from that than from any other source. Someone who is a friend of Jo’s posted a screenshot of a message from a mother who had heard from her daughter in Rincon via satellite phone. “She said that Rincon . . . has many trees down, some flooding, some wind damage, but that to her knowledge everyone is fine in the area. They feel like they were fortunate. So, so happy to finally have some news. They expect to have communications down for days unknown. She said people are mopping up and digging out.” I certainly agree with this mother. Even though the news was not from Justin and Jo, it was from someone in their community and I, too, was so, so happy to hear this news. There was also a screenshot of another message forward by a friend of Justin’s. This one said, “Spoke to my daughter in Rincon a little while ago and she reports that everyone is okay. There was damage, but not the devastation we are seeing on TV in other areas. Everyone is helping everyone and cleaning up the streets of debris. This little town always pulls together and is an example for the rest of us.” Evidently there is a satellite phone that is being circulated in a local hotel and that is how some people have made contact with family outside Puerto Rico. I am in close contact with Jo’s family in England, and we are all doing all we can to try and get information about them through hotlines, the Red Cross, amateur radio operators, and Facebook. People have been contacting me all evening about the dam in northwest Puerto Rico that is failing. Fortunately, I do not think the water from the dam can affect the far western shore where Justin and Jo live, but my thoughts are with those who are in its path should it break. The scope of the damage wrought by Maria is overwhelming . . . a total humanitarian disaster. Not sure yet the best way to help.
Ollie was sick and was not able to go to school today, so I went to be with him. That filled my day. And I will be busy tomorrow getting ready for that dinner party I am hosting tomorrow night. But I’m sure I’ll find time to worry. I think that is just what mothers do—unavoidable. But I do thank all of you for being right here with me. It really does help.
