2017 Life Logs, Day 278: Holding It Together . . . Sort of
Date: Thursday, October 5, 2017
Weather: Partly Sunny and Windy; High 77, Low 61 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA
I’ve lost track of the days since we have heard anything from Justin or Jo in Puerto Rico. I got can email on Saturday, Jo’s mother got a WhatsApp message on Sunday, and I heard from Justin via Skype messaging on Monday. And that was it. No more communications. Obviously, the source of wifi comes and goes like everything else in Puerto Rico right now. The US Post Office tracking system keeps saying packages I sent are on their way to Rincon, but they have been saying the same thing since Monday. The postman here thinks it is possible that the packages I sent have arrived but there is no way for the Rinco PO to get that information into the system. He encourages me to keep sending packages, so I sent batteries today. Maybe Justin has received the money I sent tucked in between water filter and snacks, or maybe he has not. The only source of local information I can find is on Rincon Facebook pages. Supposedly one person received packages sent since the storm, but the package was opened and the super expensive water filters were not in the box. This is one time that I hope the information I read is Fake News! A day or two ago I read that there was a way to send money to Rincon via Western Union, but today the posts indicate that the nearest pick-up is 15 miles south of Rincon in Mayaguez. And evidently even the local bank, which is not Justin’s bank, does not have enough money to let people have more than $100 here and there, and other banks are not open. So, no communication and no way to get money to Justin and Jo. I just hope, hope, hope that the package I sent with water filters and money arrived intact and that they received it. For now, Facebook is the only way I can feel connected. I have never really been a Facebook user, and now just as they are under such intense scrutiny, I have become a believer. At least for now, I am so grateful Facebook is there to keep us all connected. With the little bit of Rincon information I get on Facebook, I am holding it together . . . sort of. I just can’t imagine what it must be like for Justin and Jo who have no source of information and challenges greater than they have ever had to face. Hopefully they, too, are holding it together.
Now on a happier note. Happy birthday (a few days early) to my good friend Jane Woodin. Bruce and Jane are headed to Europe on Saturday, so Olivia and I took Jane to lunch today to celebrate. When I looked at the photos we took, I decided we look like ‘The Three Amigos’!
Safe and wonderful travels to Bruce and Jane.
