2017 Life Logs, Day 304: Happy Halloween
Date: Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Weather: Sunny, Still Windy; High 61, Low 38 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA

Happy Halloween! I just got home from Heather and Jed’s where, dressed as witch, I handed out treats and kept the fog machine in the front yard going via remote control. As soon as I heard a someone coming, I would hit the button to make fog that drifted through a strobe light. “Very cool” was the comment I heard from many trick-or-treaters. Tonight Sam dressed as his soccer hero, Messi, and Ollie and Jonah were the Kratt brothers, Chris and Martin, from their favorite nature-based television program, Wild Kratts. It was a fun Halloween evening with the Goldstones.

I started my day with a walk to Starbucks for coffee with Jane Woodin, combining exercise with pleasure. Bruce and Jane just returned from a three-week vacation in Europe. They spent a week in London, a week in Paris, and a week on a river cruise on the Seine. They had a wonderful time and Jane summed it up by saying that it was the trip of a lifetime. She especially loved Paris—beautiful city, lovely people, wonderful food. Sounds like a great combination. When I got home, I entered a two-hour battle with Comcast, the only cable and internet provider here on the Cape. The problem was that they insisted that I no longer had an outage, when it was very obvious that I did. And not just me. I know my next door neighbor was having the same battle with them. But since their workmen reported that they had fixed things here, when in reality they had not, we now have to wait another day or two to get our connection back. I am using my phone as an internet hotspot tonight to post this log, but it sure will be nice when things are back up and running. I feel so guilty complaining when I think of what Justin and Jo are going through, but it is because of them that I want my connection back. Now that communications are a little better, I sometimes get a call from Justin. But other times, he contacts me through Skype messaging on the computer. And I need internet for that. But then other people here are still without electricity. The remnants of tropical storm Phillipe that hit us on Sunday night into Monday morning wrecked a lot of havoc in New England and many are still without power.

I got a text from my good friend Detta Porat this afternoon. Matthew, her son, lives in Greenwich Village in New York City and rides his bike to work on the bike path where another awful attack on innocent people happened this afternoon. Thankfully, Matthew was still at work. I’m reading Ken Follett’s new book, A Column of Fire, which takes place in England in 1558. Mary Tudor is the queen of England, but in last night’s reading, it became clear that she is expected to die soon. There is a fierce debate about who should succeed her, Mary Stuart or Elizabeth Tutor. Those who favor Elizabeth do so because they know she will stop the burning at the stake of Protestants for their beliefs. In 1558, many people were wondering when the slaughter of people based on their religious beliefs would end. And now, almost 460 years later, we are still asking the same question. Such a sad commentary on the progress of civilization, or rather, the lack thereof.

2017 Life Logs, Day 303: Solar Power for Justin and Jo
Date: Monday, October 30, 2017
Weather: WINDY; High 62, Low 50 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA

My day started with a rude awakening. I walked out the door at 7:30 am to head to Hyannis to report for jury duty. It was very WINDY, but things on my deck looked fine except for one plant that was blown over. But as I walked toward the parking area, I saw plastic buckets where they shouldn’t be and then I saw that about three panels of the tall wooden fencing that runs the border between The Studio and the condos next door were blown over. And there were leaves and small branches everywhere. Then as I drove out of the parking area, I saw neighbors out on the street staring at the very large tree that had uprooted and fallen over and was blocking one lane of the street. I turned right to go down by the water and had to drive around another fallen tree. The road along the ocean was a mess with standing water in some places and in other spots sand had been washed across the road by ocean waves. It was mounded so you couldn’t see the road and the ocean waves were not too far from my passenger door. Things got better once I headed inland from the shore road and although I saw a lot of fallen branches on the way to Hyannis, Falmouth Heights Road and the road along the ocean was the worst I saw. I got to the court house just in time and delivered the mandatory questionnaire to the proper authority. She looked at me and said, “You do know you don’t have to be here.” Well, no, if I had known that I wouldn’t have driven all this way. She explained that if you are over 70 you don’t have to serve as a juror, so I declined the kind offer of serving and headed out the court house doors. I was so relieved as I was expecting a call or text from Justin when he got to Maximo Solar today. So, I headed straight home to wait for his call. Fallen tree clean-up was well under way when I got home, but then I discovered that cable TV and internet were down. One day without internet couldn’t be too bad, right?

It wasn’t until I got the call from Justin and could not look up the answers to his questions about various solar components that I realized just how much I miss instant access to information when it is not available. Our three-hour marathon went something like this. Justin described to me three different systems. The connection was often garbled, but I took notes the best I could. If I had questions, he would hang up and go talk to the consultant. He might text those answers to me to see if I had more questions. Then he would call again and as we discussed the options, we always ended up with more questions and the process started over again. It finally got to a point where I needed advice. So, Justin went back to talk to the consultant to get more questions answered and I called Heather. I learned a new skill today. I had to constantly put either Heather on hold to check incoming text messages from Justin or visa versa. I have never been successful at putting one person on ‘hold’ while answering another in-coming call. But I got a lot of experience this afternoon! Heather could check things online for us and she is way faster at math than either Justin or me. There were three solar systems we were discussing today. One of them was a Tesla system, and the other two were conventional solar battery systems. One had a 4kW inverter with 9 panels for $12,000 and the other was a 6.5kW inverter with 12 panels for $19,000. We wrestled with pros and cons and ended up buying the $12,000 package. I had not previously researched any of these packages and I don’t know the specifics on what we bought. I do know it took about three hours to finalize the deal and it won’t be installed until December, maybe a little earlier. It is exhausting to figure things out without normal communication, but we did it. Just after 3 pm I got the call from Justin saying the sale was complete and that he was on to the next task . . . on his way to Home Depot to get fencing for the animals.

It is evening and I still have no internet, so I drove to Heather’s to send this. Ollie is doing Sudoku and Sam is working on a book report. My mind needs a rest, so I send this and hope I have internet so I can research/communicate normally tomorrow.

2017 Life Logs, Day 302: Clams and Soccer . . . Again
Date: Sunday, October 29, 2017
Weather: Pouring Rain Tonight; High 65, Low 59 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA

Today was a repeat of yesterday, of sorts. Instead of digging clams, this evening Heather and Jed invited me to dinner and we ate the clams I got yesterday. Earlier in the afternoon, I went to another soccer game. Today’s game was Sam’s last soccer game of the fall season, so now, no more soccer until spring. If I back up until morning, I watched some of the Cleveland Browns versus the Minnesota Vikings football game that was played in London, England. My good friend Olivia White is a die-hard Cleveland Browns football fan and flew to London for the game. I watched in her honor, but not surprisingly, the Browns lost.

That was pretty much my day. Tomorrow morning I have to drive to Hyannis to report for jury duty at 8:30 am. I have never been called to serve on jury duty before, so I have no way of knowing what it will be like. I am a bit nervous about it because it will mean that I can’t answer my phone if Justin calls and needs something. Tomorrow he had hoped to return to the Maximo Solar to discuss different options and I have so many things I want to convey to him about that. Hopefully either Barnstable County won’t really need me on jury duty or Justin will call when I am on a break. Somehow, we’ll figure it out.

2017 Life Logs, Day 301: Clams and Soccer
Date: Saturday, October 28, 2017
Weather: Cooler, but Sunny; High 59, Low 56 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA

Clams and soccer don’t necessarily go together, but I spent my day engaged with both. This morning, Peter Baranowski, whom I call the Clam King, took me and Margaret Souza for an introductory clamming lesson. This was an unofficial Newcomers outing. I stopped at Heather and Jed’s to pick up the clam rake and bucket and Jonah and Sam looked at me like I was crazy. “You’re going clamming . . . now?” They associate clamming with summer, not with late October. It was cool and a bit windy, but the sun dominated, and the water really wasn’t all that cool. I had on my dive skin, and I was perfectly warm the whole time. Margaret had been clamming once before, but I had never been, so we really were both novices. Not a problem for Peter. He took us to his favorite spot and we waded out into the water to the top of my thighs (Peter’s knees). He taught us how to use the rake, and instantly we started raking in the quahogs. Peter filled his bucket, but then he is about 6 feet 7 inches tall and handles the rake like it is a toothpick. Margaret and I are both in the 5-foot range and handling the long-handled rake is a bit more difficult for us. But I was delighted to fill my bucket to the half-way mark! But even more than that, I just truly enjoyed being out in the water and learning a new skill. I have been intimidated by the idea of clamming. But no more. Thank you, Peter!

We were clamming about two miles from Heather and Jed’s, so I stopped by their house on my way home to return to the rake and bucket and show off the clams. Before leaving, I planted a few garlic cloves in the garden and then I headed home to get dry clothes on and head back out to Jonah’s final soccer game of the fall season. Ollie had a birthday party to attend, so Heather went with him. But Jed and Sam were at Jonah’s game. Jonah’s team ended the season with 5 wins, no losses, and 2 tied games. Jonah didn’t score today, but he played like a champ. His good friend Luke made the only point of the game and Jonah was so happy for him. He would have loved to score as well, but it was great to see his joy for Luke. Tomorrow is Sam’s final game, and hopefully the heavy wind and rain we are expecting will hold off until after the game. At this point, it looks like the winds will build during the afternoon and then we will get slammed tomorrow evening into Monday.

I did not hear from Justin today, but I must report something I forgot to mention in last night’s log. Some of you have inquired about Ziggy, and Justin did tell me last night that Ziggy is recovering just fine from his fall. Evidently Jo has a photo of his swollen lips right after the fall that will get posted on Facebook at some point. Hopefully today’s no news, is good news.

2017 Life Logs, Day 300: My Best Friend
Date: Friday, October 27, 2017
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High 62, Low 46 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA

Today was the 43rd anniversary of my marriage to Mark Handley. It was a day of reflection for me. Mark was not only my husband and the father of our children. He was my best friend. I miss him more than words can possibly describe, but I live on in his spirit—live every day to its fullest, reach out, explore, learn . . . never sit around and be sad. I met Mark at an educational television conference in Baltimore, Maryland, in September 1973. It was love at first sight, and two weeks later I drove to Bloomington, Indiana, to meet him for a second time. I was driving a little light blue Ford Pinto and he met me in his classy hunter green Fiat convertible. He had on his raggedy jeans and his signature white v-neck undershirt which was also raggedy. When we got to his house, he had a bottle of perfectly chilled Pouilly-Fuisse waiting to toast our new relationship. I was then, and always will be, a beer drinker, but on all of our anniversaries from that first meeting in Bloomington forward, we always celebrated with Pouilly-Fuisse. So, tonight I bought a bottle of this wine and made a toast to Mark to let him know how much I appreciate the world he opened up to me. Happy anniversary to my best friend!

I had lunch with friends today. Karen and Peter Baranowski are friends I have met through the Falmouth Newcomers Club. They invited me and another Newcomers member, Margaret Souza, for lunch. Peter is an avid clam digger and seems to be an endless source of fresh clams. We had his fresh clam chowder for lunch, which was delicious, as well as freshly backed Portuguese bread Margaret delivered from Fall River. There was also a wonderful arugula, walnut, and pomegranate seed salad provided by Karen. Yummy, yummy lunch and great conversation. After lunch I headed back to Solar Rising to seek more information for the solar project we are planning for Justin and Jo’s home in Puerto Rico, and then I went to the gym for a 20-20-20 class. I had planned a quiet evening at home, but the minute I walked through the door, I got a ding on my phone telling me Justin was trying to reach me via Skype messaging. Long story short, Walgreens is sending crew to PR to restore internet to their stores and Justin was trying to reach one of their agents to offer him and his crew a place to stay in return for the installation of internet service. Justin had no cell service today, so he was not able to contact the guy in charge of this effort directly. He was able to message me the phone number. I called the guy and arranged for them to ‘talk’ via Skype messaging or a phone,call later tonight. Evidently cell service is better later in the evening. I have heard nothing further, so hopefully they were able to connect. In between my messaging with Justin, I talked to Mark’s brother Steve. He had sent an email worried that Justin and family and neighbors didn’t have enough to eat and he wanted to know what he could to help. I assured him that Justin says everyone has food. It might not be the most nutritious, but they are eating. And they have water from springs and the rain. Not a perfect situation, but they are surviving quite well. But it was great to talk to Steve. I often feel like I am working in a vacuum and contact with someone who understands the situation was a wonderful relief for me.

2017 Life Logs, Day 299: Good Days, Bad Days
Date: Thursday, October 26, 2017
Weather: Overcast and Rainy; High 64, Low 45 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA

Yesterday there was good news from Puerto Rico. Justin felt like he was going to get back to work. Packages arrived. Everything was moving along just fine. Then I got a call from Justin around noon today with not so good news. Somehow Hopi, their horse, got through the fencing and was hit by a car up on the road. Justin went up to deal with the situation and found that the horse seemed to be okay, but there was damage to the car that hit the horse and the police made it clear that either Justin would pay for the damage or he would have to go to court. As they said, by law you have to keep your animals on your own property. Period. As Justin said, he has car insurance but not horse insurance, so he will have to pay immediately once there is an estimate of the damages. Not what they needed right now, but to add insult to injury, Ziggy also got injured during all of this. He’s okay, although Justin says he doesn’t look like it. Evidently the kids were told not to go up to the road where the accident happened, but Ziggy ran up the hill and tried to climb over the tall medal gate at the top of the drive way. He got to the top of the gate, about chest high on an adult, and then somehow fell over and right onto his face. His lips are terribly swollen and he has lots of scrapes, but Justin thinks he will be fine. Of course, Ziggy was devastated. He had done something he had been told not to do and gotten hurt. And the horse he loves was also injured. Ugh! My heart breaks for him, but as Justin said it was quite fortuitous that the package of Halloween fun sent from Team Handley/Hunt for Ziggy and Coco arrived yesterday. It helped Ziggy to be able to decorate the house and both he and Coco loved the wooden masks from Michael’s that you color with permanent markers. I’m so grateful that there was a little joy mixed with the sadness.

Today Justin went to Maximo Solar to check out the mini off-grid system they had advertised on their website. Somehow that kit is no longer available, but more expensive packages with the exact same equipment are available. I have asked my “technical team” to advise me, but when there is only one game in town, you have to play it. Justin won’t be able to go back tomorrow, but on Monday, maybe we can purchase a solar system that will give them lights and ceiling fans to move the air, refrigeration, the use of the washing machine (with water carried from the spring), and power to charge computers, phones, etc. Ziggy will be so excited about this as he has been maintaining his aquariums by adding fresh water every day in the absence of electricity to run the water pumps. Sure hope we can actually get the solar system and that Ziggy’s little creatures survive. I managed to get about half-way through my To Do list for the day and will continue tomorrow.

2017 Life Logs, Day 298: Questioning My Sanity
Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Weather: Overcast and Rainy; High 69, Low 57 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA

Today I started questioning my sanity, but in the end, I think I have decided that I am not the one with the problem. The questioning of my sanity started as I sat here at my computer trying to figure out what the most effective and most cost-effective water filtration system should be installed in every home in Puerto Rico. There have already been three deaths attributed to the water-borne bacterial disease leptospirosis and I read tonight hat there are now 76 more cases under investigation. The craziness comes into the picture when I start to wonder who else is working on this problem. There must be people much smarter and in positions of power who could move on this quickly before more people are added to this list. I can’t solve this problem, but I can’t stop trying to figure out a solution until I hear that someone else is dealing with it. Justin and Jo have a water filter called a Big Berkey that is rated as 99.999% effective in filtering out both water borne bacteria and viruses. So, I think they are probably safe. But I am worried about all of the other people who don’t have such a filter. A Big Berkey takes no electricity. It is a gravity feed system with very effective filters. It is big stainless steel item, but is also light-weight which makes it somewhat easy to transport. The initial cost is about $250.00. That is all good, but the filters cost a little more than $150 a year to replace and my fear is that people would not be able to afford replacement filters. My friend Alan Kanegsberg is aware of a sand filter from Pure Water for the World that has been proven to be very effective in third world countries. But Puerto Rico is not a third world country. It is a territory of the United States and our leaders should be dealing with this. I have been sending small-scale water filters with donated money, but we are now at a point where we need larger scale solutions. None of us should be standing idly by as we watch US citizens drinking unsafe water. Thousands and thousands of water bottles have been sent to Puerto Rico, but that is only a temporary fix. We need real, long-term solutions. Ideas? Suggestions?

I made a major breakthrough in my search for a solar solution for Justin and Jo today. I have made phone call after phone call all over this country and Puerto Rico to no avail. So this afternoon I started to look for a local solution. I found the name of a solar provider about 9 miles from here, so I got in my car and drove there. The young man I talked with was tremendously helpful. Once I explained the situation, he got on a computer and looked carefully at the package available in Puerto Rico. He showed me how to find detailed information on the solar panels, the inverter, and the batteries that come with the package. I had not been able to do that. And he quickly determined that it is actually a very cost-effective system that will meet most of Justin and Jo’s needs. He recommended that I continue to try and contact the company in Puerto Rico to see if any of these kits are really still available. If so, he suggested I purchase one immediately. If not, he will help me put together a similar package here that we will have to get to PR someway, somehow. The problem is the size of the solar panels. Getting a package there that is 3 feet x 5 feet x 1 foot and weighs 120 pounds is no easy feat. The other components, even the batteries, could be put in large suit cases and flown there, but not the solar panels. I thanked the young man and hurried home to call Maximo Solar in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, one more time. The line was still busy as it has been for the last two weeks. Justin drove there last Saturday but wasn’t able to get in as there were so many people. He said it felt like trying to get into a rock concert, not a store selling solar power solutions. Popular place these days. But their little online chat line told me this afternoon that a consultant will contact me within the next business day. They told me that two weeks ago and I have never been given a call. But I’ll hope this time someone will contact me.

I did hear from Justin this morning that one more Amazon package and one more USPS package arrived today. One of the two Halloween fun packages arrived for Ziggy and Coco. Hopefully the other one will arrive in the next couple of days. I was so happy to hear that, but the Amazon package that arrived today was cause for true celebration. It was the order of seed sprouting trays and sprouting seeds sent by Dave and Donna Laux. Jo has been anxiously awaiting this arrival so she can start sprouting seeds as a fresh source of green nutrition. Sprouted seeds have high levels of dietary fiber, B complex vitamins, and protein. In just three days, they can reap the benefits. So, praises to Amazon for getting that package there. It took two and half weeks instead of five days, but it is there. And thanks to the US postal service for getting that package of Halloween fun there for Ziggy and Coco. Thanks and praises.

Tonight was the last night of an eight-day docuseries I have been ‘attending’ online. This series was about repairing and maintaining brain health. I absolutely loved one thing that was said in this last program outlining the seven steps to achieve the ‘ultramind’.
Step 1—Eat Right
Step 2—Take the Right Supplements
Step 3—Exercise, Exercise, Exercise
Step 4—Sleep
Step 5—Find Ways to Relax
Step 6—Learn New Things
Step 7—Live Clean and Green

It was Step 5 that rang loud and clear with me. One thing that people would never say about me is that I spend time relaxing. But they might be wrong. One of the major ways to do this, according to these experts, is to write. It was stated that the more you write, the more you release. And the more you release, the happier your brain. So now I can justify this nightly outpouring. WordPress tells me I have published 3,977 logs since October 18, 2005. That is a lot of releasing, so hopefully a lot of brain health gained. And now it time for Step 4—Sleep. Good Night!

2017 Life Logs, Day 297: Puerto Rico on My Mind . . . Constantly
Date: Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Weather: From Sunny to Overcast with Sprinkles; High 71, Low 66 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA

Five weeks ago tomorrow, Hurricane Maria ravaged the island of Puerto Rico. Since that day, Puerto Rico has been on my mind constantly. Finally, tonight in a phone conversation with Justin, I heard evidence that there is a speck of light at the end of the tunnel. Justin and Jo have always seen that speck of light and have been up-beat and determined since day one. I have had my share of doubts. But now there is evidence of progress that can give all of us the hope that Puerto Rico is slowly moving from survival to a period of rebuilding. As Justin told me tonight, it is strange that even though life is so very different than it was before the hurricane, all of a sudden life feels a ‘little’ like normal. At the center of most Puerto Rican towns there is a plaza and often there is an adjacent Catholic church. These plazas are the hearts of the little towns. People meet there, children play there, art markets and farmers markets are located there, and the little shops of the town line the streets around the plazas. And in Rincon last night, the lights returned to the plaza. Se Levanta, Rincon! Se Levanta, Puerto Rico! (translates as Puerto Rico Rises) There is still no power or water in most of the homes there, but at least there is light in the heart of this one little Puerto Rican town. And happening at the same time, communication has gotten easier. In addition to spotty cell service through the local provider called Claro, Justin and Jo’s iPhones now have a cell signal here and there. This is probably due to Google’s Project Loon balloons that now hover over the island, but for whatever reason, it is now easier to get in touch. There are water trucks that come to town and the people in the hills are still able to get water from local springs and rain water collection. Most people have enough food to survive and more food is trickling in. Seeds have arrived, and Jo has lots of little seedlings that, when they are ready to transplant, she will distribute to others. And I got a text from Amazon late today saying the sprouting trays and seeds for fresh sprouts to eat arrived today. Leaves are starting to come out on some of the trees that are still standing. People are working together to redistribute furniture to that lost all. Schools are starting to reopen. It is almost like the light in the plaza and the ability to communicate have started the heart of Puerto Rico beating once again. Justin thinks he will be back at work at some level starting tomorrow morning. Today he made a little money driving a friend to San Juan so she and her two children could fly back to the US. Yes, there is the exodus of people. The word on the street is that 100,000 people have fled since the hurricane hit and that another 1,000 are leaving daily. I have no idea if that is correct, but Justin says you can feel the emptiness. But those that have decided to stay are determined to make a go of things. I’d call this a good news day from Puerto Rico.

I heard from a friend in New Hampshire, Maureen Rogers, that the state employees of that little state donated enough food and water bottles to send to Puerto Rico to fill 17 tractor trailers. In just two days, they gathered 350,000 pounds of food and 300,000 water bottles that are not being loaded on a barge that will head to San Juan. Amazing! A catastrophe like this brings out both the worst and the best in people. I think it has brought out the worst in our President, but it seems to be bringing out the best in the people who have stayed in Puerto Rico and all of us here on the mainland who are doing what we can to support them. I have been amazed at the generosity of so many. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Little by little, day by day, I continue to research the best of this and that to send to Puerto Rico. Today I researched water filters. Which home filters are most effective in eliminating bacteria as well as water-borne viruses? Thankfully, the Berkey filter that Justin and Jo have gets an A+. But who can afford to buy one of these for every home? The filters alone cost over $150 dollars to replace once a year. Will most people really be able to afford replacements filters? Is there something cheaper and better? Justin and Jo had their Berkey before the hurricane as they have never trusted the water in Puerto Rico and they feel that as running water returns, it is more important than ever for every home to have a filter. If I can find the best and cheapest, can I then find someone to underwrite a project to supply every home in Aguada and Rincon with a filter? I have no idea, but I’ll proceed as if I can. Justin and Jo would like to distribute solar lamps like the Luci light to all homes with young children or the elderly as soon as possible. A Luci light is a bit like a little clear plastic beach ball with a solar-powered LED light inside. Justin and Jo have heard stories about young children struggling with the darkness at night and other stories of older people stumbling and falling in the darkness and they would like to help alleviate that problem. Today I found a different version of a Luci light called a Mokie that is a bit cheaper and then I discovered that there are other inflatable solar lamps. So, the search for the best and most affordable of solar lamp will continue tomorrow.

This afternoon I took a break and went to spend a little time with the Goldpebbles. Today was an early release day so that teachers could have parent-teacher conferences in the afternoon. So while Heather and Jed went to conferences, I stayed with Sam, Jonah, and Ollie. They have been so busy since school started and I have been so absorbed with my ‘hurricane central’ activities, that I just haven’t been able to spend much time with them. This afternoon we just enjoyed a relaxed time together. Sam worked on his homework while Ollie and I played card games and Jonah played outside. Then Jonah came in and worked with Ollie and I to do our favorite ocean puzzle. Then when Heather returned home, we worked together on setting up a homework center in the den. Right now the boys do their homework at the dining table which works okay, but Sam was requesting his own quiet space. The two of us brainstormed ideas and came up with the idea of setting up private cubicles around a table in the den. We got it set up, and we shall see if that works.

So life is good here. It is going to be rainy and windy tomorrow and the temperature is going to drop a bit, making it feel a little more like fall than summer. I’m always sad to see the warm temperatures fade away, but I can’t complain as we have had a beautiful fall to this point.

2017 Life Logs, Day 296: Happy Birthday to Ed and Lynne
Date: Monday, October 23, 2017
Weather: STILL Warm and Sunny; High 70, Low 63 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA

Yesterday and today were the birthdays of my good friends Ed and Lynne from Nyack, New York. We officially met on December 1, 2009, when I knocked on the hull of their boat in Rebak Marina in Lankawi, Malaysia, to introduce myself and say that I had heard from friends that they were headed across the Indian Ocean. Unlike all of our other friends, Mark and I had decided to head home by heading to southern India then going south to the Maldives, Chagos, Madagascar, and then around South Africa. Everyone else we knew were going to brave the pirates and head through the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and then into the Med. We knew no one else going our way, until we heard about Ed and Lynne. Our boats were on the same dock, so I had seen them, but we had never officially met. That knock on the hull of their boat on the first day of December in 2009 started a lasting friendship. It was almost eleven months later, on Friday, October 22, 2010, after we had transited the Indian Ocean, that I first sent a happy birthday to Lynne over the radio. It was on her birthday that we got the weather go-ahead to cross from Madagascar to South Africa. So off we went. The next day, Saturday, was Ed’s birthday, and on Sunday we arrived in Richards Bay in South Africa. That was in 2010. Much water has flowed over the dam since then, but our friendship has continually strengthened. Happy birthday to two very special people in my world.

02 Sushi and Sundowners on Constance with Lynne and Ed

I spent my day doing a bit of accounting of things that I have sent to Justin and Jo in Puerto Rico over the past four weeks. It was on Wednesday, September 20, that Maria barreled her way across the island. Day after tomorrow it will be five weeks since the hurricane hit and so little of what has been sent has arrived. Three packages sent through the US Postal Service have arrived and none of the Amazon Prime packages. But hopefully more will arrive this week. Justin called in the morning to have me get on my computer to do some online banking for him (as he can’t do it from there), and then he called again in the afternoon to discuss current needs. Some of his stories of people he has met who have lost everything are heart-wrenching. When I hear those stories, I understand why he and Jo insist that they are fine. Their home, inside and out, was unscathed by the hurricane. They feel blessed by that and feel an obligation to help those not so lucky. I am so proud of their strength in facing the challenges and their desire to help those less fortunate. But as communications improve, Justin knows he must get back to work. That means less time to help others and to attend to the daily chores of survival. This afternoon’s conversation gave me a whole new list of things to research, so that will guide my day tomorrow.

2017 Life Logs, Day 295: Pumpkins and Soccer
Date: Sunday, October 22, 2017
Weather: Still Warm and Sunny; High 70, Low 52 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA

Today was all about pumpkins and soccer, but it was also about the weather. It was 70 degrees and sunny and felt every bit like summer. For the afternoon soccer games, people were wearing tank tops, not polar fleece. All of my memories of fall soccer in the past five years has been of wearing polar fleece to keep warm. Not so this year!

This morning I went with Heather, Jed, and boys to the nearby Tony Andrew’s Farm to pick out one pumpkin for each Goldpebble to carve. We came home with three big pumpkins, two little pumpkins, a hay bale, dried corn stalks for decoration, and three very happy little boys. They took their pumpkins to the back deck and started the carving process. Fast forward a couple of hours and we were on the soccer field. Sam had a 2:30 game and Jonah had a 3 pm game on an adjoining field. So, we walked from field to field to watch the action. It was almost surreal to see everyone in tank tops and short sleeves, but it felt every bit like summer. Then fast forward again, and we were all at my place for dinner. It was a wonderful Sunday with the Goldstones.

While everyone was here for dinner, I got a text message from Ziggy in Puerto Rico. He said they have new goats, so I guess yesterday’s search for milk goats was successful. Yeah! Hopefully I’ll hear more detail from Justin soon, but it was great to get the text from Ziggy. I’ll be back on duty in “hurricane central” tomorrow and continue to find ways to help.