Hurricane Dolly ripped through the area last week and left behind quite a mess. We were without power for days, but some people still don't have power so we were lucky to get it back so soon, and many downed trees in the yard plus some water damage to the house. I know we got off easy, but I am still exhausted and ready for a break. I have never seen so many mosquitoes and I am recovering from a nasty stomach illness I must have picked up walking around outside during the clean up. I am tired, simply put.
That said, I have several writing deadlines this month and I have to get back to work. I joined a writing club on line and it is helping. I have been very ill the past few days but have managed to get some work done anyway, in large part because of the club. So things are looking up.
Now I just need to recover my health, meet my writing deadlines with successful material, find a way to rid our yard of these horrid biting potentially disease-ridden mosquitoes and get everything cleaned up. If we can manage those things I will be satisfied. I will have to do the writing and the recovery myself, but I am not above accepting the help of my loved ones in the form of dog care and meals.
You may think I am exaggerating about the mosquitoes but seriously, it is like the set of some mosquito horror movie out there. Even if I wasn't sick I wouldn't be able to go for a run. The amount of bug spray you need to repel them is so nauseating as to make you wonder if it is worth it.
Okay, to be really satisfied I also need a new camera. I still can't locate mine. It got lost in the post-wedding shuffle, my sister's wedding, not mine, and I have given up hope. But I need a camera, for blogging, for field work, for me. It is very frustrating not having one. So those are the things I want in the next two weeks.
1. My health back
2. My writing deadlines met and the submissions successful
3.The mosquitoes gone
4. Clean up accomplished
5. Camera
Better start chipping away at the list.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Back again
I have been absent for so long it feels odd to be blogging again but I have been working on getting a daily writing habit going so the more I write the better off I am.
I have moved from Spokane to my field site in south Texas and am currently working on getting everything in order to start my research in the fall. I have a lot going on at the moment, none of it helped by Hurricane Dolly, who managed to mess things up quite nicely down here. We lost power for days, many people in the area still don't have power so we are some of the lucky ones, and we had to spend days cleaning up the yard after the storm downed the trees. Luckily most of the trees in our yard survived so it was giant branches rather than trunks. Some of the neighbors weren't so lucky. I managed to pick up some horrid bug in all the post-hurricane muck and spent the last 2 days mostly incapacitated. I am feeling better today, although nowhere near 100%. The marathon training will have to wait until I am recovered. I had just started it in earnest the week before so that should make it easier to return.
Lest you think it was all bad, I do want to assure you that we did have some fun during the storm. During the hurricane there isn't much you can do besides watch and wait so after everything was boarded up and the yard was cleared of debris we started the wait. Our favorite part was sitting on the sheltered back porch in the middle of the storm (the eye just missed us as it came over the island and then turned north) so the winds never calmed until the end of the storm. Anyway, I had a sore throat so I made some hot toddies and we sat in the anti-gravity chairs on the porch under the roof and watched Dolly blow through the yard. We got soaked through our raincoats but the toddies helped with that. It was fun, memorable fun. So for all the damage you did Dolly, and there was plenty, we salute you for the fun you provided and give thanks that so few lives were lost.
I have moved from Spokane to my field site in south Texas and am currently working on getting everything in order to start my research in the fall. I have a lot going on at the moment, none of it helped by Hurricane Dolly, who managed to mess things up quite nicely down here. We lost power for days, many people in the area still don't have power so we are some of the lucky ones, and we had to spend days cleaning up the yard after the storm downed the trees. Luckily most of the trees in our yard survived so it was giant branches rather than trunks. Some of the neighbors weren't so lucky. I managed to pick up some horrid bug in all the post-hurricane muck and spent the last 2 days mostly incapacitated. I am feeling better today, although nowhere near 100%. The marathon training will have to wait until I am recovered. I had just started it in earnest the week before so that should make it easier to return.
Lest you think it was all bad, I do want to assure you that we did have some fun during the storm. During the hurricane there isn't much you can do besides watch and wait so after everything was boarded up and the yard was cleared of debris we started the wait. Our favorite part was sitting on the sheltered back porch in the middle of the storm (the eye just missed us as it came over the island and then turned north) so the winds never calmed until the end of the storm. Anyway, I had a sore throat so I made some hot toddies and we sat in the anti-gravity chairs on the porch under the roof and watched Dolly blow through the yard. We got soaked through our raincoats but the toddies helped with that. It was fun, memorable fun. So for all the damage you did Dolly, and there was plenty, we salute you for the fun you provided and give thanks that so few lives were lost.
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