Wit's End Landslide Update

News Flash from up by Wit's End...The Prime Minister visited!

(For those of you arriving late to this party, my beloved husband, Mr. Wizard, and I bought almost five acres of magnificent mountaintop on Dominica, which we aptly named Wit's End. About half of our land has already been lost in landslides following road excavation below our land coupled with Hurricane Dean. Proper stabilization has still not been started, although one life has already been lost and homes are threatened.)

Our nearest neighbor at Wit's End, David, is an elderly gentleman from Britain who is now living with suitcases packed in case his house begins to slide. He has lived in his brand new home less than a month, and the landslide has now progressed to just beneath his house. He reported today that the Prime Minister, Minister of Tourism, and Minister of Agriculture all visited up by us. He mentioned to the officials, the lovely American couple who bought next door (That would be the Wizard and I) and the P.M. said he was aware of us.

We have an appointment for Friday with the Minister of Public Works.

livingdominica: My shack is still standing, though.

To Wit's End, In Memorium

This was the view from Wit's End prior to the massive landslide.

I have long enjoyed the poetry of E.E.Cummings, in fact I read one of his poems to Mr. Wizard at our wedding some thirty years ago.


Here is an offering that reflects my feeling about the expanse of air that was once our farm:

nobody loses all the time
i had an uncle named
Sol who was a born
failure and
nearly everybody said he should have gone
into vaudeville
perhaps because my Uncle Sol could
sing McCann He Was A Diver on Xmas Eve
like Hell Itself which
may or may not account for the fact that my
Uncle
Sol indulged in that possibly most inexcusable
of all to use a
highfalootin phrase
luxuries that is or to
wit farming and be
it
needlessly
added
my Uncle Sol's farm
failed because the chickens
ate
the vegetables so
my Uncle Sol had a
chicken farm till the
skunks ate
the chickens when
my Uncle Sol
had a skunk farm but
the skunks caught
cold and
died and so
my Uncle Sol imitated the
skunks in a subtle
manner
or by drowning himself in the watertank
but somebody who'd given my
Uncle Sol a Victor
Victrola and records while he lived presented to
him
upon the auspicious occasion of his decease a
scruptious not to mention
splendiferous funeral with
tall boys in black gloves and flowers and
everything and
i remember we all cried like the Missouri
when my Uncle
Sol's coffin lurched because
somebody pressed a button
(and down
went
my Uncle
Sol
and started a worm farm)
-- E. E.
Cummings

livingdominica: 'wonder if it is too late for a career in vaudeville...

The Aftermath, part II

Firstly, I would like to apologize for the self absorbed post I wrote yesterday as I blubbered. I realize that some of you are interested in the experience of the hurricane in more detail, so here is a bit more about it.

I don't think we got a direct hit with sustained hurricane winds. It looked like tropical storm to me, with hurricane gusts. But this is totally subjective based on my past hurricane experience. This island was very lucky. Most of the damage I have observed is to crops and trees, and of course the landslides. The only deaths were from landslide, not wind or water. Even a lot of rickety buildings made it through. Our shack is still standing up at Wit's End, that expanse of air which was once our farm!

An American couple visiting on the island as they plan their move to Dominica stayed with us during the storm. It was helpful having a little house party during the blow, particularly since they are doting dog lovers. Chester got so much attention he never required a dose of doggie downers. They were a great help with the initial clearing away after the storm, too. And this hurricane has not changed their minds about Dominica, they still plan to move here.

Everyone is hard at work trying to set things right. We picked up a guy who works for the power company and gave him a ride. He told us he had worked 3 days straight during and after the storm. A fellow who works for the roads department was also near exhaustion when we spoke with him. I suspect these workers are the people hardest hit by the storm, as they try to restore services.

I certainly prefer life with electricity and running water, but we are old camping people who can cope without amenities. We had lots of water stored and we have a solar recharger for batteries, so we have water and light. I suspect our power will come and go for some time yet, but water has stayed on since it was restored.

I spoke with Nick, the one armed beggar yesterday. He and his comrades made it through the storm without difficulty in someone's cellar. He mentioned the Peace Corp people had brought them food. However, he was still hungry and could really use a little something...

A wonderful thing happened yesterday. Several of our closest friends dropped what they were doing with their own storm cleanup and came to give us support. It was an incredible gift, this rallying around the miserable. And that is one of the key difference between here and the real world: people take the time to care for one another, to support one another here. Even Eeyore me has to find a glimmer of hope in that.

livingdominica: may the people of the Yucatan be safe and protected.

The Aftermath

Electric was restored during the night and I wanted to let you know that Roger, Chester and I are ok. Our preparations paid off and we were snug behind boarded windows during the blow. Trees are broken down around us and the roof now leaks in the rental, but we were not injured.

We have, however, experienced a couple of very unfortunate events, including our building land suffering a major landslide. Homes surrounding our land are threatened, our land appears unstable as a building site and we are simply stunned, unsure of what we will do. This land was a major investment for us, since we are not wealthy people. The land collapsed because the road works department did not stabilize a cliff they cut, so we are hoping that the government will help us. We definitely need help, so Roger is going to the ministries seeking assistance this morning.

The other blow was of a more personal nature and involved our off island friends and relatives, so I cannot detail that disappointment. Suffice it to say that we are both very saddened.

Anyway, we are regrouping and licking our wounds. I suspect this blog may grow silent at least for a while. At least until after the tears dry up.

I do want to thank each of you who sent caring and supportive messages. You have no idea how much your encouragement meant to us. Roger and I both thank you for reaching out to us in such a loving way.

Warm regards to each of you,

Jen, Rog, and Chester

I am really, really scared

Most tropical storms go north of Dominica. We like that about living here. We are much less vulnerable to frequent pounding here than the Greater Antilles or the US coast. But it does happen, and now is one of those times. Hurricane Dean is coming to call tomorrow.

Ok, I admit it. I am frightened by the storm coming. I remember too clearly being huddled under a mattress in Corpus Christi during hurricane Celia thinking I was going to die at any moment as the glass from the windows whizzed by. I know we will be ok. I know if we experience losses it will just be our stuff is damaged. But knowing that doesn't change the visceral reaction I have every time I look at the map of Dean heading for us. I guess having gone through a bad blow makes you react differently.

We keep watching the maps, hoping Dean will take a sharp turn north and head away from the islands, but that does not even seem to be a possibility. The Wiz is doing everything he can to reassure me, but I am pretty stuck in this vat of fear. Such an ugly feeling, one of my least favorite.

We are doing everything possible to prepare. Storing food and water, boarding up the windows, securing the gas cylinders. This does not reassure me at all. I know that I am going to have to sit through hours of howling hurricane winds tomorrow, and the thought brings tears to my eyes. I feel like a small child abandoned and unprotected at the thought of this storm.

The good news is we may only see a Cat 1, if current projections are correct. But I am not sure whether the roof on this rental will go through even a category one hurricane.

We cannot really leave the island because of Chester and looting. I could not go off and leave Chester, and after a storm one needs to be present to discourage the "help your self" folks. This is a sad fact following storms everywhere.

Chester, the wonder pug, senses something. He never leaves my side. If he can't see me he starts looking for me, panicked. I have some doggie downers somewhere left from when we flew him to the island, I may give him some for the storm. I wonder if doggie downers work for people? hmm.

It reminds me of the early Carib's ability to predict a hurricane coming. You can read about it in Warnings of Hurricanes and Volcanoes.

livingdominica: please send all your spare courage to me. I will post whenever I can.

Dominica in the Cross Hairs of Tropical Storm Dean

Will Pigs Fly at Wits End?

I believe a flying pig is the perfect logo for our farm, Wits End. If you have followed the saga of our land acquisition, you already understand. Pigs may well have to fly before we have a house. No expedient path for us! We always seem to choose the road less traveled...

So I found this cool weather vane to mount on a cupola. What do you think? That would count as "pigs flying", wouldn't it? And thus hurry our project along? If so, I am ordering the weather vane right now!!!

livingdominica: local pigs are not sprouting wings yet, but I am watching...

Possible storm coming

Thank you to all of you who have written to warn us of the storm approaching Dominica. We are well provisioned already and the plywood to board the windows will be delivered in the morning. Hopefully all the preparation will be unnecessary.

But it does make me very happy that you care enough to let us know what you see on the weather maps!

Very Fresh Pictures of Boiling Lake Hike

livingdominica: I think the guys are very proud to have made this tough hike.

The Boiling Lake

You know that Dominica has a Boiling Lake, right? I mean a REAL Boiling Lake. Sometimes tourists ask if you can swim in it, so I am stressing the boiling part to save you embarrassment. It is not just called Boiling Lake, it actually boils. (People used to carry eggs to boil in the lake, but I'm not sure they want you to do this since it is risky to get too close to the edge.)

Anyway, the fit and the mighty always make this 7 1/2 hour (round trip) trek which lands you in a moonscape setting called the Valley of Desolation and the Boiling Lake.




Here is a nice video to give you a taste of the experience:


Kendra over at Island Med Student Blog has posted her own cool video from her recent hike up the hill. Our young house guests are making the trip today.

I, however, have never been. I donated my knees to pounding the concrete hospital floors of the US. I don't think I could make the climb. I have trouble just scrambling around our farm, Wit's End! So I listen in awe as others describe what it is like to visit this amazing anomaly.

livingdominica: it truly is a living island.