Hurricane Helene/ Asheville NC/ Saturday night 28 Sep 24

Thoughts on the hurricane.  September 28, 2024 8:54pm

The wind and rain didn’t seem like that big a deal.

The sound of a tree cracking sounds a bit like a gunshot. 

Thank god for men with chain saws. Trees are down everywhere. The 3 streets into the neighborhood were blocked until neighbors with chain saws came out. 

Sirens.  So many sirens. All day, all night. And helicopters in the sky. But no cars.

The tree frogs are delighted with all the extra rain and are singing their  little hearts out at night. Impossible to sleep with the windows open, they make so much noise. 

Going to bed at 8:30pm seems reasonable when it is pitch black inside and out.

People are actually pretty polite when driving streets that have no working street lights. 

I don’t think there are any lights on anywhere in the city. Ditto for water. No Wifi.  Cell service is tenuous but a couple of bars can be found in the Whole Foods parking lot as is evidenced by the many many people already there.  It would almost seem the store is open…but no. Wishful thinking. 

I pass a Stop N Rob that is open…no electricity and a line outside. Cash only.  A couple of people at a time allowed in.

Camp stoves are really handy in an emergency.  Especially if you live in an all electric house. 

Old fashioned hard back books and a deck of cards are entertainment. 

The dog’s baby pool that’s full of water is handy for toilet flushing. The realization that there is a porta potty in the empty lot next door where a new house is being built is even handier.  Best of all…it’s pristine and complete with toilet paper AND hand sanitizer. 

Delighted that I bought a case of water last week because I realize I drink more water if I just have to open the fridge door and grab one.   Even when the fridge isn’t on and the bottles are warm, it’s easier. 

I think my work is still surrounded by water. I’m supposed to work tomorrow. There is no way to reach anyone on the phone. There is probably no way to reach the property anyway.

Streets under vast amounts of running water wash away. 

My local news report comes from a daughter in New Mexico.  She tells me it’s bad. No help is coming. They can’t…the roads are washed out.  Is it really that bad or is the media hyping it up? 

Aren’t I one of those seniors that people are supposed to check on? 

This was written on Saturday night when I had absolutely NO IDEA what was going on in Asheville. I assumed that the lights would pop on any minute, quickly followed by the return of water. I had enough supplies for maybe three to four more days. I’ve been through hurricanes. That should be plenty in a city. Help comes quickly…caravans of electrical repair trucks. 

I did not know that main roads had been washed out all over the city. I did not know that all of the highways had been blocked and the daughter in New  Mexico that I managed to speak to for a few minutes was 100% correct. (She always is, why would I question that now?) 

I was unaware of how high the water had risen, that my favorite little art movie house had been gutted, that Biltmore Village with my favorite restaurants was emptied by the floodwaters. Nothing left but shells of buildings and debris. 

Clueless how many were homeless, without food, without basic needs. Or dead. 

And very slow to realize that I am currently out of a job until who knows when.

If you want to help, there are many many places. One of my favorites is the American Red Cross. But you do you. 

Carlos and I are in Virginia with the most patient and wonderful friend. She did not have a choice. I just sent her a text that we were coming. She and her husband have welcomed me with open arms.

We are safe, the house had minimal damage, I am so so fortunate. 

Above Deck…Days 5 and 6, etc…

 Above Deck…Days 5 and 6, etc…

Our last full day on the boat, we woke up and motored over to Sandy Spit. Apparently it’s an Instagram famous island, one that Belle inquired about the first day on the boat. Our captain knew exactly what she was talking about. We got there early in hopes of having it to ourselves but that was not to be. Almost, but not quite. 

Sandy Spit…almost alone. 

There is another person back there among the palms. 

A quick exploration of the island, the kids filmed a short movie…catch it on TikTok here along with Belle’s other travel shorts. Bunny, Belle and I paddle boarded. I, of course, managed to totally face plant once off the paddle board…witnessed but not video-ed, at least. A little swimming and then we were off to Jost Van Dyke and the Soggy Dollar. 

The world’s most unflattering photo but PROOF that I can paddle board. A bit.  

We moored around the edge of the harbor.  Too crowded for our captain who  preferred the quieter spots away from traffic. (bare boaters who may or may not know what they are doing) Our faithful dinghy dropped us at the beach where we headed to the bar to score some of the drinks that had been prepaid for us by a)the charter company and b)a realtor acquaintance of Amazing Son in Law who had just left the area a few days before.  What a fun concept. If you know someone will be coming that way, buy them some drinks and it goes on the list above the bar. Once your friend shows up and claims their drinks, their name is crossed  off. Basic but it seems to work. We were told our names would be there and they were. 

There we are at the bottom! 

 

The water around Jost Van Dyke was easily the prettiest we saw. Love the contrast of orange umbrellas and turquoise waters. This will be a watercolor. I’m working on a selection of watercolors from the trip. 

T shirts were procured all the way around. I had a special request to pick up a couple for a friend and had to get a Soggy Dollar T for myself, too,   Lunch was grabbed next door at Hendo’s and then I retired to a lounge under the palms.

And then things started going downhill…at least for me. 

We stayed too long in the sun maybe. Or maybe I just was coming down with the 24 hour virus the captain had a few days earlier. But my feet were swelling, my head was stopped up, I was just uncomfortable. 

A last night dinner on board and then off to bed where I didn’t sleep.  Or slept fitfully. Or just had weird dreams.  I don’t know, it was a bit of a blur.

Up early on Tuesday, I felt better. Packed and ready to go, the water taxi picked us up about 9:30am. We bid Amber and Raf goodbye…but not before floating the idea that maybe Amber should come cook for us on land.

She said no. 

Do you blame us for asking? 

After a quick stop at customs, the water taxi dropped us at the marina where we waited for our car transfer. And waited. It was hot, I was fading. Finally he arrived and off to the airport where we quickly got through customs again.  Hugs for Bunny who headed back to New Mexico and then onto the  plane to Florida for the rest of us. 

Love a marina customs office. Didn’t love having to drag our bags off the boat

 to get them scanned and then back again to the boat. 

At that point I was freezing and feeling awful. I picked at dinner when we stopped on the way to Belle’s house. Once at their house, I immediately went to bed where I shivered until my fever broke. Apologies to anyone that might have been exposed to the 24 hour virus but I was fortunate to have empty seats next to me on every flight. 

And then, after so many flights going well, I tried to get back to North Carolina. Ha! 

Wednesday around noon Belle dropped me at the airport.  Checked in and waiting and the flight was delayed an hour. There were storms in Asheville and Charlotte.  Another hour delay.  Finally our plane arrives and we are ready to board. The gate attendant announces we have 15 minutes to get on the plane and pull away from the gate before our crew times out. Amazingly, everyone did their thing quickly and efficiently and we made it.  If only that announcement was made before every flight. Away from the gate, down the tarmac where we got word of a 20 minute delay. That’s OK! We are on the plane! 

Such a cheery sign. Don’t remember if this was the first or second attempt at leaving Florida, but I definitely spent my fair share of time at the Palm Beach         Airport Wednesday and Thursday. 

And then. Another hour delay. We wait a few minutes and then back to the gate. The flight is cancelled. A frantic call to American to confirm I can get a refund. A quick rebook on Allegiant for Thursday. Phone Belle to come back and pick me up and finally retrieve my suitcases from the bowels of baggage services. Another dinner, another night at Belle and ASIL’s house in Florida and another trip back to the airport the next day. After an amazing and fabulous week, such a chore to get home. 

Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something?   I’ve been getting that feeling. There is something I need to be doing. A change? A move?  Maybe I need to sell everything and travel? But wait, there’s still Carlos.   Anyway, there is SOMETHING in the air. Haven’t figured out what, yet,  

Stay tuned.

 

Mother’s Day, Day Four

 Mother’s Day, Day 4.

We woke up in Paradise. (Bitter End Yacht Club)

We motored to more Paradise. (Scrub Island)

We snorkeled in Paradise.  (I saw a cuttlefish!) 

We had massages in Paradise. (We were still on Scrub Island.)

We motored some more in Paradise. (Closer to Little Jost Van Dyke and Sandy Spit.) 

We had a fabulous dinner in Paradise. (Chicken and sausage paella on the boat.)

We played Monopoly Deal in Paradise. (Multiple times and I never won.)

We went to bed in Paradise.  (A lovely secluded harbour near Sandy Spit.) 

Best Mother’s Day ever.

Saturday, Day Three in Paradise

 Saturday, Day Three in Paradise

Saturday we woke up anchored by the beach to the Baths. I swam, Belle and I snorkeled.  A suitable shell still had not been found for the hermit crab. We did find these little puffballs though. Belle paddle boarded, Bunny sunned, Amazing SIL lounged. 

Aren’t these guys cute? 

Off the boat for a quick swim to the beach and an exploration of these giant boulders stacked on the beach. Imagine the forces of nature that rolled them, blew them, tossed them into these positions?  Volcanoes, hurricanes, ocean water and winds. Mother Nature never ceases to amaze. 

Big ol’ boulders. 

Kinda mind boggling.

Back to the boat and we were off to the other side of Virgin Gorda. Docked at Bitter End Yacht Club next to the most enormous yacht, we set off to explore the market, boutique and bar. More rum cocktails, a nap on the boat, I drew a bit. The hot tub was filled and even though it wasn’t warm yet, it felt amazing being bubbled in the cool water while the heat surrounded us. Bunny and Belle did their best to find out info on the yacht next door and possibly get an invite onboard.  Turns out it is owned by a Ukrainian oligarch that our miracle worker chef Amber had been on board with before, different city, different boat. They did not manage to gain access. 

The Amazing Son in Law in the hot tub with that giant yacht behind him. 

Bunny wanted on so badly….

Dinner was at the yacht club and the crew joined us. Bunny and Belle ordered us shots at the bar first. And cocktails. And then we ordered more food than we could possibly eat. More cocktails. We waddled back to the catamaran where I wisely headed to bed to read. The girls and ASIL headed for the hot tub. I think the crew disappeared and did crew things. I knew morning would come too soon for a couple of them….

Dinner Saturday night

And here we are, Sunday morning, Mother’s Day, sails up for the first time over to Scrub Island. Bunny is moving slowly, bummed that her favorite breakfast of Eggs Benedict was served the one morning she was …ahem… under the weather. 

Honestly, our food has been beyond. 

Sorceress Chef Amber works her magic multiple times a day. 

I’m looking forward to my Mother’s Day massage…..

And the hermit crab in my most beautiful spiral shell? I returned him to the wild. I really wanted to keep that shell but finally had to admit it was my treasure but it was his home. 

 At sea…Day two. 

After an early morning walk up to an abandoned house near our beach, some lazing around and yet another amazing meal (French toast, oatmeal with apples, breakfast sandwiches….was that JUST yesterday?) we raised anchor and set off for Cooper Island. 

This house was abandoned after a hurricane 

but it must have been so pretty at one time.

Ouch.

I’ve heard of snakes in the potty, but a cactus??

Beautiful view of the harbour.

So far all of the views have been beyond. 

Beautiful weather. Calm seas. Gorgeous beach.  I’m liking this vacation. 

Into the dinghy and off to snorkel. So.Many.Fish. Bunny spotted a parrot fish with a rock in his mouth. We each saw different large schools of fish…my school was a bunch of black beauties with purple tails. No, I don’t know what they were. I spotted this beautiful shell,  circular and  spiky, and I wanted it. I’m also crap at diving down to the ocean floor. Bunny came to my rescue and retrieved it for me.  

Isn’t this pretty? 

We saw all of these…except maybe the octopus.

Moored for a bit across from a private resort we popped back into our dinghy and motored over to check it out. The bar was open, rum drinks procured and a rousing (not really) game of hook the ring at the bar took place. Belle won. I napped. The kids moved to the coffee shop, then to the Rum Bar.  The boutique opened. The Amazing SIL needed a shirt. Back to the boat. 

We ended the afternoon at the Baths (Baaaaths according to our Brit captain). Entering right at the last minute we were supposed to (ok, ten minutes past) we had the place to ourselves. Apparently I am one step from the nursing home because I kept hearing “hold on, mom”, “give mom a hand”, “mom, maybe you better come this way, it’s safer”.    

Aren’t they cute? Belle and the Amazing SIL In the Baaaaths.

I’ve always said when I get old and decrepit the kids are supposed to take me on a fishing trip and accidentally have me fall overboard, right before speeding off. I was a bit suspicious of their motives when they invited me on this trip. I’m not that old YET, am I?   But maybe they aren’t putting me out to sea on this trip? Probably lulling me into a false sense of security, THEN they will toss me overboard.  I need to make a deal with the Captain so he will swing back for me…

My shell? It had an inhabitant, a tiny hermit crab. We put it in a dish of salt water and searched for a new shell for him to move into. The whole Caribbean surrounding us…not a single appropriate shell.  The water was changed. Options discussed. Slow death while we searched?  That’s mean. Dip him in fresh water and just be done with it? Rather not kill two sweet animals in one week…don’t want to be compared to Kristin Noem.  Amber came up with a plot. Put him on the slats of the deck overhanging the water. He will want to get back into the water, step out of his shell and Plop! down he will go between the slats…leaving me with an empty shell. 

Exhausted from swimming and snorkeling and exploring  (and EATING) we all headed to bed. It rained during the night. Hard. I figured my shell was a goner, but no. I think Amber’s evil plot worked. No crab to be found this morning in my beautiful shell. 

Today we head over to Bitter End, our furthest point out. Dinner tonight at the Bitter End Yacht Club. Wonder if today is the day the sails come up? 

Sunset over our neighbors.

ETA: the crab is still there…..   shell  hunting today.

ABOVE DECK...Day 1

 ABOVE DECK...TRAVELING AND DAY ONE...

So, in order to earn my keep, I've been tasked with documenting our trip.  Easy peasy.

Except my morning started early Wednesday with a frantic call to the vet. Miss Mina, who had been doing so well, took a turn for the worse Tuesday night and quit eating and started missing the kitty box again.  I knew what had to be done...she was uncomfortable, her kidneys would not recover, and I did not want her suffering with a stranger or in a cage at the vet. A quick phone call and the vet snuck me in first thing.   She was the sweetest, prettiest cat I've ever owned and this is the first time since I was 5 that I don't have a cat and don't plan on getting another any time soon. 

Miss Mina, named by the BigGuy, found under a bush in Lampasas at 

the Sister in Law's farm on Ellery's birthday. She went from feral kitten to domesticated longhair 

in about 30 minutes.

And then off to the airport....

Props to American for getting me out of Asheville and into West Palm Beach ahead of the many storms that tore through North Carolina.  

Thursday morning bright and early (4:30AM!) we were off to the Miami airport to meet Bunny who had flown in from Albuquerque. Poor baby had left New Mexico the night before at 9pm.  A quick 2.5 hour flight to Saint Thomas, a driver to the marina and a water taxi to our boat and Voila! we are on the Lena catamaran for the next 6 days. 

Lena

in the BritishVirgin Islands for the next 6 days

Raf, our captain, and Amber, our chef, met us with Prosecco, flowers for me (Happy early Mother's Day!) and an amazing lunch.    Swimsuits were donned, sunscreen applied, and snorkels were snorkeled. 

Early Mom's Day for me!

Stingrays floated gently below us. There were sea turtles!!!  Tiny brightly colored fishies darted around the rocks. The girlies brought back shells. I lounged. Mitchell worked....

A fabulous dinner- Wagyu beef, Bao buns, Rice paper rolls- and then we headed out for a sunset run to Willie T's boat bar.  

Willie T's Boat Bar

Rum and Cokes- we are in the islands after all-fortified the girls enough to jump off the back of the boat. Used to be if you jumped off topless you got a free t-shirt, but they kept running out of tees so they stopped that deal.  Belle says she knows why women jumped topless- you end up that way anyway when you hit the water.

Back in the dinghy and into some caves where the last  pirate treasure was found in 1990-recent enough that maybe we could have found something, too, if it hadn't been PITCH BLACK in there.  

We watched the tarpon feeding around the boat in the underwater lights a bit before everyone faded. 

Skinny silver tarpon

Our first day done, everyone was in bed by 9:30pm. Sea air and salt water will wear you out. 

Endings and beginnings and in between....

Today is the Kentucky Derby. 

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, a totally American holiday that parades as a Mexican one. 

Monday is my daughter and her husband's first anniversary. 

A week from tomorrow is Mother's Day. 

A great niece graduates soon from High School.   

It's a busy month.   

A year ago this weekend. 

Aren't they darling?

Also, this coming Wednesday, I leave for Florida and then to Saint Thomas. Traveling with both daughters and the son-in-law, we will water taxi to Saint John and board a catamaran that will then take us through the British Virgin Islands. I joke that the SIL is taking his "harem".   He knew when he married Belle that he was getting a "sister wife"-the little sister that comes along for everything. Bless his heart, that did not deter him and he has graciously (mostly) included her in many trips, parties, meals and more meals.  I got a text from him saying it was "my turn in the rotation" to come along for a trip. Wait! What? There's a rotation? If I had known, I would have signed up earlier.  Anyway, I'm spoiled/fortunate/lucky AF.

This will be "home" next week

But. This trip also could not come at a better time. After a lovely trip to Texas to see the eclipse (where apparently we were in the only cloud covered area of the U.S.), I made the decision to end my five year long distance relationship. Love the man dearly but we had opposing agendas and there was no way forward. We wanted different things. It was time. I knew it. But still, it leaves a void. 

Texas was beautiful but clouds everywhere. 

Then last week Mina Kitty quit eating. She started hiding in the corner of the office. The kitty box was intentionally missed. Weight was obviously lost.  

A visit to the vet gave me all sorts of options.  She will be 16 in July which is a ripe old age for any cat, even more impressive for a kitty that has been in renal failure for the last 3 years.  I went with Plan B which was treat the symptoms and see if she recovers. She spent a few hours getting antibiotics and IV fluids along with some pain meds and came home much perkier. She even ate a bit last night. This morning she isn't quite so chipper.  She licked up a bit of baby food and is doing her best bread box impression here in the corner of the office.    

Mina with a captured catnip toy

Plan C was multiple diagnostic tests and labs, not feasible for a kitty of this age. I have opted for "above and beyond" in attempting to keep animals alive before and it isn't fair to them. Never again.

Which leads me to Plan A.  Plan A is euthanasia which I'm afraid is where we are headed. This is complicated by my impending departure. Do I put her down possibly a week sooner than needed to spare the house sitter the worry? Is that fair? Am I giving her enough opportunity to recover?  Or do I leave her with the nice house/petsitter who will possibly have to make that decision?  But that isn't fair to Mina either. She deserves to have me with her in her final moments.  

Using up one of her nine lives? 

Is she in pain? Some, I think.   It's hard to tell with cats. I know she is feeling off. SHE knows something is wrong.  So does Carlos who is also getting older, himself. His eyes are clouding with cataracts and his hearing is fading. He sleeps like a dead dog and sleeps a lot. But Carlos, who has always been afraid of Mina, has been hanging close to her.  When she walks by, he sniffs her head.  I've seen him do it multiple times. What can he sense that I can't?  

Six months ago they wouldn't be in the same room, 

much less this close.

You can see how skinny she is under all that fur. 

Six pounds, down from nine.

Hard decisions. 

And Mother's Day. It's coming up and I'm realizing I no longer have a mother. Cards are everywhere. Gift lists are everywhere. As my brother says "We are orphans".  As such, I'm feeling the loss of my mom who was a steady presence for almost 68 years of my life. 

Me with JeanMom-probably on a Mother' Day

So. An exciting week coming up for sure. But I'm also feeling a lot of loss. 

Which leads us to this post.  My SIL (How fun that is to type! Trying to come up with a good nickname for him...) has requested that I blog about our trip every day. A document of our adventures, like an old fashioned diary or a travel postcard home.  I must admit he was/is probably my most ardent blog reader.

I'm starting here. I'll get through the kitty dilemma and hug Carlos goodbye and hop on a plane.

As they say, when one door closes, another opens.

Can't wait to see what is beyond that doorway...