Tropical Zone Gardening: WARNING; For every one in the northern Antilles (Caribbean) , 1 by tbmontserrat

tbmontserrat wrote:
Good Morning Everyone

First off Thank You for all your well wishes and good thoughts.

It has really been bad here (more political then volcanic). I am no longer allowed into my home which has me very upset. The explosion on the 8th caused Isles Bay to be locked down. I was at my house when it happened. I saw it long before the warning siren went off so I did not get a chance to cross. But I drove high up the mountain (to a friends house) and was perfectly safe. Waited until the police let me know it was safe to cross. The pyroclastic flow came within a mile of my house. No damage just a lot of ash.

It was after I came a cross the Belham that the stress started. They locked down Isles Bay after we crossed and did not tell anyone. I found out later that night from a friend. My family is the only full time residents in Isles Bay and the Authorities did not let us know what they were doing.
Since this happened on friday and we had daytime entry, that is the day I took everything over to be washed and dried. I left in a hurry so I did not grab anything and my 3 poodles were in my house. We had to leave them over there because where we were stay I could not have them with me. We showed up Saturday morning and they were not going to let us back in. My daughter only had her pj's or her school uniform and me and DH had clothes that we had been wearing for 2 days plus my dogs were over there. The authorities had the choice let me in or I find my own way in, period. Needless to say they let us in for an hour to get clothes and our animals but nothing else. We had another couple of hours to go a few days later to to get all the food out of the fridge and freezer and get some more clothes. All my stuff is still over there, my furniture rest of our clothes etc. I have been trying to get back in but have had no luck. Now they are talking about shutting Isles Bay down for good. Which means I lose my home. I will not get to go back until the volcano goes back to sleep.
We have a place to live for the time being. The house did not have a phone nor internet hook up so that took some time. Spent the first few days clean ash (about the only NORMAL thing in my life right now LOL). The friend that owns the house only comes in once a year and the house is being re done. But I am thankful for him allowing us to live here because he has said we do not have to worry about moving out until we get back in our house. He is such a good soul.
How am I holding up? Not very well I am afraid. Since my DH fall in July has left his health not so good the stress from this situation is causing him some problems and I am very concerned about him, plus one of my poodles is blind and putting him in a new place is cause me to be concerned about him (he is depressed and not eating very well). The government is telling us nothing and not answering any question nor helping anyone in any way. My nerves are shot, I am tired and cranky, and no way to vent my anger. All my gardening stuff and all my plants are still at my house, this house has nothing and no gardens. I am sure all my plants are dead, they have not been taken care of nor watered. It is too depressing to think about it.
But I am taking it one day at a time, thinking beyond that makes me cry. I go to the police station every day and ask if I can go over and one day they will say yes (even if it is for only a few hours).

Thanks for letting me vent, sorry it was so long. I will keep everyone posted (now that I have internet. I am posting some pictures from the event on Jan. 8th. they were taken from my house., right before I realized how bad it was and me & the dogs started heading up the mountain.

Thanks for caring DG friends are the best
Tina