Just a short update before we get back to work...
Since my last update things have stabilized somewhat here at Bayaleau Cottages with much more cleaning up done. It’s become an effort to collect usable lumber, galvanize roofing trash, burnable brush & rubbish, electrical wiring & parts, and any other salvageable material as we are able.
There’s still plenty more of this collection & sorting to do, but we’re getting there. Just a couple of days ago we were able to get the most significant improvement going, a refrigerator running off the 120V generator by reverse wiring one of the several 240v to 120V transformers that are common here in a UK standard current country. The luxury of being able to keep food from spoiling and to have a cold beer is not lost on anyone.
The government and several aid organizations including Samaritan's Purse, World Food Program, and World Food Kitchen have been providing food & water, and some needed supplies at several places around the island. There are several water distribution points set up by Samaritan's Purse at many of the outlying villages. In Harvey Vale at the south of C’cou is where Customs and the major aid distribution points. There are a lot of volunteers all over.
Yesterday, I started cleaning out my shop. Right now it’s basically a 8’ x 12’ shell with window & door openings with the floor about 3’ above the ground in front and maybe 2’ off the ground in back. The back being the east end of the shop. Originally this was to be the shop I’d use to store tools & material while I build the new house.
And then I found some of the pillars holding up the main house where I was living were getting close to collapse, so I had a local fellow build a short concrete block wall under where the crumbling pillars are, and started redesigning the shop into a Tiny Home. That effort got stalled because I couldn’t get off my butt and spent way too much time grousing about all the crappy US politics. Well, Beryl ended that and it’s Tiny Home building time now.
I was very surprised and impressed that my little shop shell stood up strong to Beryl and besides a small dent on one edge of the roofing, zero damage! First I’ll be building a strong door, window shutters, and a porch to make it secure so I can start keeping tools & material there to make it a Tiny Home
.
I have a few designs on what an 8’ x 12’ Tiny Home would be and will be using what lumber I can salvage from the house I was living in to get started. But eventually more building materials will become available and I should be able to have my own place again.
I’m still overwhelmed with all the love, concern and financial support from so many family & friends from across the decades on the GoFundMe site that Rich set up;(https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-john-buttons-recovery-from-devastation?attribution_id=sl:b9cfe1d6-267b-4118-94b4-63f3222b814e) ...that they believe I can do this gives me such hope & strength ...and yes just thinking about that gets me a little misty. So, what initially seemed like the end of my dreams of retiring here on Carriacou, Beryl has become more of a kick starter for me.
Another GoFundMe site has been set up by David’s 2nd son Alex, (https://www.gofundme.com/f/tools-for-carriacou-lets-rebuild?attribution_id=sl:230f2262-936d-488d-849c-17c001b900c1) Alex to help the boatbuilding community of Windward, if you can please consider contributing to this boatbuilding and fishing community.
Thank you all for being there and letting me know you care - I can do this!
Love to You All - John