- Updates from the Islands -

- - St.Croix (USVI) - -

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2018 00:41:16 -0400

Jan.10 - 12:28 a.m. An earthquake of the coast of Honduras occurred around 
10:30  Jan.9th. It can generate a hazardous tsunami for Puerto Rico and the US 
Virgin Islands. 

Those who know are taken precautions. In the event of danger there is no way to 
alert the general public by siren as they were all destroyed by Hurricane 
MARIA. Everyone is calling everyone and there is a state of panic right now as 
it has 
scrolled on The Weather Chanel. People are calling from away. We are especially 
concerned about the folks in Fredriksted who have open sea before them and they 
were so hard hit by the hurricane already.

If the tsunami occurred impacts would be felt from 12:30 and last for many 
hours. We hope and pray that that will not be the case. May God bless us all in 
good and in bad times.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2017 15:33:42 -0400

Dec. 25, 2017 - To Gert, Dave, and all the  StormCarib family. Greetings from 
our family to your individual families, and to all followers and supporters of 
this website. We have come a long way since Sept. 19th when Hurricane Maria 
impacted St. Croix. There are still many issues to deal with, but many people 
are getting power each day. Internet and phone service have improved, but still 
have a way to go. However, there has been no end to the festivities all around. 
Some events were canceled for obvious reasons. Many boats have been recovered 
from the bottom of the sea. The cranes have been busy. No boat parade for us 
this year. That event always drew large crowds; maybe next time.

So MANY people wrote concerned about our safety when Hurricane MARIA was 
approaching that I decided to attach a photo of our family. Only four of us 
were here for the hurricane. We're grateful for all the prayers that helped us 
through.

We wish you all a very Happy, healthy, New Year 2018! May God bless you and us 
all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2017 20:35:17 -0400

Nov.30- There were 17 name storms in the 183 days of Hurricane  Season 2017. 
Having been hit by two devastating Cat 5 hurricanes, we spent close to two 
months without electricity, and almost three without any communications, that 
is, unless we went to a much appreciated Hot Spot. We are among the fortunate 
ones, as I said before, it's going to be much longer for others. 

The boat parade on the second weekend of Dec., and followed by fireworks from 
the Cay, has been canceled. Many boats were damaged or destroyed, perhaps next 
year it will be better. The AG Fair in Feb., both on St. Croix and St. Thomas 
have also been canceled. However, there was JUMP UP, on Thanksgiving weekend, 
which was greatly enjoyed by many, and the Jazz Concert continues with its 
regular program from the wharf. I can hear it from our house. The annual 
Christmas Festival will take place with all the various contests leading up to 
it. This coming Sunday, the Botanical Garden will hold its annual Christmas 
program, another popular event. Life goes on. It's good to see how happy 
everyone seem. 

A hearty hug to all the wonderful folks who prayed us through  Hurricane MARIA 
that night. No wonder I slept through it! I will always remember you. I will 
say goodbye for now, but since this is an unusual year I will try to drop in 
from time to time depending on what's going on. As for those who are planning 
to come down for a visit, short or extended, I can assure you that it 
definitely will be warner and you can have an enjoyable time. May God bless us 
and protect us the rest of this year.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2017 20:21:01 -0400

Nov. 29 - These are the comforts we miss, but I'm grateful for the Hot Spots 
which were made available all over town for the many who did not have Internet 
and phone service. Now I can keep in touch from home instead of having to go 
out looking for a hot spot. Slowly everything is falling into place, but still 
it's going to be a long while for others. The generators help, but costly to 
run for such a long time. Now the price of gas and diesel is going up. SPRINT 
is still trying to get back and so far today it's been working like a real 
phone again. We are so glad that this season is coming to a close. It has been 
very challenging. May God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 28 Nov 2017 14:47:51 -0400

Nov.28 - Here we are at the wharf. Everything's looking good.
Work is on-going. Broadband is getting ready to send out bills regardless of 
lack of router service; we have to step up and make the adjustment before we 
move on. I hope I can finally have wifi at home. I lost several posts because 
of the ineffective wifi hotspots on some days. That in itself was extremely 
exhausting. We now have the pleasure of using the D-SNAP card as a consolation 
for the challenges of living without power/refrigeration for so long. Will be 
back tomorrow with another post, from home, if our new router works.
May God bless us all,

Isabel
.

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2017 20:18:56 +0000

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2017 20:16:00 +0000

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2017 11:08:59 -0400

Nov. 24- Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. We were even blessed with 
some showers yesterday. Today it's very sunny! I'm having trouble getting out 
my mail though, so eventually this one will go out. All the best to everyone. 
It is photos like the one attached that has been bringing visitors to St Croix. 
So glad to be if some service to our island. May God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2017 17:29:15 -0400

Nov. 20 - It is back! The Rose Way Schooner from Boston. They always come at 
this time of year. They also visit the other islands, but this is their home 
away from home. So glad they did not stay away because of the hurricanes 
impacting our islands. The sea is so beautiful and soon will the land recover. 
I must say they got some dark threatening clouds and rain at first, but nothing 
like the early low temps over there. My son said there were snow flurries this 
morning in NY. 

We are all in the rush to complete our preparation for many Thanksgiving events 
to take place. Most of them feeding the hungry, the lonely, and needy of the 
community in thanksgiving for all the blessings received. It is a happy time. 
There is a tremendous amount of work still to be done by the linemen and we see 
the crews out there 24/7. We hope they will have a great thanksgiving dinner as 
well. Soon everyone should have their power restored. It's a matter of Time. 
Have a wonderful week ahead. May God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2017 16:16:55 -0400

Nov. 15/16 - I remember it well. I was all alone. Hurricane LENNY formed in the 
Western Caribbean and headed east towards us. My grandson was born in Spain. 
Today we celebrated his 18th birthday as we recover from the most devastating 
hurricane in 28 yrs.(that was HUGO). We were fortunate that LENNY stayed to our 
south, but was BIG, so it felt as it was over us with its 140 mph winds. It 
came within 15 miles of the soon to open Divi Carina Resort on the south 
eastern end of the island causing severe damage, so that the opening had to be 
postponed until February. This time hurricane MARIA damaged or destroyed most 
of it's 200 rooms leaving only some 40 usable rooms. Due to lack of 
communication it has been difficult to get more information. Getting up there 
has been another problem due to lack of time. On the other hand, our Divi-Divi 
tree in the center of our driveway, which has withstood several hurricanes 
during the last 20 yrs, since our house was built, was pushed over for the 
first time; it was not uprooted but has suffered trauma and is in a sad state 
except for the orchids growing in the trunk. New orchids are blooming! I expect 
that the tree will eventually recover as well. With LENNY power was shut down 
at noon before the storm passed until 6:30 p.m. the following day. That was it! 
Now with this hurricane, there was impact with wind far stronger than HUGO, the 
only difference, it move a bit faster by. Even strong houses like our own felt 
as if it was vibrating. It was a scary night for everyone. Thank God I fell 
asleep and woke up when the worst was over. Our Siamese cat seems to be saying 
with that pose, "Now I can finally relax again.." May God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2017 10:44:19 -0400

Nov. 12 - Good Sunday Morning! We have been celebrating since late afternoon on 
Friday 10th when our power was restored. ! We know that it will be interrupted 
a few times before all is finally settled. We were so busy yesterday that there 
was no way I could send out a post sharing the great news. One of the things we 
did was see the show HOW CAN WE SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE MARIA. It was hilarious. 
The kids at Country Day School did a great job even though there were so many 
hurricane aftermath issues to deal with. It will be on again next weekend for 
those locally who read these posts. The sun is intense right now, but ever so 
often we get rain showers. Have a wonderful day and may God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2017 12:00:19 -0400

Nov. 10 - Another spectacular sunrise! I did not realize that the poor beaten 
up little palm took on the shape of a cross until I saw the photo I took. 
Interesting!  Other than that we're waiting to celebrate electricity. The town 
of Christiansted looks pretty good. I think the visitors of the first cruise 
ship tomorrow will be impressed with the national park and the amazing progress 
made after such a devastating hurricane. I have to take pictures of the wharf 
area one day. 

Today, as I was trying to get around there were quite a few detours, but that's 
okay with me. The linemen have to get their work done with the least danger to 
anyone. They are like bees everywhere. Busy, busy! 

Benji is happiest when he is chewing on his favorite treat Oinkies . He goes 
absolutely nuts when he sees one. Here, he pretends it's a cigar! If only HARTZ 
could see him. He's going to be 10 months old tomorrow. He's not afraid of 
thunder, much less hurricanes

A happy Veterans Day to all our Veterans. Have a wonderful day tomorrow. Thank 
you for your service to our country. May God bless you and all of us.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2017 11:59:01 -0400

Nov. 8 -  Yesterday was exactly 7 weeks since we lost power with the arrival of 
Hurricane MARIA overnight. We lost SPRINT phone service more than a week before 
that. AND here we are! Everyone is trying to plan the Thanksgiving Day Dinner. 
Not easy. However, there's so much compassion out there. We have been treated 
with the utmost kindness. Even the Clouds treat us to a lovely painting now and 
then. This morning I could not resist those puffy, pink clouds, then I noticed 
the poodle. Debris removal like many things is slow because of the immensity of 
the damage. Public Works has a tremendous job at some sites like this one in 
Cotton Valley up East.
We're all hanging in there. Soon it will be but a conversation piece. Have no 
fear Tropical Storm RINA is not coming here! It's going the other way up to 
Europe. What we have to watch is the Western Caribbean. Keep smiling! May God 
bless us all!

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2017 17:55:12 -0400

Nov. 7 - Today I was surprised to learn that RINA had formed above us. It is 
heading down to the Caribbean, but I trust my favorite weatherman, Dave, that 
the cold Atlantic will snuff it out before it gets here. After this one there 
are still two more to make it 19. In the meanwhile, our relatives in Europe 
were impacted by OPHELIA in October, and PHILIPPE went up the coast causing 
havoc in Maine, with 800,000 people losing power. There's no "Q" storm, so now 
RINA is on the move. We can hardly wait for this hurricane season to end. It 
has been quite a disastrous one, Many people are working to help restore power, 
phone service,  and so many roofs that need attention. Today our post at the 
bottom of the hill was finally erected after two days of digging. We're 
grateful for these hard workers and pray that they can do so safely. May God 
bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2017 17:55:12 -0400

Nov. 7 - Today I was surprised to learn that RINA had formed above us. It is 
heading down to the Caribbean, but I trust my favorite weatherman, Dave, that 
the cold Atlantic will snuff it out before it gets here. After this one there 
are still two more to make it 19. In the meanwhile, our relatives in Europe 
were impacted by OPHELIA in October, and PHILIPPE went up the coast causing 
havoc in Maine, with 800,000 people losing power. There's no "Q" storm, so now 
RINA is on the move. We can hardly wait for this hurricane season to end. It 
has been quite a disastrous one, Many people are working to help restore power, 
phone service,  and so many roofs that need attention. Today our post at the 
bottom of the hill was finally erected after two days of digging. We're 
grateful for these hard workers and pray that they can do so safely. May God 
bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Mon, 6 Nov 2017 16:26:39 -0400

Nov. 6 - Yesterday's sunset announced today's rain. My niece said it was 
looking like a rainy week. That being the case, the linemen will probably not 
be able to make a lot of progress. It's worrisome especially for those with 
electric ovens. The call is out for contributions to the annual Thanksgiving 
dinner for all the homeless, hungry, lonely people in the community. This year 
it's going to be particularly necessary to be there for those who have lost 
much or need that special attention. 

Last night's moonlight and the lights below, made for an interesting photo. 
Whether the lights are electric or by generator,  I have no idea. The crew was 
working again below us, but the post is still not up. After the 1 A Feeder is 
powered should come Feeder 2 which is ours, but at this point in Time I prefer 
to have phone service first so that I can use the Wifi at home. Going to a Hot 
Spot every day takes a lot of my time. I wish all the best to everyone here and 
on all the islands that are recovering from those two Cat 5 hurricanes. May God 
bless us all,

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2017 11:09:39 -0400

Nov. 4/5 - Some days  like yesterday are just too short, in addition we spent a 
good part of the afternoon keeping track of the linemen on our road. Suspense! 
Well, they left the pole on the ground and left. So much for that, perhaps the 
next crew will finish the job. In the meanwhile, I'm still cooking on the one 
burner. That pot is full of lentils seasoned and simmered with smoked turkey 
necks. The supermarket was out of meat other than those. Their generator burnt 
out the week before and they lost all their perishables. What a pity! They were 
promised electricity in a few days. One day at a time. May God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2017 12:25:40 -0400

Nov. 3 - Signs of lights, not generated power, are showing up more in 
Christiansted. Not us as yet, but soon. We are waiting. At the same time we are 
being spoiled by some wonderful people. They're making our life so much more 
enjoyable! Thank you all! Our weather has also been quite enjoyable. I'm 
especially glad for the many linemen on island helping to restore power. I hope 
they have enough free daytime hours to enjoy the beautiful Caribbean as well. 
Our daylight is becoming shorter and shorter, that means our lamps are going to 
get more of a workout. The evenings on our hill are cooling down. And soon it 
will be Holiday Season! Am I going to have electricity to cook that 
thanksgiving dinner?? Suspense! May God bless us all!

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2017 16:33:35 -0400

Nov. 2- As you see from the photos, it's bright and shines at the moment. To 
our east we have action, hopefully nothing that develops. There are still three 
more storms on the list if we are to have the maximum number of 19 for the 
season mentioned by the experts when they announced a busy season. I Believe 
that PHILIPPE was the one that impacted Maine and left 800,000 without power.

Power is being restored here section by section. Soon it shall be our turn. 
This has been a challenge and a learning experience. It has also provided us 
with quality time  in the evenings when otherwise we would each have our own 
agenda. I remember when we visited Tasche, a little village in Switzerland, 
when we lived there. We had no tv, nor radio. We read, went for long walks, we 
explored, we got lost and talked about that adventure for some time. It was 
great quality time. Bottom line is we have to do the best we can with what we 
have and "bloom where we are planted". May God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2017 16:08:42 -0400

Nov. 1- Always something interesting going on! Elsewhere, according to the 
newspaper, the State of Maine was left hanging by a Nor'easter up the coast. 
Some 800,000 folks were without power. Same story as here, except that it's 
getting colder there and it may be a long while before they get it back. .Here, 
the sun shines more often than not, the sea is a beautiful blue, it is warm. 
Thanks to a dear friend in Arizona, who sent us 02COOL, 5 inch, battery powered 
fans. They are great! My Siesta is far more restful; the cool air even seems to 
drive the mosquitos away! We have been truly blessed with so many people 
wanting to help, sending us very practical items like the bright lamps that can 
be charged by solar or electric power, plus in turn charge devises, and the 
ANKER portable solar panels that fold up like a purse, with a pocket inside in 
which to plug in devises. Amazing the technology to help in the aftermath of a 
disaster, or even a short term power outage.. We are now in the 7th week 
without power, 9th without SPRINT phone service, etc. DISH said it will be 
another 2 months before they can even begin the task of assessing damage to 
antenas. It's certainly not boring around here, as long as we keep busy, and 
there's lots to do. Slowly things are getting back to normal. One thing I will 
be extra happy about is being able to bake again. This one-burner propane thing 
is a challenge especially when it's a multiple dish. Conversation, though, is a 
delight. Stay with us. Someday I shall give you the good news that we have 
power. May God bless you and us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2017 15:59:09 -0400

Oct. 30 - This goes for natural showers to cool off and indoor showers, which 
make us especially happy since our generator got wired to the pump
We keep hoping to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The NY linemen are 
praising our WAPA linemen claiming the are learning a lot from them. They know 
their stuff. I wish I had the right wording from the newspaper but i had to 
rush out. We are  nevertheless happy to improve bit by bit if nothing else. We 
received two packages, some kids were happy they got three, and so on...it goes 
to show that the mail is moving again. I will let those of you know when I 
receive your package. Thanks again for all your support. May God bless us all. 

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2017 15:58:58 -0400

Oct. 31 - Day 153 of the 2017 Hurricane Season. Thought you might be interested 
in seeing some of the reports on our local paper. There is great camaraderie 
among the workers. They learn from each other; one thing for sure, the NY crew 
works fast with the speed known by all New Yorkers. Yet, they admit they have 
learned a lot from the WAPA crew. If all goes as planned the little island, 
known as Protestant Cay should be energized today, ( the last photo taken this 
morning shows the Cay ); maybe some of us will get power as well. May God bless 
us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2017 11:00:40 -0400

Oct. 29th- the youth as well.! They're back in school. Eight schools are not 
operational. The students have to double schedules to be able to get their 
education, and they will be going almost right through the Summer since 
Hurricanes IRMA and MARIA did a good job in their business, which is disaster 
and havoc everywhere. As I said earlier, in another update most of the school 
buses were shuffled about causing extensive damage to most. Parents have to car 
pool and try any which way to get their children to school. Not easy, 
nevertheless, the smiles abound and the sun breaks through the clouds. The 
clouds in the photo below brought us lots of rain, not for long. WAPA connected 
some places yesterday including our parish, Holy Cross on Company and Prince 
Streets. I am confident that we shall have power restored this coming week. We 
had some good news yesterday that our mail will start to move and soon we 
should receive those long awaited packages. May God bless us all. 

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2017 11:36:30 -0400

Oct. 28 - This beautiful sunrise cloud was most unusual. It brings hope to many 
that soon their power will be restored, us included. We're getting the weather 
head checked again for a second opinion to make sure everything is in order. A 
lot of activity around the church today. As a matter of fact, the long poles 
were blocking one of the doors. I had the opportunity to speak with one of the 
crew. He said the island was beautiful and everyone was so friendly. However, 
he did admit that where I live will not be getting power as yet. Boo-hoo! 
Thanks again for all your support. May God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2017 10:40:27 -0400

Oct. 27- WAPA and NY linemen are working hard to restore power: various crews 
are spread out in various places and many people have had power restored. 
It's rain like the one overnight and into the early morning hours that can 
delay restoration. We know that soon we are going to be back to normal. Thanks 
again for all the help from everyone out there. We really appreciate it and 
will always remember your kindness during this 2017 disaster. May God bless you 
and all of us.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2017 10:52:20 -0400

Oct.26 - That's the way it seemed from the headline on yesterday's update. 
Well, No! The curfew was adjusted so that those folks who wanted to be out at 
one of the bars/restaurants showing the games can get a chance to see them. 
Although from past experience, I know that the games can go much later than 
11pm. I must say that it's quite dangerous out there after dark; no street 
lights, no traffic lights. I don't know when those will be repaired and 
energized, but I do know that more and more people are dancing, like the couple 
in that painting on a wall,  because more of them have power. Soon it'll be our 
turn to dance! Unfortunately, the beautiful Quinn House building, though 
seemingly intact, got a powerful impact causing a huge hole right between the 
windows! Last photo is of a weather system that is forecast to affect is on 
Friday & Saturday. Hope you are all well. Pray that we stay well as patients 
are being Air lifted after three days if they cannot be helped as outpatients; 
the hospital is temporarily closed! May God bless you and us all.

Isabel 

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2017 18:08:12 -0400

Oct. 25 - Last night many people seemed to be out watching the 1st game, except 
maybe for the karaoke (?) lady down the road. (The curfew is now 11 pm to 5 am 
until Nov. 2 ), She was sure having fun exercising her vocals.Ha, ha!  I like 
to hear people laughing, singing, having fun after the brutal onslaught of two 
Cat 5 hurricanes in 10 days. I can't help smiling when I think of a family who 
found a newborn kitten, which was obviously blown by the wind and caught on 
branches of a bush. They named him Cat 5!! Another family found three in a 
similar manner and rescued them. One of the sad stories is of the wife and 
daughter braving the hurricane after midnight to get medical help for husband/ 
father. They had to turn back and he died. A grandma lay dead in her bed 
throughout the hurricane. Quite an ordeal for the family as you can imagine. 
I'm glad and very thankful to God that my husband who has a heart condition did 
not suffer a crisis. As it was we all went to bed in our quiet "bunker", and I 
slept like a baby throughout. He told me in the morning that he heard a banging 
upstairs on and off. It turned out to be the Dish antena, which is still 
hanging until we get power back . My daughter heard all kinds of noise on the 
upstairs uncovered deck to the east. Photos show today's  afternoon sky to the 
east. We are expecting rain over the next few days. Another pole hanging, as 
you see. And, our Benji sitting across from me this morning hoping he gets more 
cornflakes, with remaining milk in the disposable bowl. He's quite a character! 
We're all hoping to get power back soon. Our generators have to be secured and 
ready for  
any outages, and definitely for future hurricanes. As long as the lines are 
above ground that will be the norm. Some people benefited from the lines that 
are underground, but the job is far from finished. It's about time! Well time 
to go home. It's already getting dark here. May God bless you and us all.

Isabel 

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2017 17:47:30 -0400

Oct. 24- this morning I was at the pharmacy texting while I waited for refills 
when I heard an uproar from people there who were following the Tropical 
Update. The. volume was off so I did not even know until a woman exclaimed, 
"Not another one.." I have to wait until I get to the WIFI hotspot to get more 
information. Not having internet is very frustrating. The WAPA report was just 
a few words from the Governor, which did not amount to anything new. I need to 
hear directly from a WAPA representative. However, as long as I see 8 utility 
poles in our neighborhood hanging on their cables, I know we won't be having 
power soon. The attached photo shows an example of 8. We, nevertheless, have to 
make sure that our weather head is in order so that when power is restored we 
will have it; as far as we were told, ours is good to go. 
The ice cream cone cloud above that building in Gallows Bay was irresistible. 
Last photo is of our cozy, dining area on the covered deck. We've had great 
conversations there. Well it can last quite a while longer, but we hope and 
pray that we will be back to normal sooner than later. Even though it's more 
than a month without power, we still go for the light switches and the water 
faucets. Let's face it, we're creatures of habit! Thanks for all the support. 
We were even invited to stay with friends in Chile. May God bless them and all 
of us.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2017 16:36:32 -0400

Oct. 23 -  it does not look bad towards the east. There's a blob approaching 
the islands to our south, whether it comes up into our neighborhood; we shall 
find out soon enough. We have been showered upon every now and then, enough to 
keep the plants happy and the green a bit greener. Most of our lower garden has 
overgrown into a jungle; I would say at least 3/4s of it. We try to keep the 
"tourist" part presentable. I enjoy landscaping, but right now Time is at a 
premium. There are folks who'd like to believe that we are going to have power 
restored this week. That would be great after more than a month without. This 
evening WAPA is going to update us during the Governor's Press Conference. I 
hope they have good news. Also, we've been without SPRINT phone service and 
internet for more than a month, since IRMA! Many have changed to AT&T, but 
those of us still hanging on have to go to a WIFI Hot Spot like this one at the 
Public Library on King Street (see photo below). I expect that service will be 
restored soon; we shall see. Packages are slow in arriving, especially through 
our downtown post office, but my daughter received one delivered right to her 
Kindergarten classroom. One day at a time. Be well, be happy. May God bless us 
all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2017 17:58:05 -0400

Oct 22 - Yesterday we drove to what is considered "ground zero". The hardest 
hit part we were told was more inland but what we saw was quite bad. A cruise 
ship hotel was anchored at the pier. Many workers stay there. Soon, as of Nov. 
11 we understand the first of 90 cruise ships for the season will arrive. 
Slowly but surely by the grace of God "we shall rise up again". May God bless 
us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2017 09:41:35 -0400

Sept. 20- Good Morning, Stormcarib correspondents, family and friends near and 
far!
By the grace of God and all of your prayers we got through this horrendous 
historic hurricane with wind sustained at 175 gusts to 200! Our house was built 
strong but when I felt some vibration I worried. Thankfully we have mostly 
downed trees, two shutters upstairs came off, so the flooded upstairs leaked to 
the downstairs. Galvanized sheets are on our property and my nieces house next 
door. 99% of the roofs in downtown Christiansted remained intact, beyond that 
we hope that most if not all did as well. Not sure when this will go out, but I 
have it ready to go, Thanks again for your support during this most frightful 
hurricane. I will also try to contact you, Gert, by cell phone but that too may 
take a while. Hopefully some kind of service returns. Would be good if another 
correspondent with phone possibility can get some information through. Stay 
tuned! May God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2017 09:34:13 -0400

Sept. 27- Hello, World! I'm writing to you from Hurricane Maria's School of 
compassion and learning. We have to go back to basics and in doing so we learn. 
When we go to the "Well" for bottles of water. We mean the tank under the deck. 
That water is for washing dishes and bathing. We have bottled water for 
drinking and cooking. What we crave for is ICE!! We haven't heard the tinkling 
of ice for a week. We lost power/current last Tuesday. I managed to go out in 
the morning before the rain started and from then on all Hell broke loose. It 
got worse and worse. We shuttered the upstairs as best as possible and joined 
daughter and granddaughter in the bunker downstairs. It was so quiet there that 
we could not hear the storm that was raging outside unless we went to the door 
in the hallway. The house seemed to vibrate with the strong wind. We worried 
about the roof. We listened to our battery powered radio from which we heard 
vital information. I was surprised to learn later that many people did not have 
a radio. One of the things we still have to learn and MARIA SAID IT LOUD AND 
CLEAR :  We must get everything to the smallest detail ready and available in 
case we get hit; the radio is one of them. It keeps us connected especially 
with very little in the way of communication. I'm counting on this going out 
when we get to the only WIFI Hot Spot available. We heard, on the radio that 
Hots SPOTS will be set up everywhere so that we can get in touch with family, 
friends and the rest of the world. Don't get desperate if you don't hear from 
us. If you log on to Storm Carib you will read my updates as I am able to get 
them out, plus whatever information Gert is posting about St.Croix. We trying 
to see humor in some of the things that happen throughout the day and we laugh. 
God does have a sense of humor and we thank Him for our pets, which provide us 
with many light moments. The photos reflect the severe damage to the tree in 
the turtle domain. The orchids did not survive this Time. MARIA WAS BRUTAL!! 
I'm concerned that the plants themselves may not survive. We placed a sunscreen 
over the bare area so that the turtles do not get the intense heat of the 
afternoon. We have been trimming branches off the right side and plan to keep 
the rest of the tree, which is already sprouting new leaves. Please continue to 
support us with prayer which is the greatest need we have, that is, plus ICE, 
which you can't send anyway😂! May God bless you and us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2017 12:52:01 -0400

Sept. 24- Good Day, All, near and far. Thank you very much for your  support 
during our time of trial with Hurricane MARIA. Please continue as we strive to 
recover. I heard something encouraging on the radio this morning, that is, 
recovery is faster than ever in the past. Cell phone towers are being worked 
on, and electricity will be restored soon in some areas. It's looking good. We 
were told there was some "bad weather" expected today, however, there's no sign 
of that as yet. The photos were taken a short while ago. Thanks again and may 
God bless us all. (Curfew is from noon to 4 pm)

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2017 15:28:37 -0400

We are all in suspense as to what Hurricane Maria is going to do to us. 
Memories of HUGO are still quite vivid, especially with the devastation on our 
neighboring islands. That is very painful to see. Are our houses stronger now 
than in 1989? I think with the new building codes, since then, it should make a 
difference. All we can do is pray, hope for the best, and help those who can't 
help themselves. Vacationers, who know me through stormcarib local updates, 
arrived on Saturday and had to leave today already on the last two seats 
available. AA has canceled flights to St. Croix, which convinces my son and 
family that this was not a good time to visit. Hurricane effects stick around 
for a while and there are never enough work crews to take care of cleaning up 
debris. It takes a while to get back to a normal routine. The important thing 
is not to give up hope. Take it a day at a time. May God bless us all.

Isabel

After the hurricane I shall take a photo as this first one to compare notes.

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2017 18:07:47 -0400

Post #4- Sept. 19 : Well, it feels very close. It's beginning to sound like a 
hurricane. The wind is getting stronger and it's continuous. I cannot imagine 
how it will be at 160 mph! I hope and pray that the Water and Power folks are 
taking care of themselves as well as looking out for us. Thank you very much, 
stormcarib followers for all your prayers and encouragement.  May God bless you 
and us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2017 13:42:14 -0400

Sept. 12 - Even if we don't have roses, or if the ones we have do not have much 
of a fragrance, we can still take a deep breath and enjoy the moment before the 
next storm. I don't have roses, but last night I got a good look at a 
Flamboyant flower hanging low on a branch. So intricate, so delicate, yet it 
falls only when it's time is up. Obviously, IRMA's fury could not blow the tree 
bare. The additional charm of this photo is it comes to life if pressed. It's 
called "live photo". I learned that from my 16 yr old technician.

This morning a cargo plane flew over my roof and before I could run to the 
front of the house to take the picture it disappeared into the blue and clouds. 
It's there in the photo. No doubt it was taking relief supples to one of the 
islands. It's heartbreaking to see beauty destroyed by a beast. So many people 
suffering.i hope the 19 mon old child was not bluffing when she said, "Jesus 
coming soon." May God bless us all.

Isabel

  

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2017 14:10:39 -0400

Sept.19- it is early afternoon. We are going to try a little siesta before we 
get bombarded by Hurricane MARIA with unbelievable sustained winds of 160 mph. 
My heart breaks for the many people who are living in houses that may not be 
able to take the continuous smashing. Our house was built strong, but is there 
any house strong enough? The weather is going "downhill" with each hour. Later 
we are going downstairs to the "Bunker" where we'll spend the hurricane hours 
with our daughter and granddaughter. The best thing is to sleep through it. 
It's a consolation to know that so many people have written and are with us in 
spirit. May God bless us all. 

Isabel

L

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 07:24:53 -0400

Sept. 5 - G'Morning, World! This day will be the beginning of IRMA's charms on 
our little speck in the Caribbean. This morning at 5:00 a.m. I woke up to a 
heavy, steady rain. No wind. It probably had been raining for sometime as the 
porch was already flooded. I'm concerned about the people on those boats. I 
hope they leave for a safe haven. With OMAR the sea was fierce, spewing waves 
way over the pier; many boats sank. The two attached photos were taken very 
early. I will post again later and will do so for as long as we have the 
capability. Be well. May God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2017 08:17:17 -0400

Sept.6- G'Morning! My first post was not recorded in SENT. I hope you get this 
one. The sea will soon be all white foam. The boats are still there, but unlike 
other people, these are not in their boats. In his blog Dave wrote that those 
who refused to leave their boats were asked to write their ss# on one arm. Body 
bags were ready! Why would anyone want to stay on their boat during such a 
storm!! 

The hurricane is raging but that did not keep me from having breakfast in the 
protected dining alcove on the porch. Lunch will probably have to be inside. 
May God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2017 16:43:57 -0400

Sept. 8  -" Listen, JOSE, forget about IRMA! Not worth it. Look at what she has 
done and steer clear away from the suffering folks on the islands. Go out to 
sea instead and do some fishing out there where both you and us will be happy". 
If only we could really speak to storms like that and they listen. At the 
moment ( just checked ) the CPA to St. Croix is 147.7 miles from us, Sunday at 
1:54 a.m. Unfortunately, some of the same places can get hurt again and the 
folks there are still "struggling to get back on there feet". We worry at the 
same time about family and friends in Florida as they prepare for IRMA. We 
stand helpless as we watch. We understand how the reverse happened when it was 
coming here. This is definitely a stressful time. May God grant us peace and 
bless us all.

Isabel 

Our weather today, hope it lasts..



Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2017 07:47:23 -0400

Sept. 25- G'Morning, World! We are alive and well. If anyone complains it's 
just part of that person's character. Every effort is being made to meet the 
needs of each day. Great strides have been made in these 5 days since hurricane 
MARIA. So what if we cannot spend precious Time on less important things. 
Before long we are going to get back to each his own routine. Now, we are 
spending more quality time together, having great conversation and planning the 
next day's strategy. Today we have to try to get to another pharmacy to pick up 
the medication my husband needs for his heart condition. Our neighborhood 
pharmacy did not have it after standing in line for an hour. This is just one 
of the many challenges..Each evening we sit around the battery powered radio 
and listen to the Governor's briefing on the progress being made and that still 
to come. Various Commissioners report on their findings and the solutions 
available. Things are moving fast and it's a matter of Time and patience before 
everything is in place. ( The photo shows this morning's face after a tropical 
Wave passed by during the night.) Please continue to pray for us; we need all 
the support we can get. May God bless you and us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2017 13:59:58 -0400

Hi! Please take note that some of the updates today are older ones which did 
not go out. Look for the ones dated 19 , 20th for the most recent information. 
Thank you. Lots of Blessings,

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2017 13:50:27 -0400

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2017 12:18:17 -0400

Oct 10  - hi ! I have to run! It's starting to rain again and I'm at an outdoor 
wifi hotspot. I feel sorry for the people without roofs. This weather is to 
last a few days,  A Wave and a Low got together. Work is progressing on the 
utility posts, we hope that we can get power back at least after a month like 
with HUGO. We hope and pray. May God bless us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2017 06:29:06 -0400

Sept. 6 - My 5 a.m. alarm did not wake me nor the usual one in my head. It was 
5:45. Power is out. Heavy rain  I think this is the beginning of a long, long 
day. Benj, our pooch, wants to go outside! He would get blown away. No freshly 
brewed coffee and definitely, no smoothie! Will try to get back later. May God 
bless us and protect us.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 08:31:29 -0400

Hi! Those of you interested in finding out how close the center( eye )of the 
storm can get to St. Croix on Wednesday, our coordinates are 17.7N 64.8W. Thank 
you. While you're at it, please consider making a donation, no matter how 
small, to this website. Every bit helps.

Isabel



http://stormcarib.com/closest.cgi


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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2017 13:31:56 -0400

Oct. 20 - Hello Again! I wrote an update, which did not go out will try again 
later. I'm sending this shorter one so you get an idea how Christiansted looks 
for the most part. Just want those of you who are planning a vacation to know 
that all is going well. Some areas outside of the Historic town will take 
slightly longer than others. Considering the tremendous strength of the storm 
and the damage it has done, we have come a long way in a short time. May God 
bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2017 13:22:22 -0400

Oct.19/20- The sky the evening before (18) dictated the type of hurricane that 
was imminent- Cat   5 !! It started raining and the power went since Sept. 19! 
We prepared for what we heard in advance; it was going to be bad. When Gert 
asked me via text where I was located I knew that St. Croix was going to be 
impacted. Then I found out that it would be the west I was relieved with mixed 
emotions. On the radio we heard that the worse part of the hurricane was going 
to be felt between 11pm and 4 a..m.  We were urged to keep on street clothes 
and shoes especially if we felt our houses were not capable of withstanding 175 
mph winds with gusts of 200mph. As the wind grew stronger we felt the house 
"vibrating" but only when we went out in the hallway of the downstairs apt 
which we call the "bunker". We decided to just turn in for the night before 11 
p.m. We were all exhausted from the preparations in advance of the storm. I 
could not believe that I woke up at 4:15 a.m.. It was still 
very stormy, but what brought me fully awake was something which I soon found 
out were drops from the ceiling. I thought the roof must've blown off! There 
were puddles all over the floor. Later we discovered all sections of the roof 
intact, but the large shutters that covered the door to the east deck had blown 
off and the rain blew in everywhere it could. Trees were down. The town seemed 
fine at first, but in reality there was a lot of damage. Many utility poles 
were down or hanging every which way. It was a miracle that we all survived. 
May God be forever praised! We were saddened to hear that Fredriksted  was 
badly destroyed. At the school bus depot only six were usable. The public 
schools there also were destroyed so education this school year is going to be 
very difficult one balancing between the remaining ones. It's been and will be 
a struggle for a long time. Certainly without power it's all the more 
difficult. It looks highly unlikely that we will get power soon, however, the 
teachers at Country Day School who didn't have a generator got one. We hope to 
get it running today. It will make life a little less trying. Wifi is the next 
big thing on the list. Here I am at a Hot Spot again today. Tomorrow we're 
planning a trip west. It looks far better today I understand. High season for 
our visitors and hardy snow birds is fast approaching. I'm sure with all the 
linesmen from several parts of the mainland working with WAPA, restoration 
should go faster.  We thank so many of you who have been so generous in kind 
thoughts, prayers and deeds. May God bless you and all of us.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2017 16:30:33 -0400

Oct. 19 - one month after Hurricane MARIA. There are tropical waves still 
coming off the coast of Africa, heading in our direction; fortunately, wind 
shear and some dry air is preventing them from forming into cyclones as the 
others. A few more storms are expected to develop during this very active 
hurricane season, we just hope they go out to the open sea without touching any 
land. There's enough suffering for this year. Is the worst yet to come though? 
I'm still thinking of the prediction of a woman, who said, "in two months 
everyone will be sick !" Sure, there's a lot of stress, everyone is aching from 
so much work cleaning up, carting water, making more trips than usual. to the  
supermarket , especially for ice, feeling too warm because there are no fans, 
coping, defending one's self from swarms of mosquitos, etc. etc.  Post 
Hurricane MARIA is no joke, 

We're looking forward to the school show  that Country Day School is going to 
have before Thanksgiving. HOW CAN WE SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE MARIA.  it's shaping 
up to be very entertaining. Good for them! May God bless us all.

Isabel

Photos at our place:

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2017 10:59:28 -0400

Oct. 18 - What a spectacular sunset we had last evening! Had to capture it for 
those of us who appreciate the wonders of God's creation. On another note, work 
had picked up speed as far as power restoration. Many detours are necessary so 
that the new utility poles can be erected and the lines installed. It's looking 
better every day. Praise the Lord! Thank you for all your prayers and support. 
May God bless you and us all.

Isabel  

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2017 10:56:50 -0400

Oct. 17/17- Good Hope-Country Day School is planning a Cabaret Show for the 
Fall with the above theme. They plan to make it as entertaining as possible. My 
granddaughter is in the technical dept. She will be updating us as the show 
date approaches before the Thanksgiving Day weekend. It will keep their minds 
off the stress of Post Hurricane Maria. We hope to have power well before then. 

In the meanwhile, a Flyer has been distributed  on how to "PROTECT YOURSELF AND 
YOUR FAMILY AFTER HURRICANES", 1) Use bottled water for drinking, cooking, and 
brushing teeth,  2) Be safe while cleaning up (safety gear), 3) Protect 
yourself from mosquitos, 
4) Keep your hands clean to prevent the spread of germs, 5) it is normal to 
feel fear, grief, and depression after a traumatic event.(an 800 number was 
given to call in English or Spanish if needed.) The Flyer had the same 
information in Spanish on the reverse side. 

My therapy, aside from prayer, is taking delight in the beautiful flowers, 
birds, and honey bees, etc. in our garden, knowing that they are all part of 
God's creation, working together for the common good of health and harmony, of 
which Joy is the ultimate outcome. May God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2017 16:35:19 -0400

Oct. 16 - We were spared the bulk of the stormy conditions from 92L yesterday, 
however, today we even had a  Flood Alert. We were able to move between rubble 
and rain. This evening we hope to hear some encouraging words from the 
governor's Press Briefing. Surely, with the many linesmen and equipment 
arriving we should make a lot of progress
in power restoration. Our weather head seems to be in order according to our 
friend who checked it. Hope he's right, or else when the lights go on we shall 
remain in the dark longer. 
The cloud picture told us what to expect today. They do speak. 
A place of rest for body and soul in the Lower Garden is a most welcome place 
at the end of the day after all is said and done, and last, but not least, 
Benji watches patiently as Luna eats his lunch --animal therapy? We appreciate 
your kind thoughts and prayers.
May God bless you and us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2017 11:50:03 -0400

Oct. 15 - We are feeling some of the effects of 92L. Not much rain or wind as 
yet. Some tarps are loose; too much wind would be bad for them. The reality of 
the damage sinks in when one drives around. So far, everyone who saw 
Fredriksted is horrified at the destruction there. We continue going around 
getting our daily needs especially ice to keep our few supplies from spoiling 
with this heat. I was so happy to hear that my sister at Estate Golden Rock got 
power restored yesterday. Not too far from downtown, so perhaps we're next? I 
just hope our weather head is good, there was a branch sticking through if 
which we removed but are the wires intact. That will be determined by an 
electrician friend this afternoon if the weather allows him to check it. It's 
not easy to get to it. Such is life post MARIA. Soon everything will be back to 
normal and we'll have a conversation piece for the rest of our lives. May God 
bless you and "all ah we".

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2017 12:23:19 -0400

0ct. 14- we don't need another thing to hinder the.cleanup or restoration 
process, much less a potential disturbance to destroy what has been 
accomplished. It's pitiful to see houses with blown off roofs still not covered 
with a tarp or blue roof which is more solid. 92 L is bringing very stormy 
conditions late this weekend and being rather elongated can last for a few days.
This system will eventually make it NNW away from us, but it can come too close 
to us as it passes by. Everyone is nervous when they see anything nearby. We 
were told to monitor it closely. 

During his press conference last night Governor Mapp mentioned the system to 
the east, but "nothing can be done about Mother Nature".As far as the cruise 
ships for the season, we went from 40 to 90 ships. That's a big PLUS for St. 
Croix. When this gem is discovered. The passengers usually fly in another time 
for a longer visit, others buy property and return to stay.

The good thing about this experience, in hurricane disaster mode, is the 
cheerfulness even in those who lost much. We are very grateful to be alive. May 
God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2017 11:49:18 -0400

Friday, Oct.13 was a very good day. I did not make it to the Wifi hotspot as 
usual, but other things on the agenda were accomplished and I know that sooner 
than later I'll make it with the hope that I don't lose any other update. I've 
been writing every day only to find out that they did not go out.

I'm sharing photos of our current weather, soon to change by another wave 
approaching by Sunday. With the linesmen from the mainland and WAPA workers. 
progress is being made and there's word that the area where my sister lives 
should be having power restored by this weekend, that is, if the weather does 
not slow them down.

Our hometown hero, Tim Duncan, was in town over the last weekend distributing 
supplies. You can imagine the crowds just wanting to see him.

Last photo here: we were surprised by two white hibiscus flowers. A thing of 
beauty, which lasts until the end of daylight, and then forever in photos. Our 
turtles eat the leaves and the flowers, so they serve us and them.

Please stay with us in thoughts and prayers. May God bless us all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sun, 8 Oct 2017 15:39:53 -0400

Oct. 8 - A good Sunday to everyone. The "beat" - meaning, the generators, work 
noise, helicopters, and nature. Clean up is huge! Everyone who has been through 
a hurricane and it's aftermath know what all it entails.
Photos:  last evening the sun left us in the dark again, but we always manage 
to have a fun dinner. Soon we should be getting a generators so that the young 
ladies can do their homework and take a decent shower everyday. My 
granddaughter is tired of "bucket showers". This power outage can last for 
quite some time. We enjoyed the frolicking birds on the fallen sea grape tree 
this morning during breakfast. The cat is taking advantage of the empty, open, 
clean fridge downstairs to nap, and the last photo is where I should not have 
gone and fallen and now am handicap sore. I will be limping for a few days, I'm 
sure, it certainly will not keep me down! 
Thanks for all your emails. Nice to receive mail, especially at this time. May 
God bless you and all.

Isabel

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2017 14:15:41 -0400

Oct. 6. - The little white puff of cloud in the first photo late afternoon 
yesterday caught my attention. Otherwise, I was out at Gallows Bay area earlier 
looking for wicks, new lamp and oil, citronella candle and sticks, newspaper, 
and now for the ice bags after I leave this wifi hot spot. The kids are back at 
 school Country Day and no sooner did one kid break his collar bone playing 
football.!! Too bad ! Our teen is camping out with classmates out east at a 
family's property ! Life goes on... people are commenting on the heat and fear 
more hurricanes. Tropical Storm NATE is heading to New Orleans, so we don't 
have to worry about that one. Two other waves are out to our east. Must keep an 
eye on each one. May God bless us all.

Isabel

That's my car by the No Parking sign. There was "no parking" available anywhere 
else.

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• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2017 12:33:35 -0400

Oct. 5 - Watched? So it seems. Take a look at the third photo. I see clearly 
part of a face behind a dark cloud. Maybe you can't see it. I've had a vivid 
imagination from the time I was a child. Another beautiful day today. This Wifi 
Hot Spot is more comfortable than yesterday. I don't have to be out in the hot 
sun. My husband already got ice, now I'm looking for wicks for our hurricane 
lamps. The stores should always be stocked with these items, but can 't find 
any. The same with the small propane gas for burners. When they come  in 
they're gone like hot bread. I found out, however, that we can use a small 
propane tank and attach a burner to it. We have to make sure it's done right. 
That would be a relief if we don't have to hunt for those small kitchen 
cylinders. I feel as if I'm constantly running with my heart in my throat until 
I find a moment to collapse. Don't worry though, we laugh lots. Our pets are so 
therapeutic. After dark we get together on our covered deck, light our torches, 
and lamp, prepare our dinner and sit down to great conversation mans food, 
sharing what we experienced and who we met, and so on..., but first, we listen 
to the Governor's press conference and follow up. He shortened the curfew by 
one hour from 7pm to 9am. Progress is reported as well as hang ups or setbacks. 
So far progress is winning. A friend told me she did not have power restored 
until Dec. when HUGO impacted in Sept.!! Now, hurricane MARIA was far stronger 
than HUGO. So it's to be seen how fast power will be restored this time. We are 
grateful for what we have, one day at a time. Thanks again for all your support 
and help. May God bless you and us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2017 15:09:50 -0400

Oct 4 - G'day everyone!  Last night I took this picture of the moon over our 
deck where we have our dinner. What a gorgeous moon!  The other photos reflect 
the look everywhere. Piles of tree debris. Across the street below two uprooted 
trees, another scene that's common. Everyone lost trees. Our sea grape tree 
fell over, not uprooted and there it will remain. At least we can enjoy the 
clusters of grapes the next time instead of staring at them from below. The 
little island across from the Fort has been dark every night, not a flicker of 
generator light; an unusual sight. The Governor met with President Trump on a 
ship and held a very fruitful meeting concerning financial aid for the USVI. 
The harvest will depend on Congress. Are they going to be kind, generous, 
compassionate? Or "cantankerous, disgusting" as the Governor tends to refer to 
some people. It's a matter of time. We're seeing progress being made; we just 
have to hang on and be patient, live and try to enjoy one day at a time for 
that's all we have. Thanks, John, for the link on Solar Chargers. Very 
interesting as well as all the others offered. We definitely have to explore 
and settle for one. It could be a long while before we have electricity again. 
Rain is good, especially for the healing of the vegetation, but not too good 
now for those who lost their roofs. FEMA is working hard and fast to take care 
of everyone's needs. The daylight hours are getting shorter and it's not 
advisable to drive at night. We hope the curfew changes for the better so that 
the schools can gave a normal school day. All in good Time, as long as we don't 
get another hurricane, this year. 
A tropical wave is expect to take up most of next week. Now it's sunny and HOT. 
I'd better get going from this wifi hot spot before I roast! All the best to 
Everyone and may God bless us all. Keep smiling!

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2017 12:47:08 -0400

Hello Again! Naked trees stripped by Hurricane MARIA are sprouting new leaves. 
It's like Springtime! The leaning tree in the middle of the turtle compound in 
the driveway is looking better everyday. It will be a conversation piece for 
years to come. Some plants were never touched as you can see. We went to Home 
Depot yesterday to buy a lawn mower but it was closed. System was down. The 
grass is growing. All the best to everyone. Thanks for your support. God bless 
us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 03 Oct 2017 16:33:02 +0000

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2017 14:59:53 +0000

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2017 14:43:38 -0400

Sunday, Oct. 1 -- last evening/night we got a walloping Upper Level Trough 
which dropped a deluge with all the works! It was amazing ! Mother Nature 
provided quite a show except for the people who lost their roofs, and there 
were many especially in the Fredriksted area. The mahogany trees took a 
beating, many were trashed! Those trees and plants left standing are sprouting 
Kelly green leaves, a sign of hope;  however, the Bees are going crazy, no 
flowers, or rather not enough for them. They are crowding the Yellow Breast 
birds aka "Sugar Birds" at their sugar bowls. Then we set out sugar water for 
the bees and the birds like that too, so they have their plights along with all 
of us in the same boat. Food distribution will soon be discontinued as more 
stores are able to meet the needs of the general public. Each day looks better 
than the day before. The ones who lost more are going to get back what they 
need. As we look around the world we see the same picture. Disasters 
everywhere, but always those helping hands ready and willing from near and far 
away. Once again I want to thank all who have supported us in one way or 
another. May God bless you and us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2017 09:27:35 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2017 15:37:10 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2017 07:53:17 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2017 07:00:53 -0700

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2017 11:53:36 -0400

Sept. 26- update #2. 
Hello again! No WIFI, no connection. I've writing anyway, so I went into 
cyberspace and will go out as soon as WIFI is available. That being the case 
you will receive them all in one pkg so scroll down. I just hope they did not 
get lost. The Governor has promised to set up hot spots so that the public can 
communicate. At the moment there is a very generous man in our neighborhood who 
has made this service available for the short duration of Time available from 
noon to 4:00 when the curfew is lifted. I hope I can get mail and updates up. 
(Today's weather reflected in the photos). Thanks again for thinking of us. May 
God bless us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2017 08:04:48 -0400

Sept. 26 - G'Morning! Ready to face today's challenges! Yesterday is gone , but 
the photos reflect some of it. I was appalled at the size of the catastrophe as 
we drove first to Waste Management to dispose of whatever waste we had. We saw 
much destruction and long lines for gas; at Diamond Pharmacy we found out that 
the doctor's message to fill the prescription was not received. However, having 
bought it there some time before, it was still on file and he could get it. We 
would have to wait for an hour if we were lucky. So we went to the bank across 
the way to get the 3 digit amount we would need without co-pay. The line to the 
one functioning ATM was wide and long. We heard interesting things: the west 
was the worst hit with most roofs gone, containers were floating everywhere, 
cars had been sent flying high at the Refinery landing wherever. This worker 
said they spent the whole day taking them down. The stories grow with each 
account. At the ATM the machine did not recognize the code so we went into the 
bank when we learned that we could get advance cash with another card. Whew! 
Another line at the pharmacy, but we managed to get the medication and head for 
a store to buy fresh food. We soon discovered that we were way too tired for 
that so we collapsed at home so happy to be back ! Please continue to pray for 
us as we meet each day's challenges. Thank you and may God bless you and us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2017 08:05:49 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2017 07:46:55 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2017 15:03:13 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2017 07:46:43 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2017 19:56:38 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2017 19:10:10 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2017 11:26:07 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2017 08:26:03 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2017 13:35:56 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2017 06:55:54 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2017 17:58:12 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2017 17:56:33 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2017 16:31:02 -0700

• By David Johnson <djohnson at canebayvi.com>
• Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2017 15:32:37 +0000

I got your info from Sandy Pense in regards to items we need to help restore
STX.

I can update you but here are initial items we need asap:

"We will need for east side island. diesel , gas. Chain saws (16"), blades,
sharpener. Asap ..."

- - - -
David Johnson

(770) 309-0661- Cell
(404) 814-6418 - Office
djohnson at canebayvi.com

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2017 15:15:37 -0700

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2017 13:25:03 -0700

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2017 11:11:05 -0400

Post #3-Sept 19- The surf is building, but the rain has stopped for the moment. 
This enables us to finish those minor, but important details, like taking down 
that forgotten hanging planter, and other small items. In between working, 
cooking, I am sending these updates. It's a balancing act. I am so happy that 
the world is watching and many are praying for us. I have received many 
messages/emails from friends of storm carib. We need every bit of strength we 
can get through those encouraging words and prayers. It's a very stressful 
time. May God bless us all.

Isabel
 
Photos of Schooner Bay(1) and Christiansted(2) with Estate Judith's Fancy and 
St. Croix Condos in the background.

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2017 08:42:46 -0400

2nd post- Sept. 19. First of all, thank you for all the thoughts and prayers 
coming to us from all over the world. This morning I received one from the 
U.K.. God bless you all. My grandson has been in touch via WhatsApp from Spain 
and the news from Dominica is that it was destroyed! I'm sorry for all the 
hardship that's ongoing and that to come. I pray that the homeless are being 
sheltered as is the norm and that no one resists. May our Heavenly Father gave 
us the strength and the courage to
endure the terrible beating by hurricane MARIA. Our little island of St. Croix 
is often forgotten by the media. They are only focusing on Puerto Rico, yet it 
has to pass here first. Pray for us!
May God bless us all.

Isabel

Current photo

MARIA's orchids

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2017 07:01:42 -0400

Sept. 19, Tuesday 6:51 a.m. - The wind has picked up considerably and the rain 
clouds are gathering. We are to expect up to 18 inches, 20-25 inches in some 
areas. I understand that the first rain bands from hurricane MARIA are to reach 
us by noon today and will be non- stop for several days. The hurricane itself 
does not arrive until tomorrow. God help those islands being battered right 
now, may the folks there be safe!  May God bless us all as we go through this 
tribulation. And bless in a special way all those who are praying for us all 
over the world.

Isabel

The photos reflect the present moment.

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2017 23:34:15 -0400

Monday, Sept. 18 - One of the most vicious hurricanes in history is approaching 
us at a crawl of 9 mph with sustained winds of 160 mph. No wonder then that 
people left the island today by the droves! Some paid $1500 on a charter. 
Unbelievable! 

I hesitate to look at the CPA.I dread knowing, yet I need to know. How close 
will it get? Well, I just checked and the "Server not found " notice popped up. 
Just as well. I'm going with the hope that it will not be a direct hit. Come 
what may, it will pass like everything else and become just another memory with 
many lessons well learnt. Watch and pray. May God bless us all.

Isabel

Photos at sundown today 9/17

Sent from my iPhone

• By MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
• Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2017 00:29:25 +0000 (UTC)

Attachment: 0_ms2Z.png
Description: Binary data

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2017 21:38:19 -0400

Sept.17 (post #2) - This was a beautiful day with a beautiful photo finale. 
Tomorrow never comes, it's always today. We shall deal with it as it comes. One 
thing I know, there's a lot of work around here and errands to run. However, 
today, I baked an apple pie. I took care of the turtles needs, food, water. 
Benji, our pooch, and I raced around on the front lawn; my family and I prayed. 
In between all of the activities I kept checking MARIA's current. location and 
closest point of approach. In Dave's post he said the center of the storm would 
be 17 miles to our south. When I checked it this evening, the CPA was 23 miles. 
Cat 4 LENNY was 45 miles to our south and it felt as if it was right on top of 
us, so, anything closer than that would be heart wrenching! My heart, filled 
with prayers, goes out to everyone on St. Croix and beyond. Be safe!! May God 
bless us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2017 15:02:02 -0400

Sept. 17/17 -  MARIA is on the way! So, our beautiful weather and flowers are 
about to be battered for the next several days. With no internet most of the 
time today it's hard to get coordinates. Public Schools are closed on Monday to 
make ready the shelters. I understand that the first effects will be felt on 
Monday night already. I may not be able to post updates bud I will keep trying. 
All the best to everyone near and farther. May God bless us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2017 22:07:36 -0700

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2017 22:59:40 -0400

Sept. 16 - Unbelievable, but true. 
We are about to get hit by a hurricane on Wednesday morning. Though we have 
been bruised, not battered by IRMA there are still many people without power, 
crews are out removing dangerous broken branches and restoring the community 
wherever it's needed, and now another hurricane with possibly more disastrous 
consequences for us. We can expect wind of 100-120 mph. This info was received 
courtesy of Meteorologist, Dave McDermott in STT. He just added that it has 
slowed down from 20mph. Not good. We are very grateful for his sharing. We have 
to once again jump into action to secure our houses and have a safe place to 
stay. It is thundering at the moment from a smaller TW. The warnings will be 
going up on Sunday night he added, as I write this post. Hope everyone will be 
informed one way or another. May God bless us and protect us all. My sincere 
condolences to the family of the WAPA worker who was killed on the job. May he 
Rest In Peace.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2017 00:10:33 -0400

Sept. 15 - That was the headline from the AVIS. And what a whipping we got! 
Intense lightning/thunder and heavy rain on Thursday into Friday. A medical 
emergency with my 
granddaughter took us to the Sunny aisle area where flooding was quite 
dramatic. Kmart was forced to close due to water pouring into the store through 
a damaged roof. All the employees were involved in pushing water out/or 
mopping: just like at home.

To think that we may have to do it all over again next week with one of the two 
systems coming towards the Lesser Antilles early next week! May God bless and 
protect us all.

Isabel

, 

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2017 23:29:04 -0400

Sept 14 - Hurricane JOSE just loves hanging around here. According to the CPA 
the storm was more than 500 miles above us, but the tail dragged lower and 
lower south at 3mph. We were pummeled most of the day into the night with heavy 
rain, lightning and sky-cracking thunder! The satélite image showed a part of 
the tail on top of us. Now we have the added excitement, or concern about the 
two invests in the Atlantic which have high chances to become tropical 
cyclones, with a third fiery one to exit the coast of Africa soon. Busy season 
indeed! Watch and pray! May God bless us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2017 00:18:17 -0400

I posted a few minutes ago and wrote that the NHC did not mention the TW in the 
middle of the Atlantic. My apologies. I did not do my homework. The NHC is on 
top of it and the next one emerging from Africa. And when they notice we'd 
better "watch and pray". Good night. Blessings!

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2017 00:06:05 -0400

Sept 13 - Do we ever need our angel guardian to watch over us! There is a TW in 
the middle of the Atlantic that's looking rather troublesome. The NHC has not 
mentioned it as yet. Our dear Dave who always kept us informed about oncoming 
and future storms is caught in the midst of that terrible destruction on STT by 
Hurricane IRMA. I got in touch with him and he's fine and anxious to post 
updates about this season, but the curfew gives him little time to take care of 
everything. 

I am concerned about the two big TWs about to emerge from Africa. If they make 
it across lt will mean extreme danger for some folks, and a lot of suffering. I 
hope and pray that our angel protects us. Take a look at the face and hands of 
the angel in the clouds. May God bless you and us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2017 20:06:58 -0400

Sept.11 - This day marks the sad remembrance of the attack on the Twin Towers, 
my favorite buildings, at the World Trade Center. Many people died. It was a 
clear, sunny day.

On our hurricane calendar we have the first peak of the season and right on 
cue, IRMA did her part in growing from a Tropical wave into the most powerful 
hurricane ever. I never heard of a hurricane sucking up the sea leaving only 
the sea floor.!! This happened in the Bahamas and at Tampa Bay. 

The second peak of the season is one month from now in October. Between now and 
then we must remain prepared. There are very big TWs coming off the coastal of 
Africa. This season was upgraded to 19 storms, that would bring us to the T 
storm. Hopefully it does not get to that. Are all the storms going to have 
winds of 185 mph? There is so much devastation caused by this hurricane, so 
many more lives and lands in danger. It's wise to remain spiritually, 
physically, and mentally prepared in addition to the material goods. Let's help 
our neighboring islands in any way we can. May God bless us all.

Isabel

I 

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sun, 10 Sep 2017 19:44:46 -0700

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sun, 10 Sep 2017 14:32:33 -0400

Sept. 10 - Good afternoon to you! For the moment it's a good afternoon here. 
Even as I watch the East, my heart is in the West with our relatives and 
friends in Florida as they get battered by Cat 4 Hurricane IRMA. We did not get 
any of that rain, nor the gusty winds we were expected to get with major 
hurricane JOSE.it passed very far from us. The next system was off the coast of 
Africa moving NW and had a 60% chance of developing in 5 days. I will post 
later with more details on that one. I could not resist those clouds at the end 
of our Mass this morning. The day has been bright and sunny.
May God bless us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2017 18:24:59 -0400

Sept. 9 - BUT,  the next wave has a 40% chance of developing in 5 days. We have 
to keep an eye on it. Cuba got devastated by IRMA, and on Sunday morning it 
arrives at the Keys. Already thousands are without power just because of the 
outer bands. In the meanwhile, many people on the neighboring islands are 
picking up the pieces. A tremendous humanitarian action is in motion to help 
those in need. Thank you, Gert, for all you're doing! And thankfully, JOSE is 
not going through those same areas, however, as our newspaper today indicated, 
we can expect rain and gusty winds, so must they, in that case.. Already the 
sky is showing signs of impending rain. That should start late tonight. 
Despite, the lack of acknowledgement by some, (like Danika Fears of the New 
York Post) that St. Croix is part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, I am proud to say 
that it has become a very important distribution point to get the relief 
supplies to the crippled islands. Patients were brought from the hospital in 
St. Thomas to us; some will be taken on to Puerto Rico. The Cruise ships have 
been rerouted here. For as long as we can, St, Croix will be available to help. 
May God bless us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2017 08:43:44 -0400

Sept. 8. -  Hello, dear friends and Storm Carib followers. Thank you for your 
thoughts and prayers. I've received quite a few emails of concern for our 
well-being. At one point we were "bull's eye" for Hurricane IRMA. Thankfully we 
were spared. We are saddened by what happened to some islands and sorry for 
anyone in the path of this monstrosity, yet awesome power! It was 500 miles 
across yesterday and seemed to be continuing that way during its trek to 
Florida and beyond. Hurricane JOSE is on the way, should pass us to the north 
early Sunday morning, unfortunately it is going to affect the same islands as 
IRMA. In the meanwhile, are these clouds telling us something? The last time we 
got a big RAIN- 5 inches in Scientific terms! Please share what you know. May 
God bless us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2017 08:43:44 -0400

Sept. 8. -  Hello, dear friends and Storm Carib followers. Thank you for your 
thoughts and prayers. I've received quite a few emails of concern for our 
well-being. At one point we were "bull's eye" for Hurricane IRMA. Thankfully we 
were spared. We are saddened by what happened to some islands and sorry for 
anyone in the path of this monstrosity, yet awesome power! It was 500 miles 
across yesterday and seemed to be continuing that way during its trek to 
Florida and beyond. Hurricane JOSE is on the way, should pass us to the north 
early Sunday morning, unfortunately it is going to affect the same islands as 
IRMA. In the meanwhile, are these clouds telling us something? The last time we 
got a big RAIN- 5 inches in Scientific terms! Please share what you know. May 
God bless us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2017 14:03:36 -0400

Sept. 7 - We survived IRMA's fury, thank God. She is still furious. We have 
been hearing rumblings or grumbling from the sky; have had passing showers, but 
no continuous heavy rain. We             had a 16hr power outage, other people 
are still without power; some transformers exploded, utility poles fell; trees 
fell, and more that we shall find out later.
But, the dear folks on St Maarten, Barbuda, N Eastern side of Puerto Rico, 
etc.. what destruction on some! Hurricane IRMA should be a Cat 8! We still have 
a lot of hurricane season to go. This is only September. May God bless us all.

Isabel

  The three boasts survived

Sent from my iPhone

• By R Petrillo M Puceta <MikeNRenee at live.com>
• Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2017 14:17:42 +0000

• By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
• Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2017 16:02:55 -0700

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 23:41:05 -0400

Sept 5 - Good night, All! My last post of the day. I guess i'm anxious to have 
the worst over, but it hasn't even started, except I can hear the surf pounding 
in the dark and the wind has definitely picked up. My heart goes out to our 
island friends and neighbors  who are now suffering the wrath of IRMA. May God 
bless then and us all.

Isabel

I
Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 18:28:02 -0400

97th day of the hurricane season. "When is this storm coming...!" It seems like 
forever! That was my granddaughter. I asked, "Do you realize how far it has 
traveled? All the way from Africa!" That is far! So here we are, it's Tuesday 
evening, everyone is tired. I feel frustration set in when I see those boats in 
the bay. Are they just going to be left to the mercy of IRMA? I just hope no 
one is on board. Someone was Kite surfing a while ago; he's in the photo. Our 
Flora are still delighting us with a variety of colors. It's been a beautiful 
hurricane season so far. IRMA is causing a. lot of anxiety as can be imagined. 
I will keep sending posts as long as I can. We expect all kinds of problems. I 
hope and pray that we don't have tornadoes, however, they are a part of these 
systems.There's a 36hr curfew set in place beginning at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow. 
This evening the shelters opened and everyone who should be there must be 
there. May God have mercy on us, bless us and protect us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
• Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 23:10:56 +0000 (UTC)

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 15:26:52 -0400

Sept. 5 - This is the day we must rush to completion what still has to be done. 
It's almost too late. The weather is going "downhill".  The wind has picked up 
and the rain is in it's beginning stages. It starts and stops, but when it 
begins in earnest we should have some 18" ?? It's going to be days of rain. 
People here are in disbelief. "Prepare? How can one prepare for something like 
this!! If your roof blows off, someone said, just cover yourself with a 
mattress" Hurricane IRMA is being compared to the much feared HUGO, except this 
one is bigger, stronger. There's hammering around the neighborhood. People are 
definitely securing their property. I will post later again before the last of 
the daylight. To you in the Caribbean, who will be visited or brushed by, know 
that our thoughts and prayers here are for everyone to be safe. May God bless 
us all.

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone

• By Isabel Cerni <isabelcerni at gmail.com>
• Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 00:04:59 -0400

Sept 4 -,Hello again, this is my third post of the day. A while ago , when the 
warning was issued, the emergency alert on my phone sounded the alarm. A scary 
moment when we know for sure that this monstrous storm is going to wreak havoc 
on our little island paradise for the next three days. I hope and pray that 
everyone will be safe. On Tuesday morning we still have a bit of running around 
to do. We should be back when it's still calm. Later in the day will come  the 
beginning of a rapid deterioration through the night, and complete chaos the 
next day, Wednesday,  in the form of IRMA. May God bless and protect us all. I 
want to thank all the well wishers who have written to me at this time. Much 
appreciated. 

Isabel

Sent from my iPhone