Water bill was $47.43 bzd this month not bad. Also got cable paid – it costs us $40 bzd monthly for cable and we get about 106 channels. The trouble with some bills here is that not everyone sends you one [like coral cable] so you have to be on top of paying it or else you will get cut off. Seeing the guys out the window with their ladder today was my reminder to get in there and shoot them a few bucks – welcome to life in the tropics.

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It is reassuring that the One Caribbean Weather crew has been to Ambergris Caye and met so many of us in person – it puts a different spin on them reporting bad weather here and wishing us all safe and sound.

Paul just suggested we pull chairs and stuff off the balcony at some point before the wind picks up. Back later going to go make myself another iced coffee and make sure that everything that needs to be is well charged on the odd chance we loose power later on.

Important news from Colette – The FAB Ball, organised by Friends of the Humane Society, has been postponed due to bad weather. It will now be held on Saturday the 3rd of July –next week. The entertainment have all offered to come back to show their support and it will be even bigger and better. So, everyone now has one more week to find their most FABulous outfit. It is going to be a wonderful party!

Groceries went well – we hit Super Buy – Marina’s and sausage factory. Ran into Beth – Rick and Dianne who were all doing same stocking up for the storm. Some of is will be a few pounds heavier after Alex leaves us. The tracking model is now saying 8pm that it will be hitting us. It is noon now and the wind is already picking up a lot.

Before we went out earlier I head some loud music and thought it was our neighbors so I went to go take a look and see where it was coming from and got a bug surprise when I went out on the veranda – our favorite boat the Seaduced Catamaran was driving by looking for a place to park safely for the storm. The water in our canal was not quite high enough yet so they backed out and tied up beside our building and we will ring Elito when the tide rises a bit and he can get it further down the canal.

Lara Goldman HURRICANE TIP: Roll up towel in bottom of large trash bag. Place bag OUTSIDE door, pull opening of bag under the door so that the roll is flush with the bottom of the OUTSIDE of the door. Pull taunt. The water will press the towel and bag to the bottom outside of the door forming a seal against water. Putting on the inside of the door doesn’t do diddly. Lesson learned and tested to success in Hurricane Dean

Pictures courtesy of Weather Underground – wunderground.com – so far looking like 2pm – 2am will be the time range.

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Heading to town today to get cable turned on and supplies.  Cable company said bring picture id and $175 bzd  for hook up that includes $40 for first month. Since we do not have a dryer laundry is another thing on the list before the rain hits.

First thing I did after getting home and putting groceries away was to check wunderground. Hurricane Ida made landfall since I wrote the above info and is now back to a tropical storm. It looks like we will get more rainfall as if  Saturday afternoon if not before.

Cable company was true to their word and hooked us up fast.

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Madame outdid herself again for a private lunch at Pedro’s. We were all full of great food and lively conversation. DS and crew we missed you this time. Again we find ourselves with a dinner invitation same night (happened last time Pedro did a lunch as well).  We are going to go see Dorry and Guillermo’s new place just outside of town then go to DandE’s after – I am still stuffed from lunch.

Remo left a comment on yesterdays post which was a good reminder to check the weather. Invest 97 has now turned into Tropical Storm Ida – 5 day forecast on Wunderground. Looks like we will get hit with rain by late Sunday. Paul and I already making plans to stock up on a few things so we will have no need to go out.

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Next I will make my plastic grab and go pack next for all our important id and passports. I scored a nice waterproof bag at a stuff swap. Paul had grabbed it off the table for me thinking it was a raincoat but when I checked it had rain pants inside.  Dianne was thrilled with the pants and I was more than happy to keep the packaging – thanks to Amanda Syme who brought rain gear and made us both happy campers.

Can’t wait for the stuff swap at the Blog Fiesta meet and greet in June. I have put a big box of stuff aside and now that we are moving I am going to keep adding to my pile as much as I can. Cindy started her pile too and dropped a load of clothing at our place to add on.

Pedro’s Hotel is having a huge  lobsterfest special From June 14-22
3 nights 150 USD – 5 nights 200 USD – 7 nights 230 USD

Crank radio and flash lights galore. Some crank or string pull some battery some even glow in the dark so you can find it right away when the power goes out. Many of my flashlights came from friends and one was my dad’s.

I love my lantern dot-it and dragon lights as well they are super handy.  Since my original getting dot-it from suecate who happens to work at Sylvania I have ordered a 6 pack from amazon and  made this item an addition to my present drawer they make great gifts.

Top right is something new I have yet to try that gailtor brought me a battery operated cell phone charger.

Band-aids -  toucan matches – hurricane safety tips – this is NEMO – advil – ibuprofen – stomach settler packs – lip conditioning treatment -gauze – scissors – q-tips – 3 rain ponchos – package of needle – hand sanitizer and individual wipes – 18 small white facecloth rolls – flask – health preparedness go pack including vinyl gloves hand sanitizing gel – hand sanitizing wipes single use thermometers ear loop masks

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We had some thunder and rain earlier and it looks like the sun is trying to come out now. Been interesting to watch the effects of Gustave here even though we are out of range – Lara and I were talking about weather the other night and how we are learning signs in nature to help predict what’s to come. One example is seeing land crabs looking for higher ground.

Town was super hot today. We went to perk walked around some then ended up at Estels for breakfast.

tq left this aft. We were about to flag a cab and Rick pulled up and said hop in so we did. How lucky was that perfect timing – thanks Rick.

Nooa storm map

I will leave you with Forrest’s pictures from Saturdays catamaran trip

Just got back from Canada

Deck hands take a wee lie down

Paul

Paul

tg and Michele

tg and Michele

Atthe helm the only sober Sailor aboard

tg living it up

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Been up off and on all night listening to wicked lightening and thunder from Tropical Storm Arthur. After checking outside, I realized either I must have selective hearing or was sleeping at the point when all patio furniture and toys ended up in a heap at the end of our balcony.

Neighbors shop sign was lying in the road. I am not ready to venture out yet but I am sure that San Pedro is a bit wind blown right now. I can’t even imagine the folks in San Mateo who are not only wind blown, definitely water logged and likely cold to boot. I woke up cold during the storm and had to get up and get extra covers.

8:05 am Still no internet and water.

Short list – getting longer

Get passports and important papers in one place in waterproof container or bag.
Make sure first aid kit is handy – check what needs to be added or replaced.
Get hurricane food stash in one place – keep adding to stash.
Start Laundry as soon as rain breaks a bit longer and wind dies down.
Stock up on phone credit and water.
Start packing grab and go bag.
Put things up high.

10:55 am
Got internet who knows for how long and blogger wont’ let me in. Went through town heading north Switched to beach at Estel’s water is high and lots of sand washed away. Boat cushions scattered the beach and there were deep trenches in the sand. Looked like a potential gas leak by Cholos

As we passed Phoenix area there was a lot of water to the land side of their sea wall. When we got to Dick and Carole’s to see if we could help him bail the boat, we saw he had just finished. He made us a coffee and then we walked back through town.

(Rang Cullen over coffee and found lots of boats submerged and beach washed away. He said he guessed winds at 45 – 50 mph)

Perk was just opening up and had just got water. We agreed with Cindy C this was more rain than we had for Dean. Decided to head over to the lagoon as middle street looked relatively ok. The lagoon area was very we as was the old football field.

Reminder to all please cut down on forwarding friends and relatives in Belize during times of extreme weather. It just makes it easier for us to keep emails free for fast updates and important communications.

Shout out to all of you who are for tuning into tacogirlblog…

Camarillo, United States – Garner, United States – Reston, United States – Baltimore, United States – Kanata, Canada – Coimbra, Portugal – Madrid, Spain – Slough, United Kingdom – Ziegenhals, Germany – Bucharest, Romania – Milan, Italy – Granville Ferry, Canada – Denver, United States – Scottsdale, United States – San Diego, United States – San Francisco, United States – Raleigh, United States – Sherman, United States – Northbrook, United States – San Jose, United States – Calgary, Canada – Fort Lauderdale, United States – Los Perales, Argentina – Edmonton, Canada – Seattle, United States – Salt Lake City, United States – Austin, United States – Rochester, United States – Butler, United States – Kennewick, United States – Chicago, United States – Caseyville, United States – Mount Laurel, United States – Boca Raton, United States – Burgos, Spain – Korsør, Denmark – Georgetown, Canada – Garner, United States – Cabo, Portugal – Nottingham, United Kingdom – Kista, Sweden – Linköping, Sweden – Wettbergen, Germany – Hauconcourt, France – San Paolo, Italy – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Concord, United States – Boulder, United States – New York, United States – Des Moines, United States – Toronto, Canada – Greensboro, United States – Bartlesville, United States – New Westminster, Canada – Camarillo, United States – Rosemead, United States – Vancouver, United States – Metairie, United States – Indianapolis, United States – Idaho Falls, United States – Yonkers, United States – Scarborough, Canada – Detroit, United States – Dickinson, United States – Albany, United States – Gillette, United States – Calgary, Canada – Houston, United States – London, United Kingdom – Lakeland, United States – Bois D Arc, United States – Albuquerque, United States – Brooklands, Canada – Walnut Grove, United States – Minneapolis, United States – Aberdeen, United States – Cranston, United States – Wichita, United States – Fort Collins, United States – Bruner, United States – Parsippany, United States – Durham, United States – Memphis, United States – Broomfield, United States – Bentley, United States – Macon, United States – Fawnskin, United States – Miami, United States – Steamboat Springs, United States – Plano, United States – Cancún, Mexico – Carol Stream, United States – Richmond, United States – Flushing, United States – Winnipeg, Canada – Nanaimo, Canada – Rockfall, United States – Parksville, Canada – Brandon, Canada – Steamboat Springs, United States -

2:14 pm
Still overcast – wind has died down and town is drying out. Taking the opportunity to get a couple buckets of laundry done and hanging while I am relatively sure it will not go airborne.

6:18 pm Gail just sent me link to Nemo site they have pictures up of southern Belize flooding and Love fm has news and a picture slide show.

Furniture blown

Sign down

Water

Sign blew across the road

Estels

Door covered

Boats on beach

For Chloe

Mind the gap

It’s big

Roots exposed

Boats pulled in

Tree down

High water levels

Exposed pipes

Water on the other side of sea wall

Heading north

Boat cushions were scattered all over

Garbage bag raincoat

Bull dozer heading to Boca Del Rio area

Back street facing north

Lagoon

Puddles

Wind blown

Cisterns

Bailing boat

High water levels

Out and about

Big fish

Old Football field

Wet

Cleaning up

High water levels

lagoon area

Bleachers need new tarp

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Laundry and Belize Electric boarded up

Boats on dry land

Many places are closed – Perk, Coconet and Mickeys are open

Central park – very quiet

Doubeling

Front street

Perk gang

Coleen – Jason – Lyrical King

Alex

Cindy

Dianne and Tracy – Quicksilver Messenger Service

Great day for crabbing

Amigos Del Mar was busy

Faith

Jock

Hanging out

Gassing up Bob’s cart

Boat parking lot

Dry dock

Boats on dry land

Boats in the old foot ball field

4:30 pm
Just got back from a short walk about to take some pictures. I went up middle street as far as Milo’s and back and then down to Tropic area, cut over to the beach and came back home. Town still has that quiet but busy feeling to it.

Andrea Rosie and Julie

Billy’s store

Ladders getting lots of use

Wifi Island

BC’s

Kids wanted a picture then we walked on the beach and chatted a bit about Felix

Boys on the beach

Cannibals

Dry Docked

Boarded up on middle street

Carts in RC School yard

Ballers Barber shop is still open

Pedro in his new t-shirt very fitting

Ran into Zippy and Karen

Pedro’s was busy when we arrived

El Divino at Banana beach Massive burgers were so tasty and the staff delightful

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The coconut phone is active this morning and everyone is feeling relieved. It is nice to see how fast everyone went into action and was preparing for this sooner than later.

Cindy taking our buckets and folding chair to their place in Bob’s cart

12:16 pm
Had a delightful morning at Island Perk. We saw lots of friends and got word that it is green status here and we are in great shape. Sending prayers out to Honduras.

7:16 pm
Even though this has been a crazy experience especially so soon after Dean, seeing the town get prepared early and all our friends first hand over the past few days has made this experience feel much safer and less panicked (except for Sunday night). We have also had concerned friends and family asking us to leave the Island as Colly and Maya mentioned in their blog. We were strongly leaning towards staying here, and We knew Sunday night that our final decision would be made by Monday morning noon at the latest. I can tell you there was a world of difference between Sunday night and Monday morning.

We made the right choice and have heard first hand that it has been a log jam at Belize airport and not enough flights going out. I could not imagine how stressful it would be to have chosen that route versus staying here on the Island with all our friends and enjoying this time.

Cindy and Paul have just turned up to go for a ride around town.

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View at the end of our Balcony

View from our balcony

Looking out or front door

Paul helping Elsa’s son with bags

Re-use recycle – Beto’s place

Ready to go to Orange Walk

Busy on middle Street

Water truck

Lourdes Store

Elvi’s sign comes down

Many of us are washing up

Shutters down

Back street near Super Buy

Busy yet quiet

Boards from Castillos

Side of Elvi’s

Houses look very quiet – or very busy

Elvi’s

Sea Turtle

Middle Street

Mash – stores still open but getting ready – Belize bank closed

Gift shop

Tamara – San Pedro Sun

Madisco

Tourists and some locals are leaving

Planes moving fast

Tropic Air getting people out quickly

Sandy Ed and I

Sandy and Ed – Maya Island Airport

Chon Saan – Pasta La Vista

Chon Saan – Pop and Taco’s deli

Simon and Kathy – in lead cart

Boards ready and waiting

Front street

Town Hall has red flag out

Upstairs is boarded post office not done anything yet

Boards got marked from last time for easy placement

No alcholol sales in Bar after 6 pm was word at Perk

Golf carts chained together in a row and roofs taken off

Carole and Veronique

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