Ponce Chronicles the Fourth: And Then There Was Dark
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We have been in Ponce for two weeks. Everything is a blur, including some of the stray cats who dash by, nearly invisible. The to-do list has grown like triffids. Here’s Allysen’s rundown, before things started cascading: I need a … Read More

Ponce Chronicles the Fourth: Happy New Year!
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Happy Belated New Year, everyone! We started our new year in Ponce, Puerto Rico, where we’re beginning another round of upkeep, repair (yes, including Hurricane Maria repair, a year and a half later), and steady upgrading of Allysen’s mom’s house … Read More

Ponce Chronicles: Down to the Wire
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Our time here is nearly up–we’re down to hours now–and there is so much yet to do! I spent most of the last two days rebuilding some of the outdoor stairway railing that Hurricane Maria demolished. Finishing that job, and … Read More

Ponce Chronicles: Beauty Amid the Struggles
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One of the striking things about Ponce, and I guess much of Latin America and the Caribbean, is that there’s so much beauty right alongside the poverty. I don’t always notice, because we’re so focused on working to fix things … Read More

Ponce Chronicles: Getting There Is Half the Fun
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The Northeast blizzard of early January delayed flights everywhere. Daughter Jayce headed down a day later than planned, and Allysen’s mom returned to Boston from a visit to L.A. two days late. Still, my flight seemed a go, three days … Read More

Ponce Chronicles: Déjà Vu Strikes Again!
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If you remember my chronicles of the last couple of Januaries, it’s happening again. We’re in Puerto Rico, repairing damage to the house that Allysen’s parents built. Last year we got it all fixed up and available to rent, at … Read More

The Ponce Chronicles: The Work Force Awakens, Pt. 4: Plug & Pray
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Chasing leaks. That’s how this trip started, what with tearing up a tile floor to find out where upwelling water was coming from. (We never did, not really. We couldn’t replicate the problem after the tile was up. We have … Read More

The Ponce Chronicles: The Work Force Awakens, Pt. 3
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It’s 3 a.m. here in Ponce, and I just heard my daughter Jayce take off for home. That is, I heard the rumble of a JetBlue Airbus take to the skies from Mercedita Airport, which I used to be able … Read More

Ponce Chronicles: The Work Force Awakens, Pt. 2
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The pool deck at start of day yesterday, many shredded sanding belts into the job. The Work Force really hates sanding. The pool deck at day’s end, many rivulets of sweat later. (We did other stuff, too.) Can you spot … Read More

Ponce Chronicles: The Work Force Awakens
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Okay, I said I wouldn’t write much about it, but here’s a quick update. We’ve been in Puerto Rico for a week, give or take, and have even been joined by our friend Crystal, visiting from California. In general, the … Read More

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