If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have.....

Hello 2017. Who would have thunk it? No resolutions, no changes other than it is funny how life goes on, and we change here and there but remain basically the same. I hope to continue to take to the road inthe hopes of refining the good, and hiding the bad. It never really leaves us, be it misbegotten relationships, grief and just plain poor judgement. I step forward into month # five of rains that are a new addition to paradise, and thankful there was enough sun and dry(almost 2 weeks) to seal the roof post repairs. So dry I will be, and safe, and pasty white. I kept thinking the rains would lead me here, but the increase in rain and clouds is proportional to the internet, in a negative sense, so I have written so many things, in my head. And with my advancing memory deficit, they are quite gone. The funny thing about the rains, (discounting the bridges that have washed out, the roads that have been damaged, the houses that have been flooded and washed away, lives lost, crops devastated) is that in the midst of threatening clouds, rains, wind, the sun will pop out, a rainbow appears and the false hope begins, only to be dashed in a matter of moments. Sometimes it is torrential, sometimes soft, sometimes I can hear the ocean roar, sometimes the birds and frogs are yelling at me. My garden is growing as it never has, cisterns full, the geese and lone male duck(the Mrs. chose to fly the coop) are verbose and pleased, the pavement is clean and devoid of trash, there is obvious good that comes with rain, even when it is too much. It has been sad for the people here, who live according to how their parents and grandparents and back to the Tainos lived. There is no preparation for the future, and no one to call or help. They simply make the best of whatever the next day brings. I took someone for a drive and a comment was made(Ugly Americans are still ugly) about how many furniture stores there were out in the countryside...I did my best not to deliberately run into a water-filled ravine(which would only punish me in the long run) and noted that these were personal belongings (of every kind: mattresses, clothing, furniture, rugs, appliances..) laid out carefully along the road to dry. Yet there is no anger, or bitterness, or blame to be seen, just resolve to figure out how to meet the days needs, and do this together with family and neighbors. The New Year shows not much immediate promise: I watch the weather on the computer, as internet allows, and listen carefully to what the earth tells me, what my gut says, and take it day to day, as do my fellow Dominicans. They teach me daily about stress and use of my resources, as they awaken to the raw challenge of daily survival without a thought of their tomorrows. Nothing is in their power to change what the amazing planet bequeaths us all. And the beat goes on....