Water Tanks Must be Moved

At 6:00 a.m. this morning the earth moved again. Another after shock – 6.1 is what they are saying. All I know is that it was scary after what happened last week. Is it ever going to end??

I had to take Serlande back to the hospital at 1:30 a.m.this morning. She was very ill. Odner was on duty so he went with Cecile and I. They admitted her again and Cecile stayed with her. I ran back and forth to the compound, with Odner, to get things she needed. I was not happy about Odner not being on the compound with the children, but it was not safe for me to be out driving alone in the middle of the night. What a dilemma!

I could not leave Ti Luc by himself, in the yard in our mosquito tent, so got Sabine up to stay there with him. When I arrived home at 4:30 a.m. I decided to go to the office and work, instead of looking for a place to lie down. At 5:30 a.m. after falling asleep at the computer, I decided to lie on the swing sofa for awhile. I was lying perfectly still, no movement at all. All of a sudden the sofa started swinging back and forth by itself. I jumped up and found the floor moving and house shaking . I could hear Odner outside my house yelling for me to come out. By the time I got out things had calmed. Odner then informed me that he had watched the top level of my house – water tower level – swaying back and forth, just as it had done with the quake a week ago. It really scared him.

The top level with the tanks must be removed. It is too dangerous.

Today, I decided that the most important project at the moment is to get the water tanks off the top of my house. That level has to come down. This morning’s swaying has done more damage. I have decided to start construction tomorrow on a place for the tanks just behind the fence at the back of my house. Men will be coming to start digging out for the foundation tomorrow morning. This cannot wait!!! It will have a good foundation and will be constructed with LOTS of rebar. My house is not safe with those tanks up there.

Tomorrow is going to be an extremely busy day here onsite. It is the day to pour the cement roof on the new construction project the group from Canada were working on.. The compound will be filled with people tomorrow. They will be busy as beavers working on their dam.

The bank in St. Marc might open again tomorrow. I know that after being closed since the quake that the line ups will be atrocious,. I plan to leave here at 7:00 and head to St. Marc in hopes of getting in the line before it gets toooooooo long. If it is as bad as I expect it to be, I will not be hanging around for money. Apparently, there is a daily limit, $2,500.00, that a person can withdraw.

I am very overtired. I am falling asleep at the computer again. I am off to bed in the yard with Ti Luc. I will be hoping and praying that I get up to solid earth beneath my feet tomorrow morning.

~Karen