By Jessica Carrera

Hola mi tia.

Well yeah there was another “blackout“. Which is funny because most of us don’t have lights anyway and are using generators.  On Sunday my neighborhood got lights. We heard “llegó la luz llegó la luz,” turned our breaker on and we are pretty much the only house now on my block with no lights. I had a meltdown and could only sit and cry.

The electric company told Eduardo that it would be a few weeks before our lights come on because of the downed electric pole from the hurricane that is still on the patio. Which they didn’t remove!  “Few weeks” in Puerto Rico time is months. No lights or cookies for Christmas.

My sense of humor is leaving me. I know I’m more blessed then many but I’m tired. I’m tired of being hot all the time, of being in a dark house. By 7:30, it feels like 11 and it’s time for bed. If we turn our generator on early it goes off at 4am and then I feel like death.

Darkness, looking outside and seeing my neighbors have lights– and us, no. I’m tired of sleeping on an air mattress under the ceiling fan in my living room with the girls on sofas beside us. Every time Eduardo moves on the air mattress I go flying into the air. Haven’t slept in three days.

Traffic  is awful all the time, hour and a half both ways to pick the girls up and drop them off at school, lines everywhere, having to go every day to the supermarket because I’m scared to keep meat in the refrigerator too long.

My days are spent at the Boys and Girls Club helping move things and organize donations. I’m old and the baseball court where donations are feels like it is about 200 degrees and my back hurts. I’m whining. I’m sorry.

Went to the communities a few times to give groceries. The housing project apartments are not legally allowed to have gas stoves! Since there is no electricity the people there can not cook hot meals for their children. 56 days of eating out for all meals, how is that possible for those living in housing projects?

I took diapers and formula to a hospital yesterday.

We went to Ciales over the weekend and were able to give 47 families groceries and water. Such a blessing. The mountain is a mess. One house was totally gone and they were living under a tarp in front of where the so called house was. So sad. The people were so nice and appreciative. I cried when I handed out the first box.

I have a mountain of laundry and mosquitoes are driving me insane. Life in Puerto Rico now.

We are going to Eduardo’s aunt’s house for Thanksgiving. So far she has lights–when there are no “blackouts”.  I’ll bring wine.

Luv u.

Jessie Carrera lives in Carolina, Puerto Rico with her husband Eduardo and two young daughters. Eduardo is the Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Clubs in Puerto Rico.  Their home was directly in the path of the hurricane.  Since then they have used a generator that is only able to power the refrigerator and ceiling fan.  When the girls finally returned to school, they had no lights, air conditioning or internet connection.  Jessie is the niece of SDFP editor Anna Daniels.