The Ponce Chronicles (Part 1)(1/29/2016)-January 9-26, 2016. I have just returned from another dimension. That’s the way it feels, returning to Boston. I have been in Puerto Rico for the last two and a half weeks with one wife and one daughter, frolicking in … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 2)(1/30/2016)-Settling In—Without Running Water. The harshest immediate reality is that there’s no city water to the house. It was turned off after “Veronica” left, and the bureaucratic obstacles to getting it turned back on are formidable. We’ve arrived on a weekend, … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 3)(1/31/2016)-After our success with Acueductos (the water department), we can shower in our own home at last! This seems to cry out for a poetic interlude. After Acueductos (by Allysen Palmer) Water flows everywhere. Ah, rain, sleekly satin fingertips running … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 4)(2/1/2016)-January (something) — work proceeds apace. Time begins to take on a liquid quality, generally starting at 7 a.m., which is when workers around here like to get started. Not our best time of day! But making coffee and greeting … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 5)(2/2/2016)-Friday Jan. 15: Paradise lost. This is the day when the sewer line to the septic tank backs up onto the tile floor of the downstairs rooms, which thankfully are unoccupied. Not good, not good at all. I beeline … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 6)(2/3/2016)-The labors of Jayce. Jayce, known to her immediate family as Julia, has taken on the surprisingly herculean task of scrubbing the kitchen cabinets. This is a tropical clime, and it appears that the aforementioned tenant has not done any … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 7)(2/4/2016)-Lemon! Or lime? Since arriving in Puerto Rico, we have not been eating solely at Subway; it just seems that way. Subway, after all, makes healthy sandwiches, quickly, for a good price. And there’s a Subway close to Home … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 8)(2/6/2016)-Bureau of Certificates Bureau. This story is Allysen’s. She has several critical tasks involving government bureaucracy, and it’s a while before she’s able to get away from the hill long enough to tackle these. In her words… I have to … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 9)(2/9/2016)-Timber-r-r-r! Video at 11! Michael and his brother Manuel have come on board to take down some trees that are endangering the buildings. When I say “buildings,” it probably sounds like we’re on an estate. But no, this is … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 10)(2/10/2016)-Mineral hot springs! In our one vacationlike excursion, we take the first full Sunday afternoon to drive to Coamo, where live the famous Coamo Thermal Springs. Apparently known to the Taino Indians and later to the Spanish settlers, the natural … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 1) (1/29/2016) - January 9-26, 2016. I have just returned from another dimension. That’s the way it feels, returning to Boston. I have been in Puerto Rico for the last two and a half weeks with one wife and one daughter, frolicking in … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 2) (1/30/2016) - Settling In—Without Running Water. The harshest immediate reality is that there’s no city water to the house. It was turned off after “Veronica” left, and the bureaucratic obstacles to getting it turned back on are formidable. We’ve arrived on a weekend, … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 3) (1/31/2016) - After our success with Acueductos (the water department), we can shower in our own home at last! This seems to cry out for a poetic interlude. After Acueductos (by Allysen Palmer) Water flows everywhere. Ah, rain, sleekly satin fingertips running … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 4) (2/1/2016) - January (something) — work proceeds apace. Time begins to take on a liquid quality, generally starting at 7 a.m., which is when workers around here like to get started. Not our best time of day! But making coffee and greeting … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 5) (2/2/2016) - Friday Jan. 15: Paradise lost. This is the day when the sewer line to the septic tank backs up onto the tile floor of the downstairs rooms, which thankfully are unoccupied. Not good, not good at all. I beeline … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 6) (2/3/2016) - The labors of Jayce. Jayce, known to her immediate family as Julia, has taken on the surprisingly herculean task of scrubbing the kitchen cabinets. This is a tropical clime, and it appears that the aforementioned tenant has not done any … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 7) (2/4/2016) - Lemon! Or lime? Since arriving in Puerto Rico, we have not been eating solely at Subway; it just seems that way. Subway, after all, makes healthy sandwiches, quickly, for a good price. And there’s a Subway close to Home … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 8) (2/6/2016) - Bureau of Certificates Bureau. This story is Allysen’s. She has several critical tasks involving government bureaucracy, and it’s a while before she’s able to get away from the hill long enough to tackle these. In her words… I have to … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 9) (2/9/2016) - Timber-r-r-r! Video at 11! Michael and his brother Manuel have come on board to take down some trees that are endangering the buildings. When I say “buildings,” it probably sounds like we’re on an estate. But no, this is … Read More
The Ponce Chronicles (Part 10) (2/10/2016) - Mineral hot springs! In our one vacationlike excursion, we take the first full Sunday afternoon to drive to Coamo, where live the famous Coamo Thermal Springs. Apparently known to the Taino Indians and later to the Spanish settlers, the natural … Read More