Michael of Sage and Indigo Juice Company

Today is a big day in the recovery of Sanibel from Hurricane Ian. The Sanibel Island Farmers Market has returned!

I interviewed vendors, shoppers, and Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith this morning at the Jerry’s Supermarket parking lot. If you hear this before the market closes today, come on down!

Sharing Stories of Trauma and Recovery

Links

St. Michael & All Angels Church, Sanibel FL

Chico’s women’s clothing, Sanibel

Recovering from Losses in Life by H. Norman Wright

My Kindle Chronicles podcast

###

If you’d like brief updates on technology, books, marriage, and puppies, you can follow along with my Morning Journal flash briefing. From your Echo device, just say, “Alexa, enable Morning Journal.” Then each morning say, “Alexa, what’s my flash briefing?” I post a five-minute audio journal each weekday except usually by 8 a.m. Eastern Time.

Golf Superintendent at The Dunes

Roy Jones is golf course superintendent at the Dunes Golf & Tennis Club on Sanibel island. He spoke with me today about progress the club is making toward re-opening the 18-hole course for play. 

Note: you can hear each episode of the Sanibel Journal on any Alexa device. Just say, “Alexa, enable Sanibel Journal” to add it to your flash briefings. Then say, “Alexa, flash” to hear the latest episode.

Mark Boluis Cleans a Court for Pickelball

Mark is a nearby neighbor of ours who introduced Darlene and me to the game of pickleball more than a year ago. We took our pickleball passion north in May, to Massachusetts and Maine, and were looking forward to reconnecting with Mark and others in Sanibel.

Hurricane Ian left piles of debris and a stubborn film of fine silt on the court. This morning we helped Mark begin the cleanup, which is going to take a lot of hours. His enthusiasm and belief in Sanibel’s recovery are infectious!

Note: you can hear each episode of the Sanibel Journal on any Alexa device. Just say, “Alexa, enable Sanibel Journal” to add it to your flash briefings. Then say, “Alexa, flash” to hear the latest episode.

At work early on Sunday morning

On the third morning of our current stay on Sanibel in a rental house, we heard the loud sound of a truck approaching. When we saw it was one of the double-bin debris-hauling vehicles, I took some photos and asked the guy standing behind the truck if he could tell us a little about the process. 

He turned out to be a Monitor, whose duties do not involve traffic control of any kind. He is responsible for assuring that the right stuff is picked up, and he takes photos of everything.

There is still a lot of debris on Sanibel 67 days after Hurricane Ian hit the island hard. 

BTW, you can hear each episode of the Sanibel Journal on any Alexa device. Just say, “Alexa, enable Sanibel Journal” to add it to your flash briefings. Then say, “Alexa, flash” to hear the latest episode.

As we prepare to travel to our home on Sanibel tomorrow I am in the midst of pointed conversations with insurance reps over the Loss of Use portion of our homeowners’ policy with Lloyds. 

Bikes awaiting us in Sanibel…

This morning we confirmed the rental of a neighbor’s home for December and January, which means we are headed to Sanibel in a week to oversee repairs to our home and do what we can to help out on the island. I can’t wait to be back on Sanibel!

 

General Manager of Jerry’s Foods 

Sanibel Island, FL

Rick Cunningham has been a very busy guy since Hurricane Ian hit Sanibel on September 28, 2022. He and his team got Jerry’s up and running two weeks ago. In this episode of the Sanibel Journal, Rick explains the obstacles that had to be overcome to re-open the store and what he sees ahead for the island.

Note: You can hear each week’s episode of the Sanibel Journal on your Alexa devices. Just say, “Alexa, enable Sanibel Journal” to add it to your flash briefings. Then say, “Alexa, flash” to hear the latest episode.

I usually release new episodes at noon on Wednesday, but I didn’t want to wait until next week to bring you this conversation. Thanks for listening!

Darlene and I got our first look at our home on Sanibel this morning. The ride from our Airbnb in Cape Coral via the miraculously repaird Sanibel causeway was smooth, without delays. Our purple hurricane pass hanging from the rental-car mirror led a sheriff at the checkpoint to wave us on by without slowing down. 

The scenes of devastation on our beloved island are sobering and put us in a kind of shock at first. But as we began connecting with the repairs contractor, our neighbors, and adjusters the work of rebuilding took hold. It will be a long road. I believe it will lead to a stronger community and houses better able to withstand the next storm. 

Stay safe!