May/ 3/10Haiti Trip/Stray Dog Worker's Relief Fund

Allen and I arrived Wednesday afternoon and took a ride up the from the airport and saw only periperal damage. Some of the larger buildings along the way were collapsed, but most everything street side looked fine. An occassional house or storefront here or there were demolished. Because this was Allen's first trip to the island, I tried to see what he was seeing. To him, it looked chaotic. He thought it was a result from the quake, but I assured him it was like the prequake Port Au Prince. When we arrived in Petionville, everything looked as it always does. Our normal hotel looked like one wall had fallen in the garden, but the area looked the same, the hotel looked the same, the staff looked the same. The only thing different was that the park across the street from the Kinam Hotel was packed with tents and people. They look like tent villages, but they are in fact small slums. Petionville was spared alot of the damage that was inflicted on the rest of the city. We had a friend staying at the Kinam Hotel during the earthquake and after the quake he saw nothing wrong and that thought that all was well...little did he know until a few hours later what had happened all around him.

On Thursday morning we went to the bank to change the donated money into Haitian dollars. Allen counted 4 different semi-automatic weapons and one shot gun being toted by the guards in the small bank. Withdrawing the money from our bank account in the States took three minutes the day before we left for Haiti--in Port Au Prince, the transaction took 1 hour and five minutes to get changed into Haitian goudes. Life is simply at a different pace , and even slower now. The electricity in the bank went off twice during that time. Can you imagine rebooting your computer two times an hour. From there we went to Joel and Magalie's house, the owners of the Craftshop, and stuffed envelopes for all the workers. Just writing out there names was a treat...they all have lovely names. But most things sound pleasant in French.

We toured Magalie and Joel's yard, which is their present craftshop until they can build a warehouse. Warehouses are hard to come by in Port Au Prince at the moment , as you can imagine. They have downsized from 30,000 sf, to just their backyard and 10,000 sf more in a building by the airport which they are slowing building on to. Their yard has three large tents and several large shade trees where everybody works. There were lots of birds, bull heads and artichokes being made and drying in the sun. Our crabs are drying on their children's trampoline. I really do not know what these folks will do once the rains start -- that was my fear everywhere we went. As I toured, everyone looked up and said " bonjour. " They have always been a nice lot and they seemed very pleased to be employed.

Magalie had everyone gathered on a porch. There were 67 people in the first location (her backyard). I gave my little speech...that the day after earthquake, our clients called us and asked us what THEY could do for them. Our clients had a direct relationship to them through ART...through their art. I told them we decided to create the Worker's Relief Fund where all proceeds would go directly to them, the workers. I also told them they should be thankful to Joel and Magalie for opening their shop again...that they did not have to...they could have easily have kept their doors closed. I said the money is their money, but to use it wisely...to pay a loan, to fix something that needs fixing, or for medicine. Use the money wisely in a way that will help you. As I read the name of each worker, they quietly would say Present in French, then walk up like school children and shake my hand. They were truly moved by the gesture... Afterwards, several folks gave speeches, thanking Stray Dog Designs and our clients for giving them work and their wonderful gesture of help. It was truly moving. Inside of their envelopes, which they did not open while I was there, was the equivalent of one months salary. For those workers who work most closley with Stray Dog Designs ...those who are the heart and soul of our production, the equivalent of 3 months salary.

Afterwards, Allen and I went up to the parents of Joel's house to see a tent city erected on their tennis court. On that little piece of land lived a total of 270 people, down from 700 the week following the earthquake. The Dresse's had opened up their house for the children that lived in the tent city and their kitchen had a big t.v. set up with kid videos and toy dontations. Just think of having your home opened up to that many people living next door. You can imagine their exasperation , their strain on your systems, but they were pressing on. In their backyard was a tent, where Nixon, one of their key employees lived. It looked like a beautiful place to pitch a tent...but usually when you pitch a tent it is there only for a day or two.

We drove back down toward the airport to the 10,000 sf warehouse where the factory is now located. Next to the warehouse was another tent city that the State had taken over where probably 5-10,000 people were living. Here we gave out another 86 envelopes. After the presentation, one lady stood up and almost cried. She said her she would use her money to buy blood pressure medicine for her husband...they had been unable to purchase it since the earthquake. Another lovely lady showed me her eyeglasses...they were duct taped together...like two pieces of glass wapped in tape and she said the first thing she would do is get glasses.

After all the envelopes were delivered, we drove through downtown Port Au Prince. Whereever there was open land--park, soccer field, rubble--there were tents...mostly printed with US AID on the sides. We went to see the National Palace. It was not unlike seeing the White House caved in upon itself and across the street in a once beautiful park was a tent city. I would imagine 20-30,000 people lived there. The national cathedral looked like something out of Dresden. What was standing were the old French Creole houses as they were mainly made out of wood.

We then drove to Leogane, a city/suburb about 10 miles from Port Au Prince that was close to the epicenter. The drive of 10 miles took about an hour. In the middle of the road, where there was once a median, were now tents. Think of living in the middle of a freeway. It was a lunar landscape as the higway was buckled and bowed, houses and stores were pancaked everywhere. This is the main problem. Most of the houses are made of concrete and the block..the block is used for the walls and are so poorly made (no portland) that one can almost grind in your hand. Ontop of the house, if one had the money, was a concrete roof. When that earthquake shook for 28 seconds, the slab of concrete roofs simply fell and crushed everything beneath them. In Leogane, most of those roofs were down.

At what point do you stop noticing the total destruction around you? At what point does it become the new norm? At what point do blue and gray tent cities stop jumping out at you...how long until they become part of the normal landscape...part of the accepted? At what point do you just resign yourself to idea that your house won't fall it, that your walls are strong enough to sustain an aftershock...that you can go inside and, hopefully, sleep? How, when you've lost everything and there are few to no prospects of jobs, can you even hope to rebuild? What will Haiti's new normal be?

My friend Allen Clark who was travelling with me was going under his hat as a structural engineer. He was requested to inspect some buildings that various aid groups had put up in the mountains over the years...a school, a medical center, a dining hall, a church. We had one stop just outside of Lagone to visit...a family who would not move back into their house because of fear it would cave in. Allen inspected the beautifully built concrete house and gave it the thumbs up. Another neighbor came by and asked if his could be inspected too. Our stop lasted about an hour and a half and a whole neighborhood was relieved.

But no one is actually too relieved right now...everyone is working knowing full well the rains are about to come....with the rains will come disease, heartache, shaken and shorn walls will collapse, new tent foundations will be tested, water will get into cracked spaces and open up more problems. The new norm will be tested.

There is more to this trip...the stay at Lagone's St. Croix Hospital-- the rebuilding there...the trip into the mountains to the small village of Petite Harpon and more...but what concerns you, our friends who helped with this fund and those who sent their wishes...is that the money was delivered and you made a true difference in a lot of people's lives.

And also, what concerns you and me and everyone is that in the midst of all this, is that the people of Haiti...the human condition...have picked up with their lives and have trudged onward, a lot of them into the unknown, but most into the simplified version of the unknown: the day to day. There was commerce on the streets, there was laughter, there were haircuts on the porches, there were flowers, there were crops to tend, goats to watch, bananas to fry, gas to fetch, walls to tear down and rubble to move. There was an acknowledgement to move forward and hope that moving forward was worth it. You can feel a lot of pity in Haiti, but you also can feel a lot of hope.

We thank you, they thank you.

General News By Stray Dog 4:28 PM Comments (1)

May/11/09may days

it is may. and it is gorgeous here. it has rained lots and lots so everything is extra green and extra lush looking...even my yard looks beautiful, and that is saying something, my friend. the peonies are just beginning to pop and the irises are enchanting, the rhododendrons are in full bloom and look glorious, and everything smells delicious. there are little mountain streams gurgling and running all over the place -- it is really something. that is the good part. the bad part is school is almost out. oh dear. time to panic. i hate the last few weeks of school. i promise you i have something to do (school related, that is) every single day until it is over. tomorrow is the county track meet, that will eat my entire day. the next day i have muffins for mommies at one school first thing in the morning and then i have to be at another school to watch the class while the teachers have their teacher appreciation lunch (god knows they deserve it, but still). then next week, i have to drive the third graders to their field trip on Monday, there is an art exhibit on Tuesday, and field day on both Thursday and Friday, blah, blah, blah...it just keeps going until graduation. and then they are out of school and you have to figure out what to do with them for the whole summer! oh god, how does anybody who has kids work? it is HARD.
but that is enough ranting. sorry to be such a ragger on such a lovely day. AND it is pete's birthday. happy birthday to pete!!

By Stray Dog 11:31 AM Comments (0)

Feb/27/09perfect baby girl

so, did i tell you lala and mariano had a baby?(mariano runs our warehouse and lala has taken care of my children for almost 9 years and they got married last christmas......they are also the most wonderful people i know) so, anyway, she is sooo cute and sooo sweet and sooo perfect. her name is mariana(actually mariana estella after my stella....sweeeeet!) and she looks just like a little china doll. fat cheeks and beautiful black eyes. she is smart, and alert , and so strong... and she already sleeps from like 11:00 to 7:00 ...what a genius! oh, i love her.i love her. i love her. i do love a new baby, don't you? they smell gooood. i am a little bit obsessed with her.my family has taken to calling me the freaky grandmother.and the girls(who are also obsessed with her, i might add) are always reminding me she is not MY baby. they also spend alot of time complaing that i hog the baby. they just don't understand that mariana wants me to hold her all the time.she told me so. so there. ha! oh, and i am her godmother, so clearly, i am supposed to hold her all the time.

By Stray Dog 11:26 AM Comments (3)

Dec/22/08Ho Ho Ho

christmas bitch revisited....

ok, have you noticed ? it is that time again.hohoho.hahaha.merry.merry.yikes!

this year is especially fun, right? with everybody wigged out about their finances. it is such fun to xmas shop when you lost your job the week before...now, i will say that the downward spiralling freak show of our economy is making for some bad-ass sales. have you looked on line? everything is on sale. everything. i was so inspired , i put our retail stuff on sale....i mean , who wants to be left out?

i don't know about you , but i am finding myself sort of paralized this year...not really freaked out, just frozen. i think i am in xmas denial. i have done some shopping(on line/on sale) but not alot...and i am not all that panicked for some reason.

i just kind of feel like, oh well, it will get done.

have i bought my in-laws anything yet?? nooooo.

have i sent, or even half-way thought about a xmas card? nooooo.

are the xmas lights up??nooooo.(but that is billy's fault)

have i figured out what to give the neighbors and all the friends that we usually exchange gifts with? noooo.

have i bought my godchild, niece, nephew, brothe, mother, or even billy their presents yet? noooo, again.

i did, actually, make a gingerbread house with my kids this year..AND it was a success! but, guess what? big girl ate it.

now, normally just thinking about all these things would make me hyperventilate...after all, their are like 7 days left...but, you know what? i am not all that worried about it..and, i think that might be healthy...(or it might mean i am in a deep, dark depression and am too stupid to know it)

i am pretty sure i am not being quite as much of a christmas bitch around home, and that might just be a better present for my family that whatever i might buy on-line/on sale this year.

and , you know what i think i might do for all those people i haven't bought presents for?? i think i am going to make a donation in their name to this school on haiti that our church built. i am sure charities are having a horrible time this year. and wouldn't that be easy?....one phone call and a credit card number and they will do the rest. AND i bet they will like that just as well as anything i would buy(on sale)

By Stray Dog 12:48 PM Comments (0)

Oct/28/08my toe hurts

i broke my toe....again. i bet this is the third time in as many years that i have broken a toe. clearly, i have a problem.

i broke it about 3 weeks ago and can still not wear a normal shoe. nor can i take a walk or run after the rabbit when it escapes, or franny when she is bad etc., etc.

it is amazing how important those little toes are.

this time when i broke it, i actually had to go to the doctor. it was my little toe and it was sticking off sideways, kind of like a dew claw -- very attractive -- completely perpendicular to my foot, making closed shoes a thing of the past. the dr. had to put it back into place. i guess i could have done it myself, but i am not that brave.

i broke it on some weights that live on my bathroom floor. that would be the second toe i have broken on the very same set of weights. the really pathetic part is that the weights are merely decorative. i NEVER use them. i should just toss them, of course. but i keep hoping to be inspired,or at least guilted, by their presence in my bathroom. but i am not. and instead of making my arms sleek and firm (or less jiggly, at least) they mangle my toes.

oh well, that is what happens to the lazy and barefooted.

so, today's bit of wisdom is don't be lazy, and protect those toes, you're gonna need them.

jane/designer/stray dog designs

By Stray Dog 10:29 AM Comments (4)

Jul/29/08farm living

did i tell you we have chickens? oh, my, they are cute, i have to admit. i didn't think they were so cute when billy and pete showed up with them and told me they had to live in my house for 2 weeks. anyway, we now, clearly, think we are farmers, which is a huge joke. i am very afraid we would starve, shrivel and die if left to our own devices. we are so pathetic, aren't we? so dependent on all of our fine modern conveniences (but, i am sort of weaned from the cell phone. by the by, mine is still busted and i didn't do anything about it b/c i knew we were going to switch services when the new iphone came out...billy seems to think he will be more handsome and smart with an iphone...so now that has been, what? weeks, at least, and i still do not have a cell phone. and, guess what? i don't care now. ha!)...i've digressed, sorry.

where was i? oh, i know. chickens, grocery stores vs. farms, etc. anyway, i like my chickens, and i like seeing my children with the chickens, and i look forward to the fresh eggs. and i like our garden, and the tomatoes, corn, broccoli, squash, etc. that manage to come to fruition, and i love the feeling i get when the majority of our supper comes from the garden. however, could i chop off those cute chicken heads and pluck them and dress them and fry them in a pan? i think not. and could i live from my garden alone? and tend it well, and can the excess, and store the taters and all those other fabulous homestead-y type chores? alas. alak. no, i could not. my family and i would starve. because i am spoiled. and weak. and maybe even lily-livered (what does that mean, do you think?) and i think we all are. heaven help us if the economy does some sort of freak out and really plummets, cause i'm not sure that we, as a nation (that would be a nation of the rich and spoiled) are quite as sturdy as our forefathers. i wonder how we can recapture some of that independence/drive/strength. hmmm, i will have to ponder that while i watch my children and chickens romp around the yard.

By Stray Dog 10:08 AM Comments (2)