What to do when you first arrive? 9 more days!!!

Cory,
Don't forget your Social Security card, requirement for your WAPA account!

4. Puppies!! -- I definately want a great dog or 2! All i can find is pitbulls

Animal Shelter.

Cory,
Don't forget your Social Security card, requirement for your WAPA account!

Thank You!!!

Haha..Im guessing here but you just saved me a couple hours in line 🙂

Trade: about the shelter, do they have puppies? I really want to train the dogs at a young age..

Cory,
Welcome home!

Please do consider adopting from the shelter. I am in the process of having a street dog treated, neutered, etc. today. I will have him at my house by tomorrow afternoon. I might find it hard to part with him, but when you get here, give me a call. Large dog, maybe Mastiff, not sure. The sweetest dog you ever saw!

No shortage of puppies, for sure.

WAPA you need a notorized copy of your lease and ID and a deposit.

Hurricanes you need easy to prepare food like mac and cheese, ramon noodles, you know.

"...Think i can get there [WAPA] at 2-pm and have lights that night or am i going for candles?"

WAPA can take many days to turn service on. It is faster (and less expensive) to have the power changed from one name to another if the current at your rental hasn't been turned off by the landlord or previous renter.

Let's hope that you're not greeted by hurricanes! But, I compiled a list from a thread on hurricane prep a few weeks ago:

Hurricane Prep:
- Think of what you'd need if you couldn't leave your house for 7 days, and think of what you'd do if you lost all modern conveniences, then stock up based on that.
- Pork and beans are great! Get some Vienna Sausage, Spam, Corned beef in the can
- $400 - $500 cash
- Keep car gas tanks full
- A clean bucket to dip water from the cistern
- Do all your laundry so you have clean clothes
- important papers in a waterproof container in a safe place
- reading material (because it may be many days afterwords without power and phone)
- TP, paper towels
- first aid supplies. It's really easy to get cuts & scratches
- candles, camp stoves, lighter
- flea & tick stuff (The ticks are especially fierce after a storm)
- Mosquito repellent (Lots of Dengue after Marilyn)
- remove/store screen windows (they can be used for damaged windows)
- baby wipes (for cleaning hands and other essential body parts - w/o wasting water)
- Alcohol-free hand sanitizer will also help you avoid using water for cleaning
- Paper plates and plastic utensils
- extra trash bags and kitty litter around in case the toilets don't work
- granola bars, dried fruit, etc.
- pet food
- for dogs: training pads (for them to go to the bathroom on) from Kmart
- non-electric can opener
- battery-powered radio is a good idea, as well as battery-powered stuff to do
- batteries
- water (4 cases)
- books for when the sun's up
- solar water bag showers - the 3 Gal size
- oil lanterns give nice light - batteries don't last; Candles can be dangerous.
- wash-line rope and clothes pins too
- triple plastic bag any electrical things like TV's and such
- www.plylox.com - clips that lock plywood into a window opening
- Unplug everything and put the plugs up high
- Get bed covers, quilts up off the floor so they don't wick water
- Baby diapers for wicking up large amounts of water by doors and windows
- Lock 'n Lock products really and truly work [www.organize.com]

BTW... I'm jealous!

If your lease isnt from a brokerage (like farchette and hanley, remax etc) it must be notorized for them to accept it.

For car insurance you just need to go down there with your paperwork and get some. Marshall and sterling is who you want to have if you get into an accident. They are extremely professional and you will get your money quickly whether the other party has insurance or not. BUT they are not the cheapest, try inter-ocean for a better bargain. Most companies will not give quotes over the phone you will have to drive around.

Please please please please don't pay alot of money for a particular breed. Please resuce a dog from the humane society. If you really want to get involved here and help out, that would be a very wonderful thing to do.

I prefer termenix, some like american pest control and others like olivers(I wouldnt use them at all).

I must have missed something. Wasn't it you that had the brown recluse spider bite on STX? But you are not there yet??

Yeah ive been on island 4 times since last october, my last visit was accentuated by 2 brown recuse bites!! OMG THAT WAS AWFUL!

Im arriving in 9 days and staying for couple years!!

Thank you all for the great info!!!

Richard: love your hurricane list...especially the solar shower!! 🙂

Hey Cory, I can't take credit for any of the items on the list... I just compiled the list from everyone else... they did have great ideas, didn't they...

I use spray insulfoam that comes in cans to seal some doors where water has a tendency to ooze in. eng you can add this to your list

Got it Ronnie... thanks.

Ronnie, doesn't that stuff take the finish off the doors?

So Cory,
What you do with problems wit installed systems after you leave in 2 yrs.? You say you want to help people and now you talking stayin just 2 years? did me miss somthing?:

I dare say the finish on your doors is of little importance after a hurricane. You will probably be repainting and refinishing a lot of things.

So Cory,
What you do with problems wit installed systems after you leave in 2 yrs.? You say you want to help people and now you talking stayin just 2 years? did me miss somthing?:

Yes Jahem you did miss somthing 😮

My family has a piece of land on St Thomas that i hope to start to build something on. We originally intended to start the business on STT, but after so many visits, the ag-fair, all the new contacts for those pushing renewables, the presence of VI Energy main office and a place i never really spent alot of time thats just as great as STT....so...we decided that we will develop things on STX then i will go to STT to expand my world of possibilities!

Juanita, I only mentioned it because I get water under my door after bad storms. I can mop water up on a tile floor but wouldn't bother with the foam if it eats the varnish off my mahogany door. If it doesn't take the varnish off, I might try it. I've been through enough hurricanes to know what to worry about.

Cory,
Me understand. Good mon, me hope it work for you. If me can avice you. Sure youself of good electricians. Me know many here have none license. Me know new inspector, he no play games. Me friend had work done on he panel thoughts him have good electrican. Him no licence but try uses he freinds paper. Him got catched and now me freind has to gete someone else to redo works. Me been here from down island tirty years and me see many electricians geteway wit dis, now da start to crack down. Me know it cost much to make big move here. Me daughtr arrived from ny last spring. Many $$$. If you starte business here cost many more. Me says before me says again many come start work here an leave in year. Make sure yous starts out rights. Keeps it real in expectations, an energy office does not care what land your on, da don't plays favorites. Me knows beven reals well. hes me bruders freind. Energy office won't suck ups to busines days play fair. Justs sos yous knows many mores monies on STT than STX for solar. Wes poorer people can't alls afford it. Me tried to loan for me system ans turn me down. Me have to build me system small wit cash as me go. richie people don't spend money for solar cause they afford wapa. they crip yes, but rader buy boats an stuff like tat. Back home, wes never had power, just usded whats we had from nature. maybes we go back dat ways.

Once you move in, try to meet your neighbors all around and ask them who they prefer for internet. Since the "best" service for you would be the one that works best at your house, your neighbors would have a reasonably good idea of which one that is. Once you know, make the call and surf to your hearts' content!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ADOPT A PUPPY FROM THE SHELTER!!!! they are so sweet and deserve a happy home that I know you will provide.