A start on some photos for yas.

Ruth and Jack planning our next move: the takeover of the world



The cake that Caroline's grateful employer got for her birthday. It was quite something, let me tell ya.



The floats in the parade were a little different than we have in Detroit on Thankgsiving. Like we might have say, Cap'n Crunch ridinga flying saucer and pounding oversized mustard while he whips his elves, they just drive around with float after float of dudes hauling sparsely decorated kegs of beer around. Beer kegs, band, scantily clad women, beer kegs, brass band, scantily clad women, etc. etc. Kind of hard to watch after a while . After the first two hours the crowd's attention seemed to appear that it might wane if it kept any longer than a couple more days. They're a very simple people. Meat. Beer. Sex. Engineering. Taking over the world. What else is there, if you really think about it?




Here's the crowded beer tent. Good luck getting one of those fabled "beers."




Here's what it llooked like in there the day before.



Oi. Hola. Ay. Arr. Etc.

J here.


Today is... (pause while I ask) Sunday. We've been here since Wednesday. So far we have had the following malfungtions. Can't remember what day it is. J got sick. Ruth got sick. Caroline got sick. J getting sick again. Aaron alive and well, missed a couple planes tranes and automobiles to get here but got in for a quality time. I bought the Eurail "asaver" not the "flexi" and turns out it was the wrong bpass, so tomorrow we need to exchange it. The memorty card in the camera crapped out so we assume our first 4 days of pix ar lost. So, what follows witll be some since then. As in, since yedsterday morning. Again, sorry for te typos. (no delete key as I mentioned earlier, and below). Going to meet MIcheles friend Michael for Lunch to say hello.

What else? OCtover fest yesterday started (that's how they say , spell and capitalize it here). The place was MAD. We had a great time with Aaron, walking and chatting, and cautht the parade in the a.am, but blelieve it or not, it was very difficult to get beer there. You can only get it at a table, and the tables fwere full, and the tents were waiting room for the tables basically. We did get one each finally. Symbolic, largely.

I think I'll put the photos in and just add captions, since I think they will tell the story of th eday best.

Okay, love. Jack OUT. Sue adn Dave, if you are reading this: thank you AGAIN so much for watching our beloved hunden (my guess as to how they say it here), and please give them our regards, our love, our kisses, hugs, and any other sweet everythings that you feel are appropriate. We are so glad they are with people we love and trust and without you, we couldn't be here. Thank you. Thank you.

Jack really OUT.

we made it, and all that rot

Okay everybody. We're here. Don't a go call the c oast guard and such. Safe and sound. Not a hair on our heads mussed even. Oh, before I go further. GaCarolyine's delete key is bust so I'm not going to correct my mistakes as I go. Like her name. Avbove there. It's her birthdya by the way. Wish the old girl a (and a I do mean old) a good one.

It's Thursday they tell me. I started with "Monday?" and went from there. I LOVE never knowing what day it is. I'm fairly sure it's (I literally had to and still am thikniking as I type) it's SEPTEMBER. Yup. That's it.

Two

Man I wish her delete key worked. I'm dtoo lazy to go back an ighighlight each mistake. And that's LAZY. Okay I gotta tell chris we awanna come early to visity, and I have to eamail someont to clall my pore ole musdder to tell her we're safe.

XOXO. GOt some sweet pictures to put up. They'll be following shortly. These Germans are hilarious as I remember...

another xoxoxox and another hugh (whoops, I wouldnt' wish that on anyone)hug to Laura for getting me this backpack I'm still using 20 years later. I would have neber bought that myself. You know me well, as being an extremely cheap (I mean THRIFTY)bastard (I mean fellow.).

Later
Jackle Smamckle

Next venture...

Ruth and I are leaving you all for a bit... We're off to visit Caroline in Munich (or "Munch" as they say over there), and then up to Mulhausen to see Chris Lison, Matthias Astrid and Yvonne, and then on to Nice to see Ruth's buddy Aaron. We're hoping to track down my friends Keti or Dunja, but it's looking unlikely. After Nice, we're going to spend 15 days straight traveling, maybe into the old Soviet bloc, (block? Whatevs.) to see some places we've not yet seen. Definitely got to get to Vlad Dracula's castle, the catacombs of bones in Rome, etc. WE might even have time to sneak a beer in during Oktoberfest. That's German for "wasted German" by the way.

Okay, love and hugs. Oh, and beer.

Jack (and the RUther)
Please give Cash and MIckey kisses, hugs, bones and scratched bellies. We miss them and we haven't even left yet.

Ruth - Wed June 3rd 11AM

Ahhh, another day another dollah... Just got back from a 3-miler in the overheated fitness room. A run at 9 in the morning with no air conditioning in this Florida heat reminds me that we're meant to sweat.
Jack is a little less wise - he had his bottom right wisdom tooth removed yesterday. It was causing a deal of pain and soreness so he shelled out the cash to have the sucker yanked. The procedure is worth it no matter the cost, but I still figure we save money compared to paying for insurance year-round. I bought him tons of jello, pudding, and mac n' cheese to get him through the week. Then I spackled and textured some touch-up areas then painted a second coat of trim in the master bathroom. That was yesterday.
Today I am about to paint a second coat in the whole master bath, then caulk the baseboards and trim. We'll see where I stand after that. Javier is still with us, thankfully, and both he and Jack are working at the other condo (the one we don't live in). Javier is putting up baseboard and trim and Jack is putting in the speakers and knobs for the surround-sound I helped him wire.
I finally saw a doctor and he hooked me up with some antibiotics for this throat infection that's been kicking my ass. I also scored this hardcore nasal spray to clear up my sinuses that have gotten so out of control that it has stuffed up my hearing. I know, we're total wrecks haha but I'm glad to be on the recovery side of the scenario.
Time to slip on the 'phones and crank it up.
Let's have some fun, this beat is sick....

Hi everybody, I'm still lame...

Just a quick post to let you all know we're still here, creeping along, nothing too new to report. Cut that Charlie loose, because he was so slow, and Javier lost his father this last week, so that set us back some. Poor guy. I hurt my knee too, boxing. Some kinda tendon strain, and then today was a wash because I had to get a tooth pulled. I was tired of brushing it.

Getting into the rainy season here, and the backyard is turning from dirty dirt to green. Butterflies are out, there's few bugs, but at night the frogs and the other crickets and stuff make a huge racket. It's great. The people have been really nice lately, we've been enjoying the neighbors here and there as we talk in passing. Really starting to look sharp in here, and still no pictures for you. Like I said, I'm lame. I won't speak for Ruth. She's been busy. The dogs are well, and very silly. I'll get going, these vicodin (for the tooth) have me feeling pretty sick, and not really that clever. I guess I'm just getting on here to say I miss you all. And Ruth does too. Look forward to seeing you all.

Jack

Sorry for my lame arse

Yup. I know it's been a while. We've been BUSY! Let up already. Anyway, Ruth and I are busy working on the crib(s). I don't know where to start, because nothing specific to report, but at the same time, there's always something going on.

Ruth and I are trying to live balanced lives, and since the first apartment (the one we're living in) is mostly free of dust now, that's way more possible. We're taking advantage by preparing - whoops. RUTH is preparing regular meals... Whoops. And Javier, and we're trying to get exercise regularly, and live like sane people. Believe me, it ain't our forte. So Ruth has been running and hitting the gym, and I've been hitting the gym and signed up for a boxing gym. It's pretty cool, but at first I got a little frustrated that they wouldn't let me in the ring (wow, deja vu, just like Detroit, boxing rings that won't let you box, but like you to pay dues and stand there), but finally today I got to at least train in the ring and go four rounds with the owner's brother. Good stuff. Not like actually sparring even, just hitting the gloves and whatnot. But it's a good workout, I don't normally sweat hardly, but there I come back soaked. Four rounds on the jumprope, four on the heavybag, maybe six on the speedbag, shadowboxing two or three, and in between hitting the double ended bag. It's two hours that speeds by, but it kicks your ass. I've been doing that and the weights too, so I'm pretty pleased with my self. I'm trying to lose some weight too (Ruth gave me about 30 pounds for a wedding present), but we'll see about that part.

Check this out though: Ruth has been running. I mean she RUNS. This girl casually mentions to me today that she ran 7 3/4 miles today. I don't know if I've ever run that far TOTAL in my life, and never as fast as her, even when I was chased. I'm just kidding. I never run away, I just get decked and get a concussion. Har har. That (my bachelor party night) was the first time I was ever knocked down, even in Chicago, fighting a pro, when the first row was clearing because my blood was getting on them too much, that sucker couldn't drop me. Ask Carolyn Smith about that. She saw that silliness. What a mess. Great fun. But what a mess.

So our place is looking good, I don't know if there's been many pictures up lately, in fact, I know there isn't. I'll get to it. GET OFF MY BACK! But my Mom and Burt's place is coming along well too, we hired this guy Charlie for 15 an hour. He's okay, kinda slow. I guess he had some medical problems, so he gets tired kinda quick. I put an ad on Craig's list for 9-15 an hour, and got 80 REPLIES in about 6 hours on a sunday night. Honestly, we could do a lot better, but this guy needs this job like we need a person, even though right now it's a CRAZY buyer's market, we're gonna keep him if he doesn't drop the ball or anything. He's older, he needs it, he does okay, and that's that for now. Maybe we'll get someone else to come and pick up his slack when he gets all wored out.

We have the floors more or less done in both places, the sheetrock, the plumbing (no fixtures in in the other place) the wiring (fixtures only in one place), and cabinets and counter in one only. Ruth just put together the cabinets (besides cooking me stuffed cabbage, running 7 3/4 miles and much much more) today, so tomorrow, I'm hanging those suckers. I'm having Charlie start putting in the sockets, and Javier has most of the doors up and is moving on to baseboard and trim.

Okay, now I'm having a rum and coke, and watching the Sopranos. I gotta letcha go.

Yeah, some blog huh? Boring stuff. Oh, last thing. I met Freeman Barr today at the gym, a world champion. From the BAHAMAS. Maybe one day I will spar with him. Then he can knock me on my ass. Until then, my friends, dream a little dream...

Horrible people from Florida

Okay, here's a few more photos, including the colors, Mom, so that you can check 'em out. I'd write more, but I'm a busy, busy man. And by "busy," I mean "lazy." I'm laying that fake wood stuff in our condo. I don't know man, it's a new thing for me... It's kinda inexpensive, a buck and some a foot, and kinda faster to put in, but it's more or less compressed paper, with a super hard finish on it. The tongues and grooves are very fragile, (it being... ya know...PAPER), so you have to make sure not to look at it too hard while you're installing it, or letting your hair brush it or something, which could be disastrous. The top face of it seems to be pretty tough though. We'll see. And help us all if you get it wet, because they say if it gets the slightest amoung of moisture on it it actually explodes and then bursts into flame.

We'll see.

The guy who sold it to us was a nightmare too. He was one of those people who really needs you to like him, so he makes dumb jokes. The more you recoil in horror, the more need he feels to connect, so the closer he gets, the louder and the "funnier," according to him. It finally got quite uncomfortable with this guy. He kept trying to be funny, and wasn't, and bragging about stupid things, and then bragging about how they all drink after work, and on and on. Pretty much Andy from the office. How clever. It seems I meet some decent people here, but in addition, I keep meeting some really horrible people here too. Yesterday at the gym, the mother and son, who, when not debating whether the military was meeting it's recruitment goals to continually replace those dying in Iraq, were discussing (rather loudly) how their family is in a big fight right now because some of them say there's no such thing as hell, and that "my god would never be so mean," and others disagree and thought it was blasphemous, and all are in a tizzy about their afterlives, as though they have some say on the subject. It would be kinda cute if they were in a sandbox and they were six. And I was on the monkey bars. Where I belong. Because I'm a monkey, according to a Baptist I once knew, because I think I'm descended from 'em. Ah, dear. I really am kinda monkey like though. I really am. Mostly in my oral hygeine, but also in my taste in playground equipment. Oh yeah. Apparently someone in their family is also a judge, which is a big religious quandary for them and the extended family, because it says in the Bible "Judge not..." etc. Yes, they were SERIOUSLY interpreting that passage to mean this guy should not hold the OCCUPATION of judge. Imagine that, a whole family of geniuses. Must run in the blood.

(Editor's note: while typing this, Ruth just came in and recounted a story, unsolicited, about a guy she saw yesterday who had his whole back window done in a confederate flag that said in huge letters: "You just don't get it! It's not about you, it's about the GOVERNMENT!" whatever that means. Anyway, it proves my point about this place being an evil circus...)

Finally, Ma and Son Hell were overwhelmed by my (somewhat diabolical) psychic mind control, and left me, as I psychically (that is SO not spelled that way) instructed them, to go very very far from me, and then to really shake 'em up I sent 'em to temple to face east and worship mother earth. When they left to writhe in their spiritual agony, they were immediately, as though it were scripted, replaced by their polar opposite, a guy who was way too NOT uptight. This guy had to start spouting off his racism ("I'm from Romulus Michigan. Up there I gotta crawl over 9 black ones to get to one white one. Down here, they got tail hoof-in-hand..." and that's just the beginning of what he got spouting off about... Don't ask me what that means, either. I didn't ask, I was too busy sticking sharpened sticks in my ears. Another nugget was, like everything he said, unsolicited: "I gotta get me some new shorts man. These ones here make me look like some kinda QUEER!") At that point, I dove through a plate glass window screaming, then walked to the pool to check out what that was like. Once there, I found my racist workout buddy had followed me "hey man. I heard you talkin' on the phone earlier. You some kinda rocker or somethin?" I repsonded by going to the other end of the pool and there found an equally talkative dude who apparently is going overseas (he can't remember what country, but it's one of the northern ones) to do cage fighting. At that, I looked for a plate glass window to dive through, and exited the pool.

Maybe Florida is a place for everyone to migrate to from around the country who just didn't get enough attention as children.

But then dig me, posting my tribulations and criticisms for the world to pore over on this here blog. Ironic, huh? Let me get back to my purpose then, posting the colors of your condo, Phyllis, so that you can decide if they look okay. And by the way, Mom, I got plenty of attention as a kid. I mostly put this blog up for you and the rest of our people in case you're super bored you can see that we are too, so much so that I post complaining about people that sell us flooring, and then not feel so bad.

I spend 24 hours a day with Ruth, in bliss, then walk outside for 5 minutes and realize the whole world is populated by the inane and insane. Ruth, where are you?

On to the photos! Vamoush!

(Edior's note: The above is pure fiction. In reality, everyone in Florida is both handsome and popular.)






glass block surprise. Wait'll you see THIS, Phyllis...



Luiz. I just had to take a few pictures of this guy, it was so hilarious. I don't miss those days when I'd get done and look like this.



Wiring by Jack




It was Sunday, and there was only one room left to do, so Javier let 'em take their time and drink beer while they worked...



Javier bitching about the work in that same room, wondering what happened...

Luiz as "the snowman"



If she wasn't getting more done than anyone, I'd still pay her to hang around and be beautiful...



our drywall crew




Mom's dining room pass through. Note the wires for spotlights...



Luiz y Jose

Phyllis and Burt's colors up on the wall

We only used purple mold resistant drywall in both condos. It cost a little more, but hey, we're worth it!



4239 Living room, kitchen, dining room and hall color



the front two rooms from down the hall



Master bath color, paler yellow



Master bedroom color. A brighter stronger version of the master bath color.

Photos 4-25-09

My friend Jose working. (Did you hear about the Honduran guy who had two sets of equipment? One he named "Jose," and the other he named "Hose B."



Javier Blanco. (after spraying primer)



glass block night light



fernando y manny, the drywall finishers



Everybody wants to get in on the act

mom-here's another passthru pic

Ah, it's great to have a birthday, huh? Javier smashed about 5 eggs on Jose's head, which, I have to say, I found utterly delightful. From now on, if you have a birthday, you get an egg on your head, consider this fair warning. And if you don't read the blog... well, you should've read the blog, eggy.




I think this is a nice picture showing the pass through. I think it's worth keeping.

It's always great talking on the phone to you, Phyllis. You're the best. Keep thinking COLOR!

Mom-here's your passthru pics

Ruth comin' to... you know... kill ya.



Dining room glass block



Duck, duck, goose, or for the Simpsons generation: woohoo! woohoo! Doh!

Like Icarus flying too close to the sun, or a moth to a flame, Manny moved his airmattress too close to the carpet strips



here's the pass through wall. If you make the part closest to the wall a closet, and you make the other part a half-wall, you'll lose the arch, and the support of the post on the end of this wall. It's weak without that vertical post. It either needs to be made much wider (cutting into the kitchen space), or if that post is removed, then a post would need to be put down into the cement and set in there, or anchored somehow, etc. Some things to be considered...



The repetition of the two arches. This is a theme (above some doors, both pass throughs)...

THANKS FOR FOLLOWING

A big hug and a thanks to Christine Webster, Tabatha, and MTLIANG (I'm drawing a blank on this name- is that you Angie? [MeTaLANGie?] Just a guess.) For being followers, the only time I've ever known you to be such. And Orla and Brian, the originals.

Makin' a brother feel appreciated over here. Awwww...

Love you guys.

Jack

Purty flar

That thars a flar. This un been done sprung up right on outta da dirt like some doggone polecat with a fahr under his hind-end. The back here was pretty much a field of dirt and shells, but the first rain we had in a month maybe, suddenly brought all kinds of life. Green vines shot out every which way criss-crossing the place, searching for something to strangle, and tiny plants popped up under propped up shells. This one purple flower was the only one of its kind that I saw in those few hundred yards back there. It made me think of Edward Abbey, who would write about how the desert appears to be dead, until nighttime, when it's teeming with life, or when it rains when the whole place just goes crazy, everything having been on hold until that precious moisture. Like this guy. That thars a purty flar.

more pics of the new locale by Jack

sunrise este manana



desayuno de Javier este manana



shells in our backyard. It stands to reason, but is still kinda nuts that because Florida used to be underwater, just like New Orleans, for thousands or millions of years, there's hardly any rocks. Just petrified shells, and more shells. The dirt is just crushed shells. You dig a hole, you're just digging through a shell pile. Huh!



Large animal prints out back. Saw some in a straight line (large cat tracks) but didn't take pics. Apparently there are a lot of cougars, coyotes, and of course, alligators here. Pets have to be watched closely, even the fiercest of Mickeys or the most terrible of Cashes must be alert and ever vigilant...



Sunset today

jackphotos 4-13-09

Boat Javier has his eye on. Two new rebuilt engines.



More of our new decor. Tables I made for us to stand on while working on nem 9 foot ceilings.



Hanging up some purple rock.



Great success!



"Ice maker in=cold drinks that don't come in cans=whisky on the rocks=trouble." (original photo title)
"Okay, I'm ready to WORK!!!!" (alternate photo title)

My first furnace. Apparently installing furnaces is something I also do now. Albeit half-assedly. Like how I butcher the english language, using those two words together. And what's worse... I can't be stopped! Next up: my weather machine. When I control the weather AND the english language, I'll be able to control the WORLD. When I can control the world, I'll be able to control what's on the radio. Once I can control the radio, I can control what commercials are on the radio. When I can control what commercials are on the radio, I can control what price ice cream is advertised for on the radio, and make them give me ice cream at unimaginable discounts. Or I can get a coupon. I'm still deciding.




Cash has been doing a bit of modeling lately. The agent guy says he has potential.



Dinner is served.



Our new decor. We actually like the color of this purple mold resistant drywall. Kinda scary. Everyone likes it, the other guys working, us, everyone. A totally purple house. Have we all gone mad? Maybe someone else has concocted a weather machine and is controlling our thoughts to force us to pick odd decor to control ice cream prices in some roundabout way. Ice cream, you'll be the death of me!!!



Me and Javs, a-wrasslin. He won the right hand, and I the left. He didn't want to wrestle-wrestle, so I think he let me win one to let me feel better. That lovable big lug.

jack's latest picage

my buddy Javier, who was hanging most of the drywall, and is now leading his crew hanging all of the rest of the drywall



Redsox training ground. Red flowers. Red socks. Get it? Debra, Leo, you see that?



There's all these ducks hanging out in this one gas station. They're beautiful, and no water in sight. I can't explain exactly what they're doing there. I guess ducks in gas stations is just one of nature's miracles.



The women in Fort Myers are quite stunning, as you can see...



I managed to take a flying dive while switching on the camera and snapping this picture when I saw this massive frog flying toward me.