sunrise. Another cursed sunrise.
makin coffee
did I put this in here twice? whoops.
Greetings from Eleuthera.
sun set
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
3-16 pickles
sunrise. Another cursed sunrise.
makin coffee
did I put this in here twice? whoops.
Greetings from Eleuthera.
sun set
GOiNGS ON 3-16
Greetings from Eleuthera.
The excavating is done. THe hill, she is a-carved. The house, she has a place to sit. Now, the dirt that the house sit on, she must be a made strong with a wall. The wall, she must have a strong post in her to make strong back, like elk. The post, she sit in a hole. Deep hole, like the quarry where we used swim as boy. The hole, she must be four feet inch a deep, and 18 inch a wide! NOw that's a big hole! Then we put the steel. Lovingly, we caress each piece as we place in the hole, like when we roll the dough for the pizza pie. THen, we make the cement to hold the stones together. ANd so after we put the posts in, we can build the retaining wall, using 20 foot long rebar and the rock from the dig, maybe six feet high in some places. The foundation under the front corners of the building will sit on concrete posts 24" in diameter, sitting in a hole dug in the rock, with a 24" thick beam running between them as a footing.
Then we put the house on the top! That's a nicea donut. Waiting on cement mixer, water, and electric hookups to get started on that part. Money running low, must budget. Need conserve phone usage. Do work myself cheapest strongest way. Can't get carried away. Can't use many words. Must... warn... others...
The excavating is done. THe hill, she is a-carved. The house, she has a place to sit. Now, the dirt that the house sit on, she must be a made strong with a wall. The wall, she must have a strong post in her to make strong back, like elk. The post, she sit in a hole. Deep hole, like the quarry where we used swim as boy. The hole, she must be four feet inch a deep, and 18 inch a wide! NOw that's a big hole! Then we put the steel. Lovingly, we caress each piece as we place in the hole, like when we roll the dough for the pizza pie. THen, we make the cement to hold the stones together. ANd so after we put the posts in, we can build the retaining wall, using 20 foot long rebar and the rock from the dig, maybe six feet high in some places. The foundation under the front corners of the building will sit on concrete posts 24" in diameter, sitting in a hole dug in the rock, with a 24" thick beam running between them as a footing.
Then we put the house on the top! That's a nicea donut. Waiting on cement mixer, water, and electric hookups to get started on that part. Money running low, must budget. Need conserve phone usage. Do work myself cheapest strongest way. Can't get carried away. Can't use many words. Must... warn... others...
Friday, March 12, 2010
3-11 pics for your d**ks
this is what a vodka tonic looks like. I can't even describe the taste. Sky vodka is only 13.50 a bottle here. Beer is 4. Do the math, Einstein, and then drink your vodka. There, that's a good boy.
This is a lightswitch in the office of the building department of the department of public works. Notice how the wall is built over the socket. Yet, I have to have my plans done to codes much more stringent than the U.S. Things have changed a lot since they built this office...
This is what G and G did to our trailer. They fixed it for free though. THe wheel is still all bent up, but the guy who fixed it did it out of the goodness of his heart on his own dime. That's more than I could have expected. I'd just be in a lawsuit over it back home.
Greetings from Eleuthera.
These are the waves crossing the main road during the windstorm. I have a video of it somewhere.
3-11 pickles
more sunsettage
thatsa nicea biga motha
Greetings from Eleuthera.
now where do I put this table? And where do I sleep? Hmmm...
3-11 more pics
thatsa "klowd." They appear in the sky often. I've seen weirder clouds here than back home. I saw one that was shaped like a fourteen pound bowling ball. True story.
This is the water, taken from the lot. That's actually what it looked like. This is not a genetically altered photograph.
One of these photos is a close up of the other.
"Open."
Greetings from Eleuthera.
HOmeless dogs. WHich is almost all of 'em, unfortunately.
3-11 phottos and what not
Make sure you make a mental note of what this looks like. This is your before picture. Frame it. Then hold it up to the magnificent dwelling that will soon be yours to enjoy any time you like.
I never thought I'd give a damn about a sunrise, or have ANYthing nice to say about one, but this one was tolerable.
sun "set"
Greetings from Eleuthera.
3-11 pic lickles
hooverville, modern day
boat that washed up after the crazy windstorm. some were saying it was like fifty mph, or more I forgot. It was frickin' WINDY. I would have gotten out and walked around, but the rain was going sideways with it, and I didn't want to sleep soaking wet. Otherwise, it's kind of exciting. Unless you're on a boat, in which case it's rather nerve wracking. Exhibit A above. Ruth and I got caught in one blow north of here by Harbour Island, and that sucker pulled the anchor free and sent us HUMMIN sideways toward the other rocky shore. We smacked another boat, got our anchor fouled in their anchor line, and it took all our brawn to pry them two boats apart and get us set again safe. Anyway. Don't mess with the wind, kids. THat's a pair of pants hanging out of the side there where it got split in two.
bad omen? (we're on buccaneer road in case you missed that)
sunset schmunset
Greetings from Eleuthera.
3-11 photroes
el troca. she finally arrived, my new home.
this is a close up of "the sun."
Greetings from Eleuthera.
This is a big ball of termites that's bass crazy kickin' it across the road. We had one just like this on our property except it is less tall after the bulldozer ran over it a few times.
Whoops. There was a caption in that last post of a plam tree stump. Or "palm" as they call them here. It's the one with alla them lil ole holes up in dere.
before
kelvin. Guy's a badass. Similar mind to mine, (well, him, Joe, and Nathan too) McGuyveresque. Picture of old boy here with his homemade coconut gathering harness that he invented.
This here is Rachel. I'll just say she is pleasantly neurotic, and leave it at that. Very cool person. Totally nuts and very sweet.
Greetings from Eleuthera.
this was taken from above
that thars a pitcher a tha wind
This tiny kitchen held many awesome conversations with these two over the time they were here. Brothers, two great guys. FUnny how a tiny kitchen, three big mouths and some rum can make some good buddies in a short time. ANd yeah, that's the whole kitchen.
This speaks for itself.
Greetings from Eleuthera.
Does this little boat look familiar? Somebody stole our idea to come over in a macgregor, or something similar. It looks just like the boat Ruth and I lived in for those 6 or so months, parked in the same spot... that girl on there isn't nearly as capable though. Or the man so pretty.
try this one instead... 3-11-10
Greetings from Eleuthera.
Whoops. Yeah, okay, let me try that again. This photo goes with the caption below...
the exciting part,
Greetings from Eleuthera.
Okay, I think this picture says the most, if I had to pick one. Just in case I get hit by a bus or swept off by a twister, I thought I'd get this one up here so that you guys have SOMEthing to see to understand what's up, in case any one happens to... ya know... read this. (you guys sure are quiet out there, if you are reading).
Anyway. That's my man Zhivago. As in "Dr." He's also known as Rasta, the Physician of Excavation. He's pretty damned good, man, I'll say. One of the teeth fell off the excavator, and he used it to pick through the debris very delicate- like. Like a surgeon. As my friend Benjamin once said (are you reading this, you old fart?) You have to treat it gently, like a woman... but not as gently as you might think.
Anyway, he's pretty good, I ran around pointing at what I wanted done and running up and down the hill scoping it out, marking stuff, etc., and he dug it out, shaped it and flattened it. This took about three days, almost 2 grand, but well worth it. I'm borrowing him again tomorrow, and we're gonna dig the septic field, a flat spot on the bottom of the lot, and clean up some of the debris. The money though, yikes, it be a-flyin out the do.
The floor plan is looking kinda like this now, I don't know if you can see it from these jpegs, but it's 50 wide, 30 deep, kinda. 2 Stories, and the garage is where you drive in from the hill above.
I'm gonna post this and take a look...
3-11-10 aarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggghhh. ahem.
Greetings from Eleuthera.
I'm just writing to say I'm sorry I'm not blogging more, or writing more, but I'm not really in the spirit for it. You know how I get when I'm in the middle of something. I don't feel like talking. I feel like figuring it out and getting it done.
I'm working really hard, I'm pushing really hard to accomplish things and get people to help me accomplish things, but just like back home, there's always a maze of shit to wade through, jsut here it's moreso. On top of that, there's things like deadlines to apply, reviews that have to occur, "you have to talk to this person and he's off island" etc. I'm half working hard/half wheel spinning all the while grinding my teeth and holding my breath. I'm fairly anxious about all this. There's a few LARGE obstacles here to getting a temporary building up.
The grade. Steep. Must be worked around.
Earth movement due to steep grade. Don't want to pour a footing and have it move.
applications that must be made before footings occur.
Budget tight/overrun/not going to be sufficient, possibly.
Delays due to communication problems, dialect barriers, etc.
No water yet. "Next week." Right.
No electricity yet. We'll see.
Palms bagged up and waiting to plant. Dying.
Materials not on island.
ETc.
Need blueprints. Can't print blueprints. Keep changing blueprints. Blueprints need to be reviewed by this city next wednesday, individuals there before then, and approved by Rainbow bay before that. Tough when they change daily due to the grade taking shape.
I'll write more next week. Promise. Till then I'm busy
I'm just writing to say I'm sorry I'm not blogging more, or writing more, but I'm not really in the spirit for it. You know how I get when I'm in the middle of something. I don't feel like talking. I feel like figuring it out and getting it done.
I'm working really hard, I'm pushing really hard to accomplish things and get people to help me accomplish things, but just like back home, there's always a maze of shit to wade through, jsut here it's moreso. On top of that, there's things like deadlines to apply, reviews that have to occur, "you have to talk to this person and he's off island" etc. I'm half working hard/half wheel spinning all the while grinding my teeth and holding my breath. I'm fairly anxious about all this. There's a few LARGE obstacles here to getting a temporary building up.
The grade. Steep. Must be worked around.
Earth movement due to steep grade. Don't want to pour a footing and have it move.
applications that must be made before footings occur.
Budget tight/overrun/not going to be sufficient, possibly.
Delays due to communication problems, dialect barriers, etc.
No water yet. "Next week." Right.
No electricity yet. We'll see.
Palms bagged up and waiting to plant. Dying.
Materials not on island.
ETc.
Need blueprints. Can't print blueprints. Keep changing blueprints. Blueprints need to be reviewed by this city next wednesday, individuals there before then, and approved by Rainbow bay before that. Tough when they change daily due to the grade taking shape.
I'll write more next week. Promise. Till then I'm busy
Monday, March 8, 2010
3-6-10
Greetings from Eleuthera.
Count Blogulus, 3-6-10
Another interesting day here. Started out with a flat tire, and as luck would have it, the tools and jack are in the trailer, which were supposed to come with the truck, since they were shipped at the same time, but that didn't happen. The shipping on the trailer was a grand, and the duty was 60 percent of that, so considering it was a 400 dollar trailer, we regretted that it got shipped, but we were already in Ft. Lauderdale, with it, and just said fuck it. So, supposedly it shipped. Ruth and I complained to each other, but to no one else of note. Just someone here and there. I went to pick up the truck, and asked about the trailer, and they said they didn't ship it because they heard we didn't want it sent because it cost too much. I have NO idea how that made it's way through the grapevine and back to Fort Lauderdale, but it did. That's the Bahamas for ya.
So, anyway, the trailer weighed about fourteen trillion tons, give or take a coupla pounds, so I had to use a jack to get it on and off the trucks. So it made sense to keep the jack with the truck right? Wrongo. I woke up to find the flat, and tried the fix a flat that I brought. No dice. Besides, I could hear it leaking. My neighbor who gave me the coffee was kind enough to loan me her jack. I could lift it, but that was it. So I hitchhiked to the nearest place that fixes tires (it took two rides to get there), borrowed a wrench, hitched back, took the tire off, hitched back to the gas station, the guy fixed it, and I hitched back with the fixed tire, and then drove down to drop the wrench off. All in under 2 hours. People remain FRICKIN' COOL here.
After that, I went to the beach and ran around in the waves for the first time today. Amazingly, my skin is not going insane from the salt. I even played with a couple stray dogs for a while first, and then jumped in. The waves were about 3-4 feet, so it was a lot of fun. A bit chilly after, but very nice. It's still cooler than normal here, maybe 10 degrees. 10 degrees cooler that is, not 10 degrees out. It was nice, the dogs put up with me even before i had my bath.
My neighbor Barbara (with the jack and the coffee and the house with not one right angle in it) keeps telling me I'm insane if I want to move a palm tree, until I finally pointed out that I'm going to need to if I'm going to build a house. She seemed skeptical, but stopped talking about it. Anyway, the royal palms are a really big deal I guess, and it's sacrilege to cut one down and they run just around a zillion dollars apiece or so, and we have about 20 of em in the way of where we need to build. So I've been fussing around trying to get water, scheming this way and that, cajoling, begging, pleading, swearing oaths, bribing, threatening, stomping, and both hollering and whispering trying to find a way to get some water so I can move these stinking abominations of the flora world. I drive ALL the way to Rock Sound to go buy a pickaxe,and 45 dollars later, I happen to be driving by "the Farm" which is a fruitstand and nursery, and I holler to the lady back there and ask what those things cost. Around $12-$18 apiece she says. I'm not even gonna get this pickaxe dirty. I'm gonna bulldoze right over those suckers, and then jump up and down on the remains.
Well, I might try to move a couple of 'em tomorrow. We'll see. I feel like Robinson Crusoe over here, counting my wealth: now I have a pickaxe, and three buckets more than I had a few days ago. I found one bucket in the garbage, and two my friends Kelvin, Joe, Stevie and Nathan gave me, who left today. (Joe has a plane. How fat is that?) Anyway, I don't need a plane. Three buckets makes me feel like a rich man. I use one for a crapper, one to wash dishes in, and clothes, and one to mix cement in. I have to try to remember which is which.
Tomorrow I plant the temporary electrical pole, but it won't be temporary if I have my way. I have a pickaxe, and 94 pounds of cement, so considering that's 1/6 of what's needed to make concrete, I can make 600 pounds with what I have, and what's laying around these roads, like sand and gravel. I might also make a boat mooring while I have it laying around (what else is it gonna do?).
I think I mentioned, screamingly, that the water department lost my application. As luck would have it, I saved the confirmation of the fax of my original application. I never do that. And then, guess what? A few days ago, my notebook was about 6 inches thick, so I "cleaned it out" by removing around 3 pieces of paper. GUess what one of 'em was? And anyway, as my good luck would have it, there's no where to throw garbage usually, so guess what? I just ran across it. So I'm going to take it to the water department after wrapping a large rock in it and throw it at the supervisor's head. That oughta get that water on in two shakes.
What else? I think I mentioned, toothgrindingly, that the boat trailer now looks pretzelesque. That's supposedly getting welded right now. We'll see how it looks when it comes out the other side. It can't be welded with that boat on there. The welder wants to lift the boat up, tipping it back on the trailer, and then do the job.We'll see how that goes. I have my camp set up better than ever, with the card table set up now, the tarp up higher so I can sit without it resting on my skull, and the stove on the table, the food is sorted, and all that good stuff. Unfortunately, I hate cooking for myself as much as I ever did, so even though I buy fresh food, it sits there staring into my guilty soul while I eat another can of cold soup. Ain't it the life though?
I'm excited to start grading this lot. I'm also afraid of the fact that it costs $200 an hour for the machine to come out here. I'm worried I'll run out of loot. Unfortunately, because our permanent foundation, or a large part of it anyway, is being made for our temporary building, that kind of puts a gun to my head to know where the permanent building will be. Also unfortunately, people are wanting finished plan approval so I can put up the temporary building. I tell them that's a problem, since there's absolutely no way that can occur, unless I just throw a plan together. I want to make a finished plan once the site work is done, grading and what have you. And it's been those pointy stinking palm trees that have been clogging up the works. Them palms, they gots ta die.
I guess that's it for now. It's ten, past my usual bedtime these days. Today, I started the day with milk leftover fromlast night and a banana, then chicken from the local barbeque $4, dried fruit brought from home, and a can of campbells chunky chicken choker for dinner. I bought a casava, i think it is, onions and potatoes, got a plantain and a green pepper from Kelvin,et al., and they gave me more potatoes when they left. I'm swimming in potatoes. I'm never gonna eat all these things. If I had a giant rubber band I could fire 'em at the palm trees. Stinking rotten palm trees.
That's it. Stop reading. Time to go home. Nothing to see here, folks. Move it along, ya rubberneckers.
Oh yeah. That reminds me. How do you keep a bunch of weirdos in suspense?
Count Blogulus, 3-6-10
Another interesting day here. Started out with a flat tire, and as luck would have it, the tools and jack are in the trailer, which were supposed to come with the truck, since they were shipped at the same time, but that didn't happen. The shipping on the trailer was a grand, and the duty was 60 percent of that, so considering it was a 400 dollar trailer, we regretted that it got shipped, but we were already in Ft. Lauderdale, with it, and just said fuck it. So, supposedly it shipped. Ruth and I complained to each other, but to no one else of note. Just someone here and there. I went to pick up the truck, and asked about the trailer, and they said they didn't ship it because they heard we didn't want it sent because it cost too much. I have NO idea how that made it's way through the grapevine and back to Fort Lauderdale, but it did. That's the Bahamas for ya.
So, anyway, the trailer weighed about fourteen trillion tons, give or take a coupla pounds, so I had to use a jack to get it on and off the trucks. So it made sense to keep the jack with the truck right? Wrongo. I woke up to find the flat, and tried the fix a flat that I brought. No dice. Besides, I could hear it leaking. My neighbor who gave me the coffee was kind enough to loan me her jack. I could lift it, but that was it. So I hitchhiked to the nearest place that fixes tires (it took two rides to get there), borrowed a wrench, hitched back, took the tire off, hitched back to the gas station, the guy fixed it, and I hitched back with the fixed tire, and then drove down to drop the wrench off. All in under 2 hours. People remain FRICKIN' COOL here.
After that, I went to the beach and ran around in the waves for the first time today. Amazingly, my skin is not going insane from the salt. I even played with a couple stray dogs for a while first, and then jumped in. The waves were about 3-4 feet, so it was a lot of fun. A bit chilly after, but very nice. It's still cooler than normal here, maybe 10 degrees. 10 degrees cooler that is, not 10 degrees out. It was nice, the dogs put up with me even before i had my bath.
My neighbor Barbara (with the jack and the coffee and the house with not one right angle in it) keeps telling me I'm insane if I want to move a palm tree, until I finally pointed out that I'm going to need to if I'm going to build a house. She seemed skeptical, but stopped talking about it. Anyway, the royal palms are a really big deal I guess, and it's sacrilege to cut one down and they run just around a zillion dollars apiece or so, and we have about 20 of em in the way of where we need to build. So I've been fussing around trying to get water, scheming this way and that, cajoling, begging, pleading, swearing oaths, bribing, threatening, stomping, and both hollering and whispering trying to find a way to get some water so I can move these stinking abominations of the flora world. I drive ALL the way to Rock Sound to go buy a pickaxe,and 45 dollars later, I happen to be driving by "the Farm" which is a fruitstand and nursery, and I holler to the lady back there and ask what those things cost. Around $12-$18 apiece she says. I'm not even gonna get this pickaxe dirty. I'm gonna bulldoze right over those suckers, and then jump up and down on the remains.
Well, I might try to move a couple of 'em tomorrow. We'll see. I feel like Robinson Crusoe over here, counting my wealth: now I have a pickaxe, and three buckets more than I had a few days ago. I found one bucket in the garbage, and two my friends Kelvin, Joe, Stevie and Nathan gave me, who left today. (Joe has a plane. How fat is that?) Anyway, I don't need a plane. Three buckets makes me feel like a rich man. I use one for a crapper, one to wash dishes in, and clothes, and one to mix cement in. I have to try to remember which is which.
Tomorrow I plant the temporary electrical pole, but it won't be temporary if I have my way. I have a pickaxe, and 94 pounds of cement, so considering that's 1/6 of what's needed to make concrete, I can make 600 pounds with what I have, and what's laying around these roads, like sand and gravel. I might also make a boat mooring while I have it laying around (what else is it gonna do?).
I think I mentioned, screamingly, that the water department lost my application. As luck would have it, I saved the confirmation of the fax of my original application. I never do that. And then, guess what? A few days ago, my notebook was about 6 inches thick, so I "cleaned it out" by removing around 3 pieces of paper. GUess what one of 'em was? And anyway, as my good luck would have it, there's no where to throw garbage usually, so guess what? I just ran across it. So I'm going to take it to the water department after wrapping a large rock in it and throw it at the supervisor's head. That oughta get that water on in two shakes.
What else? I think I mentioned, toothgrindingly, that the boat trailer now looks pretzelesque. That's supposedly getting welded right now. We'll see how it looks when it comes out the other side. It can't be welded with that boat on there. The welder wants to lift the boat up, tipping it back on the trailer, and then do the job.We'll see how that goes. I have my camp set up better than ever, with the card table set up now, the tarp up higher so I can sit without it resting on my skull, and the stove on the table, the food is sorted, and all that good stuff. Unfortunately, I hate cooking for myself as much as I ever did, so even though I buy fresh food, it sits there staring into my guilty soul while I eat another can of cold soup. Ain't it the life though?
I'm excited to start grading this lot. I'm also afraid of the fact that it costs $200 an hour for the machine to come out here. I'm worried I'll run out of loot. Unfortunately, because our permanent foundation, or a large part of it anyway, is being made for our temporary building, that kind of puts a gun to my head to know where the permanent building will be. Also unfortunately, people are wanting finished plan approval so I can put up the temporary building. I tell them that's a problem, since there's absolutely no way that can occur, unless I just throw a plan together. I want to make a finished plan once the site work is done, grading and what have you. And it's been those pointy stinking palm trees that have been clogging up the works. Them palms, they gots ta die.
I guess that's it for now. It's ten, past my usual bedtime these days. Today, I started the day with milk leftover fromlast night and a banana, then chicken from the local barbeque $4, dried fruit brought from home, and a can of campbells chunky chicken choker for dinner. I bought a casava, i think it is, onions and potatoes, got a plantain and a green pepper from Kelvin,et al., and they gave me more potatoes when they left. I'm swimming in potatoes. I'm never gonna eat all these things. If I had a giant rubber band I could fire 'em at the palm trees. Stinking rotten palm trees.
That's it. Stop reading. Time to go home. Nothing to see here, folks. Move it along, ya rubberneckers.
Oh yeah. That reminds me. How do you keep a bunch of weirdos in suspense?
Friday, March 5, 2010
more silly business
Greetings from Eleuthera.
Okay, found the camera charger. That was a huge relief. It was in my bag, where I looked for it no less than 5 times, including totally emptying it out. It must have been in a shoe or something.
I keep revising the house plan to fit the land better, so I totally started over the other day. The architect who is the building inspector is pretty cool, and he looked at it with me, he's saying he'll help me with my structural drawings. I did the blueprint part, but I still need to produce column detail, electrical and plumbing risers,and stuff like that. It's funny, looking around here, you'd think there was no building code at all, yet it's actually way stricter than the states in some ways. Apparently there's some issue with "hurricanes" or something. Those are a pretty good drink, but I can't imagine them bothering a whole building, unless you drank about four of 'em and the whole thing started spinning around.
I'm in work mode and am not into blogging when I'm making progress and have stuff to do, but I realize it's been a while, so I'll give ya the latest in my foibles.
The boat came. THe trailer is all twisted, it looks like someone had it hooked up to a vehicle and tried to pull it around a corner and didn't go wide enough. It's really screwed up royally. This guy at G and G apparently felt bad enough that he's having a local welder try to repair it. Very cool of him, since it wasn't his fault.
Got approval for the temporary building from Rainbow Bay, but still waiting onthe City to give me their thumbs up. They don't meet for two weeks, but I'm bugging them to give me a thumbs up sooner. THe neighbors would probably appreciate that, because it looks like a hobo shantytown over there right now. My stuff is everywhere.
The water department lost my application. Yes. I'm trying to not explode as I write this. I've called them at LEAST ten times, they said they'd call me back that many, they FINALLY sent someone out to look at the lot ("I think I'm here. Is yours the one with the barbells and the card table on it?" Actual quote). SO now that they "have received" my application, they say it'll be 10-14 days to get it hooked up. You'd think they might have realized that they lost my application on one of these many, many, many phone conversations. ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH.
I can't do ANYTHING till I get water. I can't excavate, because there's a bunch of nice palms in the way, and you can't move 'em without a bunch of water. I asked my neighbor if I could have some water, and run a hose over if I pay 'em, but they use cistern water and don't want to part with any of it. I understand that Jewish people are known for being generous, but they just shook their heads. They did give me a cup of coffee though, which was delicious.
They have a pretty awesome house. There's not one right angle in it. Must have cost a fortune to build, but very cool. Makes me want to redraw everything I planned again. Very nice people though, and this lady has an amazing garden. He's running for the board here and they asked me to vote for him. I can't imagine why anyone would come here, and be on a board of anything.
SO anyway, no water.
It's unreal the amount of red tape there is to get
water
electric service
a bank account
They all want endless documentation. Kinda like the movie Brazil, except with better weather.
I dug a hole for my temporary electric pole and i have to tell ya, it's unreal how hard it is to even do that. The whole thing was mostly rocks, so it literally took about 45 minutest to dig a hole 18 inches deep. Glad I'm gonna get machines to do the excavating.
These two Haitian guys Nelson and Citizen helped me clear the lot, and when I have water, I'll start to burn all this brush they cleared. For some reason I had this horrible image of Haitian people, heard how dangerous it is, how they'll kill you over a nickel,etc. I've met maybe 6 Haitians since I've been here, and every single one was incredibly polite, kind, and positive. They were super hardworking, and only asked for $50 a day to swing the machete and clear everything. I gave 'em some extra.
I just ate grouper in a restaurant for lunch, and there were four surfer americans sitting in the place, being really rude to the waitress. It made me embarrassed, once again, for our typical collective arrogance. These people should be grateful this woman brought them this great meal, is asking "May I get you anything else?" and they're laughing with each other and ignoring her, just enjoying making her stand there. Assholes. I told the waitress I was embarrassed for the way they acted, and she sure knew what I was talking about, she said "it's fine. IT's not important." Pretty mature for a 15 year old or so. She should be teaching classes in graciousness to these guys.
I got a skype headset the other day. I might try it soon, but I hate talking on phones, so I might just leave it the box and tell you all I miss you on here. Especially you, Ruth. SOmebody go give that girl a hug for me. WIthout her, this, and me being here, would absolutely NOT be possible. She's back there making things happen that I could not do from here. No way, no how.
Four days ago was Ruth's birthday. SOmeone please give her another hug from me for that.
YEsterday was David's birthday. Someone please slug him in the arm and buy him a beer from me.
I guess I'll get going. Miss and love you all, but especially you in particular.
Huh?gs,
Jack
Okay, found the camera charger. That was a huge relief. It was in my bag, where I looked for it no less than 5 times, including totally emptying it out. It must have been in a shoe or something.
I keep revising the house plan to fit the land better, so I totally started over the other day. The architect who is the building inspector is pretty cool, and he looked at it with me, he's saying he'll help me with my structural drawings. I did the blueprint part, but I still need to produce column detail, electrical and plumbing risers,and stuff like that. It's funny, looking around here, you'd think there was no building code at all, yet it's actually way stricter than the states in some ways. Apparently there's some issue with "hurricanes" or something. Those are a pretty good drink, but I can't imagine them bothering a whole building, unless you drank about four of 'em and the whole thing started spinning around.
I'm in work mode and am not into blogging when I'm making progress and have stuff to do, but I realize it's been a while, so I'll give ya the latest in my foibles.
The boat came. THe trailer is all twisted, it looks like someone had it hooked up to a vehicle and tried to pull it around a corner and didn't go wide enough. It's really screwed up royally. This guy at G and G apparently felt bad enough that he's having a local welder try to repair it. Very cool of him, since it wasn't his fault.
Got approval for the temporary building from Rainbow Bay, but still waiting onthe City to give me their thumbs up. They don't meet for two weeks, but I'm bugging them to give me a thumbs up sooner. THe neighbors would probably appreciate that, because it looks like a hobo shantytown over there right now. My stuff is everywhere.
The water department lost my application. Yes. I'm trying to not explode as I write this. I've called them at LEAST ten times, they said they'd call me back that many, they FINALLY sent someone out to look at the lot ("I think I'm here. Is yours the one with the barbells and the card table on it?" Actual quote). SO now that they "have received" my application, they say it'll be 10-14 days to get it hooked up. You'd think they might have realized that they lost my application on one of these many, many, many phone conversations. ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH.
I can't do ANYTHING till I get water. I can't excavate, because there's a bunch of nice palms in the way, and you can't move 'em without a bunch of water. I asked my neighbor if I could have some water, and run a hose over if I pay 'em, but they use cistern water and don't want to part with any of it. I understand that Jewish people are known for being generous, but they just shook their heads. They did give me a cup of coffee though, which was delicious.
They have a pretty awesome house. There's not one right angle in it. Must have cost a fortune to build, but very cool. Makes me want to redraw everything I planned again. Very nice people though, and this lady has an amazing garden. He's running for the board here and they asked me to vote for him. I can't imagine why anyone would come here, and be on a board of anything.
SO anyway, no water.
It's unreal the amount of red tape there is to get
water
electric service
a bank account
They all want endless documentation. Kinda like the movie Brazil, except with better weather.
I dug a hole for my temporary electric pole and i have to tell ya, it's unreal how hard it is to even do that. The whole thing was mostly rocks, so it literally took about 45 minutest to dig a hole 18 inches deep. Glad I'm gonna get machines to do the excavating.
These two Haitian guys Nelson and Citizen helped me clear the lot, and when I have water, I'll start to burn all this brush they cleared. For some reason I had this horrible image of Haitian people, heard how dangerous it is, how they'll kill you over a nickel,etc. I've met maybe 6 Haitians since I've been here, and every single one was incredibly polite, kind, and positive. They were super hardworking, and only asked for $50 a day to swing the machete and clear everything. I gave 'em some extra.
I just ate grouper in a restaurant for lunch, and there were four surfer americans sitting in the place, being really rude to the waitress. It made me embarrassed, once again, for our typical collective arrogance. These people should be grateful this woman brought them this great meal, is asking "May I get you anything else?" and they're laughing with each other and ignoring her, just enjoying making her stand there. Assholes. I told the waitress I was embarrassed for the way they acted, and she sure knew what I was talking about, she said "it's fine. IT's not important." Pretty mature for a 15 year old or so. She should be teaching classes in graciousness to these guys.
I got a skype headset the other day. I might try it soon, but I hate talking on phones, so I might just leave it the box and tell you all I miss you on here. Especially you, Ruth. SOmebody go give that girl a hug for me. WIthout her, this, and me being here, would absolutely NOT be possible. She's back there making things happen that I could not do from here. No way, no how.
Four days ago was Ruth's birthday. SOmeone please give her another hug from me for that.
YEsterday was David's birthday. Someone please slug him in the arm and buy him a beer from me.
I guess I'll get going. Miss and love you all, but especially you in particular.
Huh?gs,
Jack
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