A DAY IN THE LIFE

sounds like a plan...hoppy...love to see you in perfect health and good humor...and of course on 2 dancing feet...take care the count down is on..

Yayyyyy   10 more sleeps.....LOL    As a very driven, fast paced individual I swear I am here to learn patience and to slow the heck down.

So I am learning to go at a more leisurely pace,  almost 11 years here and I am still learning this.

Well you know what "they" say:
when in Rome, etc., etc....
Happy birthday when it gets here Planner!

Thanks honey!!!

Ok first accident today with a Dominican A-hole.
I was passing a truck  on a two lane road.  I honked at him and he moved over. Half way passing him he came into my lane and hit the back of my truck.
Guess what. ... No insurance, no lic, and just laughed at me and drove off.  His reward is waiting somewhere.  So now tomorrow I will see how good my insurance is....

Bob K

To Planner, Happy Birthday.. Many blessings for the year to come!

Does anyone know of a source for bamboo ? I have lots of projects to be made, ie; huge screens, doors, ect.....

Happy Birthday Planner !!!!!!

Tough luck Bob.
I assume you got his plate # (if he had one).
Just for fun, report it to the police!

Nope he took off too fast to get a plate number. 

Bob K

That's what we are supposed to do as well!

Yep. Called my insurance company. I have to got to the AMET station and fill out a report and bring it to the insurance company.  They say no problem....we will see

BObK

Thanks everyone.  today I went to a small spa,  manicure (no pedicure today LOL)  and a nice facial, massage etc. What a lovely way to spend the day.

Soon my friend Lisa is coming over to cook me dinner, have a few drinks with me and spend time laughing and giggling and gossiping.......

Nice day all around. I will truly celebrate by going dancing once this damn cast is off.

Thanks everyone for all your good wishes. AND yes it is my 39th.............again.............

Damn I got it wrong I thought is was number 34

Glad  you had a great day.

Bob K

Happy Birthday Planner.  I see you cheated on me by getting a massage elsewhere jajaja LoL well. I wish you the best on this day and every other day.  Will be driving to la Romana on Sunday, so I hope to see a bit more of the Capital, been cooped up on the North Coast for 2 weeks already.

       Sorry to hear about your accident Bob, I guess just be thankful you did not get hurt. Keep us posted on the outcome with the amet and insurance company.

Will do.

Bob K

Thanks, no worries I didn't cheat honey, I had a facial......still need a massage.....Lol.

My day was very nice, fairly quiet. A friend came over and cooked for me, good conversation, a couple drinks......

Ok so today was "get the police report" for the insurance company. I was surprised in that it only took 3.5 hours and 1000pesos to accomplish.

Off to the AMET station in Sosua.  With a very nice, helpful, no English speaking (me not great Spanish) officer we tried to get the report done.  I do have a friend (sergeant) on the force come and help and with him calling a friend we got the information done.  Then off to Banco Reserva to pay a $500RD fee for the report and needed three copies of the receipt as well as three copies of my drivers license and insurance card.  Well the bank did not have a copy machine that customers can use even though they took my money for the report.  So across the street is my great bank and they were happy to make necessary copies for me.

This done it was back up the hill to the AMET station for the actual report.  Well guess what no electricity at the AMET station. Seems they do not have electricity Tuesday and Thursday.  So the kid had to take his moto in to town to get a copy of the report done.  Thirty minutes later he returns with the report.  I should mention that I gave my friend 300 pesos for coming up the hill to help and he said I should give the kid taking the report some money for his gas and lunch. So another 200 pesos for him.

Armed with the report off to the insurance agent's office where another report was filled out.  Now it will be submitted and the adjust will be here Wednesday to look at the car and confirm the damages. Seems the insurance companies adjusters are stationed in Santiago and Santo Domingo and only here on the north coast on Wednesdays.  So next Wednesday while I am in the US taking care of my mom, my wife will have to bring the truck in for inspection.  Then when I return I have to take it to the body shop for them to inspect and order part.  It will take 2-3 weeks for all the parts to get there then I can bring it in for repairs.

So a long day but the wheels are turning....slowly.

Bob K

It's a lot of work and hassle but has to be done.  Keep us posted on your progress!

Will do. My truck is my baby. Bought it brand new 14 years ago and it now has its first boo-boo.

Bob K

Well Bob, I do sympathize for you.
You listed 25 reasons why we drive fast, away
from whoever hit us, if we can.
Welcome home!
Tom.

happy birthday planner! hope you enjoyed it and may you have many many more to come. Ddnt know you were on crutches though. I missed that one.

Thanks honey.....  Yup damn crutches are cramping my style..... I slipped on  wet wooden set of stairs in Puerto Plata and broke it....   Youch.

Ok I have to ask....were you chewing gum at the time

Bob K

hahahahaha  Bob, these things can cause you immense pain.  I am calling your wife now.....LOL

Yea I read the thread a little further back and I seen that you mention it que pobrecita 

Thank you, all sympathy and CHOCOLATE accepted.....HAHAHA

She already knows how baaaadddd I can be

Bob K

HAHAHA I am sure she does......

Yesterday I got my cast removed. YAYYYYYYYY    And the foot is pretty good. I am walking on it but being very very careful. A bit of walking everyday......  no dancing yet but SOON!!!

I was due to have the cast removed today - Friday the 13th. now I am not superstitious but I decided - why push the universe???  I got it taken off yesterday.......LOL

Good job.  Your  dancing career is ready to  resume.

Bob K

So happy for you! Free at last!  Dancing will come soon enough....Good things come to those who wait    Oh and very happy belated bday to a wonderful party animal!!!!    Bob sorry about your truck....Seem goofy that YOU have to pay when you were hit...guess it is what it is....

Thanks honey!!!! No dancing quite yet.....

Hello Planner:
Just to wish you a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY from up here in Canada and glad to hear you have your cast off and know, you will be out dancing soon enough but look out for the wet steps, will be in touch soon and looking forward to meeting such an interesting woman and also am looking forward to meeting Bob one day as we are coming to D.R. in the middle of Dec. for 31/2 months so far and hopefully longer, will PM you soon for more info on insurance and such so take care. We really enjoy all your's and Bob's info.that you guys so readily supply and make it not so scary to plan the big leap on the move to the D.R. which hopefully be this year so will P.M you soon with any questions we will have
Thanks Randy and Darlene

Thank you so much! Looking forward to meeting g you both...

I look forward to your "adventure"  Please do let me know if there  is anything I can do for you  here on the norht  coast.

Bob K

good morning, time for an update...... so the cast is gone, foot is doing pretty well.  Yayyyy.  The leftovers in my body from both dengue and chikungunya is NOT fun no matter which way you look at it.  I have a form of arthritis (not uncommon) that makes me a bit crazy and cranky at times.  It is worse in the morning after laying around all night.  Getting out of bed and walking HURTS.  Moving my hands HURTS.  My shoulders are killing me so that I cannot raise either arm very high.......  My knees HURT......

Activity actually helps for a bit. Then when you stop to rest or do things like sit at a desk, in  15 minutes you are back to square one.....

I am told this too shall pass - yayyyyy. But many people are dealing with this.  On Monday my 187 year old gardner showed up.  He had chikungunya 2 weeks ago and has similar pain but mostly in his hands.  Poor guy!!!!!   So I dug out some drugs and shared with him!!!!   

My latest project - working on my back patio.  Currently it is a fully enclosed  patio with an almost 9 foot wall surrounding it.  It is 18  feet wide and 28 1/2 feet deep.  Pretty big. On the ground is a cement pad which has been painted a number of times without ever removing the previous paint. And now I know why........

Off I went to the hardware store (Americana) to get supplies. We bought some "goop" to remove the paint on the cement pad.  Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!   And we bought new cement paint, and paint for the walls.

First step - remove the cement paint!  It is hideous, you can see the original grey in spots but there is red overtop of bright blue......  yuckkkkkk.  So we prepare an are and on goes the "goop" and that is the right term. It is thick, goopy and stinks. We have protective gloves and masks. Put on the goop, wait 20 minutes and off comes the paint......... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Right in a perfect world where the cement is completely smooth and you use a wire brush and lots of force.....but of course nothing here is perfect. We have discovered it needs several coats, some water and vigorous brushing.

AND we also must use a pressure washer - HERE IS A BUSINESS IDEA FOR FREE - someone needs to open a place where you can rent this stuff (and other  similar tools) There are places to rent back up generators, but we cannot find one that rents pressure washers, bombas, concrete drills etc.   There you go to someone wanting to open a business in Santo Domingo........

Today we will look to borrow a pressure washer - then we will hope I have street water ( usually do on Thursday) and we will attach the patio again!!!!!!

From yesterday my body is complaining, but its a good kind of pain!  OMG did i just say that........LOL

That sound like way too much work. I would have just painted it another color with two coats to hide all the underneath paints and colors.  Especially on a rental unit that I did not own.

Good luck with the project and hope the joints do better over then next SHORT while

Me.  My massage lady forgot I was getting back today so she did not show up this morning, thought it was next week. My back may not ever forgive her but we are going to try tomorrow morning.

Bob K

Thanks Bob, if we don't locate a pressure washer then that is what we are doing. Somehow (not sure why) I thought this would be wayyyy  easier......LOL I want to make the back patio nice and inviting so I want to use it more.....LOL 

Updates to follow. NOW GO GET THAT MASSAGE, then send her here please.

Planner, did I read you say, your 187 year old gardner!!  Maybe i need to get my eyes checked lol! Moving on...

The patio sounds like a Real project. One that it sounds like your body's not really up to yet. Take youe time dear, we dont want no relapses. No injuries either. I wouldve just painted the heck out of it. Like Bob said , Aah, the sweet differences between man and woman lol.

Y ou know, that type of handy work is actually just the type of work I love to do. Just, when in DR - work is the furthest thing in mind!

Aah, the sweet differences bet. a vacationers and a resident lol