California 2 Puerto Rico

I couple of days ago I was clearing out the overgrown grass and Pica Pica that was growing about 4ft tall on the street that leads to our house. We are the only house on the road, so even though it isn’t our property, it won’t get cleared unless I do it. It’s not so bad now at 4ft, but by the time winter hits it will tower about 8ft tall and will harbor Pica Pica (that is what it was like last winter when we came down to check out the house and try to close the mortgage deal) which is no bueno.

It probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but I was clearing the weeds with a weed eater on steroids with flip flops and shorts on. While I was walking through the weeds, I must have kicked or ‘weed eated’ a red ant hill. I didn’t notice immediately but suddenly felt some intense pain on my right foot (a little pain or burning is normal walking through and cutting weeds here because there are so many itchy plants), i looked down and it looked like my right foot had a black sock on. Too bad it wasn’t a sock, my foot was covered from my toes all the way up to my shin in red ants and they were going to town on my skin. I reached down and wiped as many off as I could and then walked quickly down to the house and washed off my foot…but the damage was already done. I probably got bit by about 30 red ants, luckily by body didn’t really react aside from some pimple like bumps for a few days and now just red spots. Some people can get really sick if they get bit by too many ants at once.

Lesson learned. Wear pants and shoes when working in the jungle no matter how hot it is.

When Red Ants Attack - Puerto Rico Style

The progress on the steps have been slow due to rain and the tediousness of the task. The square pillars at the top and bottom of the stairs (Escalon) need to framed off square to keep the guys on track while building up the wall and to make sure that both sides are identical. Yesterday, I left for work and when I came home the frame was built, but it was built out of mahogany scrap that I had been saving for little things like small trim work, picture frames etc. That stuff is expensive…we have spent nearly $2500 on mahogany for the trim around 9 windows…not exactly the wood I would prefer the guys using to frame off a rock wall and stairs. Oh well, the lesson learned is to stay around and make sure things get done right with the right material.

I can’t believe it. After getting lucky enough to inherit Diamond Mine, now I get this email telling me that if I collaborate, I could get $20 million bucks. Summer and I must have done something very good in a past life.

Attn:

I discovered a dormant account in my office, as Auditor with Investment Bank of Africa. It will be in my interest to transfer this fund worth Twenty Million Dollars in an account offshore. If you can be a collaborator/partner to this please indicate interest immediately forus to proceed.

Remember this is absolutely confidential, as I am seeking your assistance as the beneficiary of this unclaimed funds, since we are not allowed to operate a foreign account,I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not disappoint me.

My Regards,
Robert Thompson

There has been progress on the blue rock steps up to our front door. Looks like they are almost complete!

Progress has been a bit slow on the planters and steps because it has been raining for a good part of the day almost everyday. Rain + working with wet cement is no bueno, so every time it starts pouring, Jerry and Tito have to pull a tarp over whatever they are working on and wait it out (or go home for the day, if it rains for a while).

I think this bookshelf/desk would look pretty cool in the guest bedroom. I wonder if it would be strong enough to use as a ladder up to the loft? Would that be weird or cool? Here is some info on this bookcase and desk combo from Crate and Barrel:

“The next generation in our popular leaning desk-shelf system - now in a sleek mahogany finish. Ladder-style design crafted of solid mahogany and engineered wood secures against the wall for maximum stability (hardware included). Sturdy open desk has two shelves and workspace for a laptop. Five-shelf bookcase works well alone or in multiples (two shown here with desk). Also available in white.”

Each bookcase is $129 and the desk set up is also $129. $387 as shown (2 shelves and 1 desk).

I think this shelf/desk combo and a couch with a pull out bed (plus the bed in the loft) would make for a pretty sweet guest room…

Uh oh. I’ve had a great idea.

Halloween 2007. San Juan, Puerto Rico. El San Juan Hotel. Club Brava. Scragglers can hang at our house in Rincon.

$189 each way from San Diego.

$162 each way from Dallas.

I’ve got the costumes covered…Who’s in?

Jerry has started on the blue rock steps to our front porch and Kuta is guarding them…


Good boy.

I don’t know if you have ever landscaped your yard or worked with a crew that landscaped a yard, but tree’s are expensive! Don’t get me wrong, saplings and small plants aren’t too expensive, but if you want anything with girth you are going to have to shovel out some cash. Summer and I are really trying to keep the spending reigns tight until we finish all of the expensive finishing work and then go to town on all of the little things that would be ‘cool’ but not necessary (paved driveway, landscaping, second car).

When envisioning living in the tropics, I always pictured a property covered in tropical plants, palm trees, hibiscus, snake plants, bamboo etc. Well, landscaping is about the only thing that wasn’t apart of the deal when we bought this house. There are a few really big mango tree’s in the back yard and a few giant royal palms bordering our yard, but aside from that combined with all the excavating we have had to do in the front yard we don’t have much green in our front yard at all. Not even grass. All the rock that we exposed excavating prevents grass from sprouting and will also require us to lay down topsoil before we plant any seed,

Our front yard is dirt, unless it’s raining…then it’s mud.

Mark helped us get the ball rolling on inexpensively landscaping our yard a few days ago. I went over to one of the houses he was landscaping and scored all of the trimmings and throwaway plants that would have otherwise turned into mulch. Summer and I spent the entire afternoon pruning and planting our new plants in the pouring rain. Now we have some green.

Tropical Landscaping from Scratch

Our truck filled with Tropical Plant trimmings and Palm Saplings

All of the plants laid out and organized, ready for planting

Summer checking out her hard work
We couldn’t fit the front yard into one shot on the camera so I used photoshop to
combine two pictures of our tropical landscaping from scratch