This is so true, septic tanks, cars and dongles and birthdays this month of July, and here it is the last week of the month and so far nothing has happened. That’s right not a dang thing has reared up to bite me. I find myself rambling through the house waiting for the hammer to fall.
Still it’s Wala, zip, zilch nada and nothing has transpired that would be note worthy to write about. Oh come on Paul, it can’t be that dull, or can it? You would think I’d be happy that nothing has gone wrong, that no calamity has struck and I don’t have to outlay vast amounts of money to solve any problems. But it’s just not normal, fate is lurking, just waiting to jump out at me and holler “Gotcha.”
We’ve had three brownouts this week, and the generator started first time every time, I know I should be pleased but for some odd, twisted and convoluted reason I’m not. The gods are playing with me, lulling me into a false sense of security, and then they’ll unload on me with their entire wrath. But again its zilch, they’re leaving me alone, and causing me to poke buttons on my keyboard to fill these pages with dribble,
Okay you should stop reading right now and move on to Dave Starr Paul Keating, or Sugar or any other LiP writer who will at least inform you with some subject that is worth your time reading. Bob Martin, you can jump in at anytime and salvage this missive and inject something worthwhile into this looming disaster.
Well; One thing did come up since my last article, in that my son-in-law Cecil had to leave to go back to work. His time in Alaska last winter taught him a very important lesson. Never go to Alaska in the winter no matter how much they are paying you. So he is on his way to Hawaii to work in the Hotel Industry. Less money, but far better weather and that’s important. He is fortunate as he has family in Honolulu and has a place to live
The plan is to continue to work there save money and then move my daughter Ymir Thea and my grandson Jayden (Little Dude) there in the future. In the meantime they will stay here on the mountain with Lolo and Lola, which pleases us no end.
I could go off on a tirade about how unfair it is that a man must leave his family and country to go off to work and earn a decent wage, but hell that’s what I did, both in the Navy and as a Merchant Seaman. Anyway as you might have noticed I don’t lecture or pontificate about things of that nature, I’ll leave that to others who are wiser and have more knowledge than I.
Surprise, surprise I’ve just had a “Honey-honey” moment I just about to send this off to Bob in the morning (Saturday) when here on Friday something finely happened. My faith in the Philippines hath been restored!
Friday mid-morning Mrs., Thompson (Honey-honey) was upset at her faucet on the kitchen sink. It was constantly dripping, and in the past I’d taken it apart and noted that it was made in China, and made of plastic. Washers, unheard of in the land of America’s loan company. I had no idea how it worked, but then I’ve never claimed to be a plumber. But I do know cheap crap when I see it. So I told her to call “BOY” the skinny plumber guy.
Replacement faucet was the answer and off to the local hardware to buy a new one. I stepped in and said that all they sell are the cheap ones just like the one we have. All heads nodded in agreement. What the answer is; is to go on Subic Free Port and pay top dollar for a stateside set of good quality and solve the problem for once and for all. .
All agreed with me, when “Boy the plumber guy” said that in my man cave there was a very good stateside kitchen faucet set that was just sitting on the sink that we stopped using quite awhile ago. He has spent many a happy hour in my man cave borrowing my tools as he, better than me knows just what is there.
The group shifts to the man cave and there sitting proudly was a set that I had bought in San Diego and shipped it over when we were building the house. Since I had sent a few at the time this one ended up out back. Plus in my Gold Locker I had hundreds of assorted size washers so we” just in case” replaced the old ones and moved inside. Then hooked it up and happiness was the order of the day, as once it was cleaned up it looked brand new. And the cost was PNP 200.00 paid to Boy, the plumber with no crack, for about one hours work. Me I saved about 60 to 70 dollars on buying the new one, plus I actuality had something to write about for Lip. A Win-win for all.
So cancel all my senseless grousing in the first part of this article, for the Philippines has once more came through for me and proven that there are no uneventful weeks here on these Island’s we call home.
Life is good here in the Philippines. I am not sure why so folks wait so long to move here. I must admit I have never seen water faucets go bad so quick. Just like a baby bird, cheap cheap cheap. Well I am off to Facebook to get the latest jokes. 😛
Gary;
You have to search long and hard to find a well made faucet, unless of course you have one you forgot about in the Man Cave. But only Boy, the plumber guy would know that.
Have fun on Face Book, I’ll be right there.
Hi Paul,
So your week wasn’t exactly the story about “nothing”.
We’ve also learned about plastic pipes and fixtures the first go round, and so later packed some kitchen and bathroom sink fixtures in balikbayan boxes for new and replacement parts.
Well worth the effort. My husband then went on Ebay and purchased a plastic box full of various sized rubber washers, so like you, he’s all set for the next time.
We drew the line at wooden toilet seats though..
Were you a Boy Scout too?
Hope everything continues to be smooth sailing for you:)
Queenie;
Shipping in the good stuff was the way to go, but with the advent of the new hardware stores like Ace and Home Depot at the malls the good stuff is available now, albeit it is dear. The box of washers, nuts bolts screws etcetera, is what I meant when I said “Gold Locker”, it an old shipboard term for spare parts that someday you’re really gonna’ need. I’ve yet to see the wooden seat, but those padded ones, are the bomb!
I was never a Boy Scout as they dealt with things of the dirt, and I preferred the sea, I had my first sailing pram when I was ten. It set my path for the future.
Can’t agree with you at all on the padded seat. I need a hard service to work from. haha
Paul;
I like to read on a soft chair or hammock also.
Even the first part of your post, with nothing happened is a pleasure to read, which your posts always is.
Cheap plumming, ohhh yes, i’ve been there and still have some cheap faucet that won’t last long. 2 months ago i bought one for the outside, for the garden hose. I knew that i need to buy a good quality and pay what it costs – and i did. This weekend it simply was stuck, i could open it, but not a tiny drop would see the daylight. The price was fine, but the quality was questinable. I have changed a lot of things in our house, and no, i’m not a plumber either, but i learn along the way. One thing bothers me: All things here is fixed with cement, vulca seal and other types of permant stuff, so if i want to change the toilet, well i need more tool than a construction worker, to get it if. The same with faucets….sealed with…what ever and imposstble to detach, without damaging the whole area. Ohh well – we need a new washbasin anyway – hey and i guess some new tiles too.
Every day has it own adventures here in Philippines, i am also surprised if nothing happens. By the way there is some areas where nothing happens: LTO – i re-registered my car in April, but they still don’t have the badge/stickers to put on my plate. i told them they could just as well make 2014 stickers now,
Have a great day full of adventures 🙂
Axel;
Here’s one I never wrote about. In the early 90’s I got my first RP drivers license, at the time there was no computer to print it out so it had to be sent to “MEGA MANILA” to be processed, but they did issue my Official Receipt” and I used that for two years, including renting a Avis car at San Francisco Airport. The American girl questioned the receipt, but the Pinoy working with her explained that it was legal. I got my hard copy, and it had one year on it, so when I renewed it, guess what?
In my gold locker I have spare faucets made of brass and all the parts to repair them. The Guy in the Ace Hardware in Guam was surprised when I empted the shelf of all he had. Now I just grab the Teflon tape, replace the old one, and later over a cold beer, rebuild the one I removed. I figure some time in 2055 I should run out. (Boy am I dreaming).
As for the commode they cemented to the deck in the CR, well I pray I never have to deal with that, but the gods can be fickle.
Not to worry about tools to remove the cemented throne. You don’t need any. You just need one of the local working class. He will take a nail, something to beat on the nail with, and a pair of pliers and have it off in no time. I have watched them remove at least three and never hurt them a bit.
Loren;
First and foremost, that Banana Cream Mercer made for me was well worth a lunch with no cocktails. Please covey my undying gratitude to her, Oh Yhen, Little Dude and Mayang loved it too!
Knocking on wood, I’ve yet to have one removed, but if I do I’ll call your Toilet guy for help. The Pliers are tool he’ll hammer with, correct?
Paul, You have not been forgotten by the Gods. They have just been too busy messing with me! Its been Honey, Honey for almost two straight weeks for me Here in the southern Philippines but like you, it gives me something to do. but I needed a break from it so I took the wife to the city and spent the week end in my favorite little flop house. Two full days of procrastination did the trick and now I feel ready to take on the gods and the Honey Honey moments once again.
Joe;
There are times when you just have to run away from it all. And procrastination is a most valuable tool. Mayang knows not to bring anything to my attention when I say; “Honey, we need a day off.” She knows that means lunch out, and or a movie, so she always has the same time off as me. But as many things as I do around the house I still have the Neighborhood Tech Reps, to solve problems I don’t want to deal with.
Paul, you are tempting fate by “complaining” about life’s current smoothness; I strongly recommend that you stop, else you will find a puddle of oil below your new old Honda, and unequal compression amongst it’s cylinders, or some other of life’s evils. Or the SMB refrigerator will “come out” and swing the other way to be a heater for a change. Now that would be a REAL disaster.
Jim;
Perish the thought of something bad happening to my Beer Ref. I can deal with most things but that would be the straw that broke the camel’s back. I shudder to even contemplate a calamity of that magnitude. As for the New Ole Honda, I expect it and would not be shocked.
Hi Paul – Just remember that “bad things” happen in threes. Think back, and try to remember two earlier “bad things” that join with the faucet to be three. If there’s nothing in memory, then I’m sure we can all look forward to some good upcoming articles. 😆
Paul. You’re cheating! When it was your turn for the gods to mess with you, you took off and went back to the States which means they have more time to mess with us here! But I am sure they will pay you a special visit as soon as you return.
Joe;
Cheating? I think not, Paul (Our Shipmate) has always claimed to be a “Rain Bird” which as a former citizen of Florida equates to “Snow Bird” but believe me his time in OHIO can also be fraught with problems also. (Like a HEAT WAVE) but yes there will be little hidden agendas awaiting him upon his return.
Hey Joe–Paul is back in the states, did not the gods mess with him. What would you think if one morning you woke up in Ohio.
Loren;
Why didn’t I think of that response? (lol)
Hi Loren – You are so very correct!
Loren;
Ohio, I could think of worst places, say Detroit!
Hi Joe – It appears that my location doesn’t make any difference when it comes to being messed with by the gods.
We received word from our housekeeper that AC power breakers are tripping off at our Philippine house whenever it rains. Further investigation revealed that the AC wiring for the lights on our fence is shorting out. Apparently, the original electricians used ordinary (indoor) wire when installing the lights and associated wiring for the fence outside. The weather rotted the wire’s insulation off. So, it’s rewire the entire fence with the correct wire. 🙁
Later, we will have to replace all of the light fixtures, too. 😯
Paul;
Ah those tricky electricians they sure do invent fun ways to brighten our lives.
Paul;
I know well of the “Triple Effect” let me reflect back on July, The stopped up drain, leading to the full septic tank, and wrappings up with the bad faucet. My quota of three has been met! Moving on to bigger and better problems…
Paul,
August starts next week and your next quota begins. I was thinking maybe a story of Loren and Yourself having another tour of the barrio’s fine establishments lol. Glad to see Cecil working in Hawaii instead of Alaska. But I know lolo and lola will be sad when little Jayden has to move to Hawaii.
Randy;
Loren has been under doctors orders, backed up his wife to not consume adult beverages for a couple of weeks. So we’ll hold the bar hopping for awhile, it’s no fun drinking Ice Tea, as a matter of fact, nothing is very much fun drinking Ice Tea, but by the time you and Anne get here he’ll be fit as a fiddle.
As for little Dude moving away, well we’ll have to see about that!
Three and one half more pill days and as far as I can tell the skin is just the same. The 4,000.00 piso would have been better spent on SMBs.
Loren;
That simpatico deal we had where if you can’t have a adult beverage, and that because of solidarity I won’t drink in front of you. As that would be poor form. So in a couple of days you owe me a cocktail. I will be there to collect!
LOL Paul. I would say that the first part of your article was tempting fate, however I think we all know that is not required here in the PI…cause one way or another something will happen anyway. That being said enjoy the down time.
James;
Tempting fate was never been my strong suit, I learned when I was on ships never to open the water tight door, step out on main deck and spit into the wind during a category five storm. Knowing that, fate and I have become good friends. But ice cold SMB’s are my best friends.
James;
The plumber comes to your house to work, then he has to borrow your tools, you just might be in the Philippines!
Hey Paul – plumbing… my most dreaded task… everything you touch causes the adjacent part to fail… Soon every part you worked on will need to be renewed.
Beware of shiny “brass” plated potmetal parts, as they only last for weeks…
As for a wooden toilet seat, that’s asking for trouble; potential splinters and a crack in the seat as opposed to your crack on the seat could pinch yer a**.
Regards, Jade
Jade;
Copper piping in the Philippines? You caused me to smile, fat chance of that being used, if it’s not plastic pipe with Teflon tape there would be no running water here.
Here is what I know about being a plumber.
Water will freeze at 32 degrees
Crap won’t flow uphill
Hots’s on the left and cold’s on the right
Payday’s on Friday.
Paul, you forgot the most important rule of plumbing…
Don’t bite your finger nails.
Hudson;
I’d never thought of that, but it makes good sense! (lol)
One thing I have not looked into to any great degree in PH is plumbing supplies, fixtures, etc although I did purchase a bladder type water tank, a pressure switch and gauge ( as a donation ) at a Citi Hardware store and from the short time I had to actually examine them they looked decent to me. One thing I have noticed that in many residential situations the kitchen faucet is what we would have here, as an outdoor garden hose type of faucet. I think the reason for so much of the more ” cost effective ” ( I didn’t really want to say Cheap ) fixtures there is that the average person may just not be able to afford better grades of fixtures so they would sit on the shelf too long at the retailer or supplier.
I don’t think we are too far behind you Paul concerning the availability of ” the cheap stuff ” as I believe more and more of it is finding its way into ” Big Box Depot ” and other similar retailers here in the USA.
Plumbing was never one of my favorite things to have to deal with. I have well water here with mineral and acidity that is not so favored by half inch copper pipes. If I get 5 years out of an electric hot water heater I’m lucky, I changed the hookups to that to the screw on flexible couplings a long time ago LOL.
For an article that started off as kind of routine, it sure came up with a good topic at the end of it, including the humorous viewpoint. Thanks for another good one Paul.
Hi NY Bob;
The outdoor fixture in the kitchen is quite prevalent here and the reasons are just what you said economic. But I was using economics in my reasoning also five cheap ones equals one good one, and with the good one you can change the washers and extend the life of it for a very long time. (The New Ole Honda Principle)
No doubt the junk has reached the states by now, and as long as it can be purchased with food stamps it should sell well.
My well is over 300 feet deep, and the water is great, I had it tested and better than that I drank it without the well known effects that hit most Kano’s.
I still use stand alone water heaters, because know the plumbers here and watching Mythbusters launch on 400 feet in the air through a roof, I saw the looming potential for it to catastrophically fail.
OK, so you finally had a “moment” of a problem. But, the solution was far too easy! Here’s to hoping the next one is too!! 🙂
Scott;
How much more do I need? The next trip down the yellow brick just might be interesting.
Sorry, not to be rude or dismissive of your article (you know I enjoy readying your post), but I was wondering if anyone knows what happened to Joesph Stuckey? Haven’t seen anything here from him in some time….
Not to preempt Paul (but, in fact, I am ! LOL), ” Hey Joe” Joseph Stuckey is no longer on the list of active LiP writers, but he comments frequently. The one that I am also wondering about is Donna, a frequent commenter of most Scott Fortune articles. If you all remember, Donna and her son live in a trailer in Missouri which she is trying to sell in order to be able to finallize her plans about moving to the Philippines with her son and her dogs. I hope she’s OK.
John;
I should have read your comment before I responded to Chris. I don’t remember Donna on Scott’s post, but then there is a lot I don’t remember.
Chris;
Joe comments here on LiP but he’s started his own website.
Chris;
I contacted Joe on Face Book and asked him to answer your question.
Chris;
I just received this message from Joe via Face Book.
Paul, I have posted 4 times now and have gotten the your comment is posted but it still does not show up so I don’t know what to do Give him my web link :http://lovingphilippinelife.com/
Awesome thanks Paul
Chris;
You’re welcome, I hope you connected with Joe!