In the frenzy preparing to put up her Christmas decorations Mayang noticed that some of the tiles on the front of the house were separating from the wall due to rain seeping behind them during the last six rainy seasons, which means it lasted a lot longer than I ever thought they would.
To me this but a minor inconvenience, but to one person (My wife) this was a major-major catastrophe. So I quickly agreed with her and allowed her to solve this calamity on her own. Not that I’m lazy or don’t care… Well that is about it in a nut shell. But she seems happy when she has a project and the Old Kano is not involved.
Off to hire Emon (Yes she has a Tile “Guy” in her Roll-a-Dex) and he was summoned to remove the offending tiles. And yes I did notice that the tile was removed prior to seeing if there were matching tiles available at the Tile Emporium. But if you remember, “I’m not in charge!” So now we had a gaping space of 16 missing tiles across the front of her house. I thought: “Oh my, that sure would be a pickle of a dilemma if the tile couldn’t be matched”. But as normal I held my tongue, and sat with Emon and had a beer while the ladies (Mayang and her twin sister Clara) went to canvas for the old styled tile. Beer on a warm afternoon is truly a wondrous thing.
Over the years I’ve been waiting to see if any reader on LiP would ever noticed that the twin’s names are “Maria and Clara”
The same as the Philippine styled dress or at least the Sangria?” But it never happened, no one ever noticed.
Later that day the car returned with two disappointed ladies, for as I suspected that tile was long Out of Stock! But you all knew that, didn’t you?
They had visited at least 11 Tile Emporiums with each one referring them to the next. It’s a Tile Shop thing to spread the wealth.
Dejected, they sat and planned the next days search to see if someone still had that elusive tile. I was promoted to Senior Chief in the Navy for my ability to problem solve, I know that there is always an answer or a viable solution for everything. Yes I always thought that I could have also gotten Apollo 13 home safely using far less Duct Tape. (Or Duck Tape as it was originally known) Hey look it up!
I took a swig of my beer and asked if she really believed that that tile would ever be found? No doubt on some side street in some little Barangay it was in a back room or on the shelf, but what are the odds on us finding it?
Paul gets involved: Mahal, rip out the remaining tiles across the bottom of the wall and replace it with a solid color tile that matches the existing tile. Do you see how my mind works when fueled with the inspiration of SMB?
Maria and Clara and I might add, Emon the drunken tile guy were impressed with my simple solution. (Navy Rule: Throw vast amounts of money at all problems) But now she needed to find 32 tiles vice 16. That is a job for the next day:
Remember a solid color was agreed upon? The ladies returned the following day with a brick designed tile of a very light color and were very happy with their choice. So of course I was ecstatic with the choice and I defy any human being to tell the ladies any different. If they think it looks good, than by all the Saints in Heaven, it damn well looks good and even better after another SMB.
I have found the key to a happy marriage in the Philippines: Never sweat minor things, if it’s not earth shattering stay out of the way. This might seem to be a contradiction to the statements above where I came in to solve the problem, but after years of dealing with Naval Officers I know how to turn a phrase that allows others to think it was their idea. It’s a wonderful talent!
I feel this way, I built the house for her and our family, I could live in the drinking house in the backyard and be happy, so whatever she wants to do, I shut my Kano mouth and let peace reign throughout the land. Do you see why I have no bad moods?
Now for the Tippecanoe part of the title, she was a USNS ship I rode and Emon is a Tile-r too. It made sense to me, but then again that could be the beer.
another great read. and I think only folks from New England would get the title…. Well older folks from New England but my folks have made me an old soul I guess so I understood it. crack a few SMG for me.
Craig;
I also sailed on one ship named Kalamazoo, try sipping a cold one in a bar and explaining the name of your ship to the barmaid. There was a time when The Bluejackets Manual listed the type of ship and what the meant, Aircraft carriers: Famous Battles, Battleships: US States etc. Resupply Tankers are named after Indian named rivers in the US. (Not anymore politicians want their name on Navy ships now.) The USS B.H. Obama will be the Navy’s only gun free zone non-Man-O-War. It will only carry Drones.
Craig, some of us folks outside of New England will get the title. I live only a few miles away from John Tyler’s home place in Virginia.
Pete;
Didn’t he win the election? (lol)
“Pete;
Didn’t he win the election? (lol)”
Actually, Tyler wasn’t elected. “Ol’ Tippecanoe” (William Henry Harrison) won the election, but died a few months after taking office. Tyler was vice president. After a bit of digging, I found that Tippecanoe was also born in Virginia. So Now I have to ask Craig what is the New England connection?
Pete;
During the Battle of Tippecanoe Harrison’s American troops defeated the Indian tribes. Tippecanoe refers to Harrison the victor in the battle. Tyler ran as Harrison’s Vice President (Thus was elected) So the slogan was; “Tippecanoe and Tyler too.” The Tippecanoe River is in northern Indiana and that is what my ship was named after. Ain’t history grand? (lol)
Yep. I learned all that in elementary school. I was rooting for Tecumseh, by the way. But Craig said that no one outside of New England would get The title. I’m still wondering what the New England connection is.
Take care,
Pete
Pete:
Don’t blame Craig or myself, because in New England, Boston is referred to as the “HUB”, as in the Hub of the Universe so we tend to take credit for all things that happen in the minor galaxies that rotate around us. Oh also don’t take this as an apology, take it as a absolute statement of fact. (LOL)
Bob Wow Malic, what is this doing being posted on a Sunday??? Then I checked the calendar “Surprise Surprise!!!”
Bob:
I posted this on Monday on your Facebook, and today it pops up, bless these high speed electronics.
Ha ha… something was broken on the plugin that imports comments from FB, Paul. I didn’t realize it was broken until a couple hours ago and I fixed it… so it imported the comments that were waiting. 🙂
Paul, we’ve recently build a new home on our island province of Guimaras. We were short 64 tiles for our front porch. Our contractor, Boy, said our supplier shorted us. We suspect the contractor did not measure correctly as we had ample amounts of leftover tiles in a few other rooms.
After only six months our supplier received a new supply of the front porch tiles we needed, which I consider a miracle on par with the parting of the Red Sea.
Now we only needed the contractor to come back and install the tiles. My wife sent out a text message. Our guy said he would arrive the next week. He didn’t. No surprise to me but I kept my fat kano mouth shut for the moment.
At the start of the following week my wife mentioned that our contractor did not come as promised. I suggested she send another text. She did. Our contractor came the next day with a crew of four men and finished the porch job by lunch.
“What did you say in your text?” I asked my asawa.
“Boy, you know Dave gets upset if you do not come when you promised you would.” was the reply. I was given the role of the “bad guy.” It worked.
My wife is smarter than I look.
Dave;
That is a funny but typical story here in the Philippines, I’ve said it so many times, all one has to do is wait, and all things will come to pass. I have been the “Bad Cop” on many occasions it’s a role that is ill suits me, but I’ll play along.
If you received the tile within six months, then I must ask; “Did you pay extra for the “Rush Service?” (lol)
But a tiled porch or not, that cold beverage on your porch watching the world drift by, still tastes better here. Ulcers will never be a problem with us.
Bob.. You are right.. You really do need to install a “Like” button on your site here… hahahaha
Then others would want a dislike button, there would be no end to it. (lol)
Paul,
Wonderful article and like you I learned so many great lessons in the Navy. I was in for 7 years, came out an ETN2. Glad that all is well with the world. If you are ever in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental area give me a heads up and we can share a couple of bottles.
Take care,
Luke
Like;
All branches of the service and many civilian jobs will give you a leg up in later years. Mostly dealing with people in a way that is conducive to a job well done. I never need to take credit, I just want to smile when I get my way. (LOL) She is now running at full tilt finishing her Christmas decorations, but that’s a story for another time.
Hi Paul,
Did you ever think of becoming a diplomat? haha
You have a very patient and easy going nature which has brought you far in the Philippines.
We have a very distinctive terra cotta color flowered tile going through most of our house, and I had the hindsight? to get my husband to order backup in lieu of the old “out of stock” dilemma. I was expecting more of a three to six month time frame:)
My husband is pretty patient like you, as I’m the more demanding Amerikana one:)
Worked out well for all concerned including Bonita the dog’s seal of approval!
You rule!
Queenie
Queenie;
Blessed with the same traits of Job of Bible fame. Life is too short to get worked up over things that are 100% beyond our control, but I do get angry at myself when I don’t fix the things that are in my power to fix. I wish I had used your Out of Stock plan. But over the years It would have required me buying another lot to house my warehouse. (lol) I guess the beer still works for me.
Sorry– Bonito the dog! He wouldn’t approve of me calling him that!
He’s at that age that I don’t think he really cares! (lol)
Paul, after only a few months, we have several lifting tiles on concrete floor, 600mm x 600mm on the second floor.
Any suggestion how to fix it?
Just kidding… the lifting tiles are all waiting to be redone.
Common problem here where everyone is an expert in everything. All the works are done at least twice and everything breaks.
The only power tool that didn’t
break is DEWALT drill.
All others broke. Now I buy disposable tools.
Wish Bob would put an article about tools in Philippines.
Palawan Bob;
I thought all tools from China were disposable? (lol) An article on tools is a great isea, why don’t you give it a shot and send it to Bob? I got six years out of the tiles on my wall, so I guess that’s no record but a fine average, there is a few hundred more so I’ll wait and see what happens next..
Makita grinder was the worst of the pack. REAL JUNK…!!!
Palawan Bob
Makita, is normally a good tool, when my ship was in Singapore back in the 1990’s I purchased all my 220 Volt power tools by Black & Decker, kept them all out of my families hands and they still work.
Paul,
As long as Mayang is happy that’s all that matters. I gave up long ago trying to go against what Anne thinks is right. It makes life much easier.
Papa DUCK (Not the tape) (lol)
That my friend id the key to a happy stress free life! (Oh and beer…..)
Good Article: Yes, “Duct” not Duck=Quack, Quack tape.
It so happens that I have a friend, who has a friend, who has that tile “in stock.” Just send me $159.99 and I’ll send you as much as you want. Hurry as the price will go up.
Rusty
Rusty;
The original name of that tape was DUCK and was later changed to Duct, one very popular brand is still called Duck tape. Google it. (lol)
Hi Paul, got the same tiles on our verandas, garage and outside, you guessed it needed
40 tiles to finish the job out of stock sir was the reply, had to go to quiapo in Manila to get
Some slightly different shade but done the job, ? I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut it makes for an easier life, yeah power tools I usually buy Bosch been okay,
Derek in pasig.
Derek;
That is one in the plus column for living in Manila, the selection is better. A long life is caused by not getting that involved with Home Improvement projects. A sunny day or a rainy one for that matter and that cold beer……..
I shipped a few 110 volt Makita power tools over ahead of me. When I got here I bought a 75w stepdown transformer and I have not had any trouble with them at all.
I do however have trouble finding quality large carbide tipped drill bits for my 1/2 impact drill though… and decent carbide circular saw blades.
Richard;
If only I could have sent you my relatives to learn the difference between 110-220, who collectively one by one blew up anything I owned that was 110 Volt.
In the early 90’s I returned to the Philippines after a 15 year hiatus and rented a duel voltage house. The amazing part is I have no memory of anyone plugging 220 into a 110 circuit. But after replacing most appliances When I built the new house I banished all 110 from my life. Tools here (Good Brands) were outrageously expensive so when my ship was in the shipyards in Singapore I walked into a Handy City and saw that all tools were 220 and reasonably priced. I pulled out my Visa Card and went nuts, then in the same building was a LBC and the clerk helped me carry them all there and shipped them home to Bataan. I’m now a 220 volt kinda’ guy!
220 volt and SMB’s, the only way to go.
Loren;
As long as we know where we’re going! (lol;)
Hi Paul
Soon after we bought our house in Davao we had a couple of floor tiles come loose in the master bathroom. As the wife and I were in South Korea we asked our builder friend, with the help of the brother in law, to fix the problem for us. A few packets of tile fixative should do the job me thinks………….wrong!
They managed to break the tiles when lifting them, in fairness they were thin and probably cheap like most of the materials in the house, so they took it upon themselves to source more for us. Well, the original tiles are black and we now have two grey tiles in the middle of the floor! “We couldn’t find black ones” was the excuse but what made me laugh more was that they couldn’t see what the problem was.
I learnt very quickly to go back to the builder, a Swiss guy, and ask him to do the repairs. Oh and drink an SMB to get over it!
Cheers
AJ UK
AJ UK
Here is what could have gone really wrong, painting the gray tile black to match, you did say “Brother-In-Law” correct? The breaking of the original, was a given from the onset, it had to be that way. How do you like my brick looking tiles, they sure do blend right in! Oh thank heaven for SMB’s.
A perfect match Paul, cough, cough!
AJ UK;
Or to quote the folks from Monty Python; “Nod, nod-wink, wink!”
I shipped my computer over along with a 27″ wide screen monitor and a 7.1 surround sound speaker system as my pc had an awesome sound card.. very nice to watch downloaded movies on. The pc was fine and the monitor was also.. but when I plugged in the 9v speaker power it did the whole SNAP sizzle smoke thing…very disappointing… my own fault though…lol
Richard;
My father told me that no lesson we learn in life is free, they have no value unless we pay for them.
I’ll wager that will NEVER happen to you again! Other appliances maybe, but that’s a new lesson.