Upcoming Phils trip update

[Zkribbler]

Lancer, any update on the:
(a) wheelbarrow
(b) missing money?

[Lancer]

a) They don't have a ****ing heavy duty wheelbarrow on the island of Bohol. We went to every freaking hardware store in Tag and nothing near strong enough. The only thing that was strong enough is a rice carrier that came in at over $100. But, since we did shopping I paid the gas.

b) Your money is all in the account.

The thing was that only the cash portion is available at this time which doesn't seem to make sense but this is Theresa's area of knowledge. She talked to our bank lady there.

[Zkribbler]

a) They don't have a ****ing heavy duty wheelbarrow on the island of Bohol.

b) Your money is all in the account.

The thing was that only the cash portion is available at this time which doesn't seem to make sense but this is Theresa's area of knowledge. She talked to our bank lady there.

That's what I thought happened. They're not going to show that check in the joint account until the check (deposited 1/8/09) clears.

I should be able to get to U.S. Bank in an hour or two. Since I can't e-mail from here, I'll either post or PM you, so you pass the word to Theresa.

[Zkribbler]

I had to re-send the MoneyGram. I just PM'ed you the new number to give to Theresa. Don't worry, if you don't get a chance to tell her, I'll e-mail her tonight [in about 7 hours from now]. I PM'ed you in case she's under any kind of time pressure (like paying the crew).

Would it make sense, time wise, to search around for a heavy duty wheel and then build our own wheelbarrow? The Phils have to have wheels for motorcycles, etc., yes? --Or will most of the heavy hauling be done by the time the wheelbarrow would be built?

[Lancer]

Yes, on the way home I noticed some of the tricycle wheels would do the job. In fact there are apparently tricycle manufacturers here in Jagna that could do so start to finish with diagrams of what we want built. Those might be available on the internet too. That considered, word of what we're up to have gotten to the crew and they say that on the varying, uneven ground they would prefer to carry. Also when they carry most of the time they only have to pick up once since they can throw in the trench as well. With a wheelbarrow they have to pick up twice. They can't just dump the wheelbarrow because it would cause gravel slides...

It's all very technical but it raises the specter that we build the thing and they don't use it. That's what happened last year when I bought them leather gloves.

Had a rather mild typhoon last night which KOed the power all night until just now. Rather breezy it was.

[Zkribbler]

Okay. Whatever works best for the guys.

Post pix when you get 'em. And again, thanks for all your help. Without you, I'd probably end up living in Pacoima.

[Lancer]

Pacoima? Don't know anything about it except it sounds like something one would eat prunes to counter. Alternately for Pacomia I would prescribe Metamucil. Btw, without you we wouldn't be able to buy the rice field we'll be able to get at the end of the month

[Zkribbler]

Pacoima? Don't know anything about it except it sounds like something one would eat prunes to counter.

Pacoima is L.A.'s version of Cleveland. It's a town with a silly name in the NE corner of the San Fernando Valley. Say "Pacoima" in Los Angeles, and people start laughing without even knowing why.

Yuri Smirnoff:
Every country has a city they make fun off. Here in America, the city you all make fun of is Cleveland. I'm from Russia. In Russia, the city we all make fun of is Cleveland.

[Lancer]

Dolores and I going to have a big talk with Sho and Malou about how not to be poor anymore. That now that they are both working and combined are making more than they need for day to day that they should go with us to see our friendly BPI lady and open an account. Malou wants a gas tank so she can cook with gas and they are really spendy here. Then after that there's the gas... It's difficult to cook with wood. I'm going to advise them to continue cooking with wood, they use offcuts (small cut off pieces of wood too small to use on the job) from Sho's work now, which is at least free. Also to avoid every expense and live frugally until they've saved enough money for a rice field. Then, buy the field and use the money from the rice to buy the gas tank. The moral of the story is this job won't last forever and being a contractor is to not know where your next job will come from, but a rice field has harvests forever. So the money spent on the field will keep paying and not quit.

Hope they listen. The temptation of money in hand is hard to resist and Filipinos like to live large as soon as there are two pesos to rub together.

[Lancer]

I like Yuri Smirnoff though I haven't seen as much as I'd like.

I wonder in Poland if they tell Polish jokes.

[Zkribbler]

...or:

The only money you'll have as an old man is the money you send down the road when you're a young man.

[Lancer]

...or:

Wonderful Zkrib, I will show them what you wrote.

[Lancer]

Well hell and death, the freaking place won't release the money because you (or the bank) abreviated Theresa down to T. I'm going down there with Dolores to try to talk some sense into the buggers.

[Zkribbler]

It wasn't me. I don't think it was the bank. I hope you're successful because I'm on the eve of a three-day weekend, so it'd be four days before I can fix the problem.

I'm looking at my copy of the form I used. If necessary, I could fax you a copy of it showing the name "Theresa."

If we do need to do yet another re-do, I suggest we send the next MoneyGram to a new place, and that way the old place won't get any fees.

[Lancer]

Dolores and I went down there and I read them the riot act, Theresa got the money. Plus, I think they'll remember her now as the lady that if you don't give her the money gets a crazy American who goes down there and *****es them out royally.

They requested her SSS card and said that you requested it, did you really put that in there or is that BS?