Zkribbler's Retirement House - Watch it being built!

[Zkribbler]

... After that I'll start them on the circumference wall or something until you arrive.

Good idea.

Looking over the pics raised some suggestions in my mind:

(1) If the stairs negate the need for a waver at the top of the inner seawall, then do we need to extend the waver much further inland on the stream-side wall? Sho might know the answer to this.

(2) You once mentioned putting a hoist on your seawall to raise and lower small boats. Does it appear to you guys that the short space between the house and the top of the stairs might be a place where I should put such a hoist? [If we're getting boats, at least one of us is going to have to learn to sail.]

(3) I'm toying with the idea of putting an outbuilding on top of my laundry room and stretching to the inner seawall. The area underneath it and between the laundry room and inner seawall would be a nice shady area. I don't know whether I will or not, but don't raise the level of the inner seawall yet in case we have to place a post or two. It'd be okay to build the circumference wall along the basketball side of the property. I'm assuming you're going to put in a strip of decorative bricks to match the strip in the side of the laundry room.

[Lancer]

They got rained out today, then comes fiesta, then the next date of work is the 4th and you'll be here the 6th. So, I'll keep them busy for a couple of days and then we can sit down with Sho and anyone else you want and discuss these plans.

1) The waver/facing has gone in 16 feet in at the stream side and that should be plenty. I know Sho thinks so too. If not we can add more later in years to come.

2) I'd guess the space is too narrow but haven't looked at it with that in mind.

3) Any outbuildings we should, imo, plan for but not build until the circumference wall is up, house is finished, and the attentions of the gov turned elsewhere.

[Zkribbler]

Fun with visas, Pt II.

I need to thank you again for your calm and reassuring advice. If not for that, I'd be psycho by now.

Today, I picked up my actual plane ticket, had the requisite 2"x2" photo of me taken, gathered up a recent bank statement to prove I'm not indigent, and headed down to the Philippino consulate to get my visa.

They offer three (3) kinds of visas: a 3-month, single-entry visa; a 6-month multiple-entry visa; and a 12-month multiple-entry visa. I may take a trip out of the Phils for some reason, so I asked for a 6-month multiple-entry visa. Sounds easy, right?

Nope. They guy a the window informs me that, because this is my first visa, I can only get a 59-day visa. I point out to him that I've bought my ticket like they require, and it has a return flight in 60-days. He curtly informs me that my visa will only be good for 59 days which is why they call it a 59-day visa. They kept my papers overnight, and I go back tomorrow to get the visa.

You'd think that if they require a newbie to get a 59-day visa, they'd list the 59-day visa among those visas which are available.

After I left, I got to thinkin' that maybe it was a shake down and I, at that point, was suppose to give him a bribe. But I don't think so. His body language indicated he didn't want to have anything more to do with me.

So I'll get the 59-day visa, will fly to the Phils, will probably be able to get a retirement visa within that time and, if not, will simply extend the visa I do have.

[Lancer]

Eh, no worries. Two months at a time here is np. Aeson knows more about it than I do but is didn't seem to cost too much that I recall. Maybe $30-$40ish. We can take care of it in 20minutes when we go to the mall, just down the street.

Retirement isn't about worrying about stuff.

That resort we stopped at yesterday when we got rescued had the coolest little circular swimming pool. Might look good in the picnic area in some future year.

[Aeson]

First VISA extension was P2530, second was P4800, third was P2830. The first was just 38 days on top of the 21 day entrance VISA. I have no idea what the difference in cost was for on the second and third. P10160 for 6 months, works out to about $34/mo.

[Zkribbler]

Lancer --

Y'think the storeroom will be up and operating within 6 weeks? I'm thinkin' I should start directing LBC boxes to my East Canayaon address rather than to your Pondol address. No need for us schlupping the boxes down the road if we don't have to.

[Lancer]

Anything you focus the guys on will be done before you know it, sure. However nobody is living there to recieve the stuff.

Sho stops here in Pondol every work day to pick up Rigo, Tina and the three (sometimes) of the pro workers that live here. So, no problem moving the stuff the guys would be very happy to do so. Likely they'll be sometimes schlepping us over as well. So sending here to Pondol is the best idea.

Thx for the info Aeson, how's everything going?

[Aeson]

Miss NetNet and all of you... and the warmth. But doing pretty well otherwise. Mostly over the flu I picked up on the flight, and getting used to the "cold". Mostly back on the right sleep schedule too. Been working on finishing the tile in the downstairs bath and laundry... I'm sure there's some other projects around the house to keep me busy until Memorial Day when I'm headed to Utah. Hopefully will have my Aunt's house all finished up by then.

Getting busy around the house for fiesta?

[Aeson]

I just ran into something interesting over at the VisaJourney forums... Have you heard of a change to the K3 Visa?

edit: nm... the vj poster was misreading the guidelines.

[Lancer]

Yup! The girlz are downstairs cutting the colored paper getting ready for making tortas, the guys are over at Sho's killing/prepping the first pig. I took a couple pics downstairs incl a close up of your honey cutting paper. When I have more pics I'll put them up. Want to get pics tomorrow of the guys...

Post some pics of your tile job if you get a chance...oh wait, no camera right?

[Zkribbler]

I shudda given myself more time to get ready for the move. I still calculate that I have enough time to get everything done, but that's only an intellectual calculation. Emotionally, I'm freaking out. Can I get a "Calm down, Zkribbler," from someone?

[I still have Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. 6 days. Plenty of time. Right??]

[Zoid]

Calm down, Zkribbler!

[Aeson]

Yup! The girlz are downstairs cutting the colored paper getting ready for making tortas, the guys are over at Sho's killing/prepping the first pig. I took a couple pics downstairs incl a close up of your honey cutting paper. When I have more pics I'll put them up. Want to get pics tomorrow of the guys...

Post some pics of your tile job if you get a chance...oh wait, no camera right?

I'll post some if I can get ahold of a camera. Nothing much to see right now, just putting up the backer-board, filling and taping joints, caulking where the caulking is needed, and covering it all with "hydro-ban". Should be able to start the tile once another coat of that stuff is dried sufficiently.

[Zkribbler]

Calm down, Zkribbler!

Thanks, Zoid.

Today, I picked up my 59-day visa. It's good for three months.

In going over what I need for my retirement visa, I suddenly noticed that, if I get the medical exam outside of the Phils, it has to then be certified by the consulate. (a) I don't ever want to go back there, and (b) I haven't yet received the results from the medical exam yet. So I'm guessing it's gonna be re-done in the Phils.

I got my police certification today. SOP is for them to mail it to me, but they did it while I waited. I don't know how through it was, tho. At one point, a lady came out and asked me if I'd ever been arrested. I said "no," and that seemed to be good enough for her.

[Lancer]

Calm down on the plane, go nuts getting everything ready for that moment, its tradition.