Author Topic: Life in America - I made the move. (Read 882366 times)

Ri · « **Reply #7260 on:** May 21, 2019, 07:11:49 am »

Mrs Zog, that sounds absolutely epic. They sensed someone pretty darned special, obviously

I'm surprised your heart didn't leave your body to follow the manatees.

Mr Zog, very cool anti-mozzi-cuzzi!
For your next project, build a little platform so it's off the ground and not smothering the grass.

Should also catch a bit more coolth

TeeJay · « **Reply #7261 on:** May 21, 2019, 07:36:04 am »

Nice guys

Glad you had a lovely birthday Mrs Z

Nice jacuzzi to relax in after a hard days work.

grizz · « **Reply #7262 on:** May 21, 2019, 08:40:05 am »

That fence looks beautiful Gary.

Congrats to both of you on all you have managed to to date.

Oh, and a happy birthday to Mrs Z.

Belated, but not too late.

tok-tokkie · « **Reply #7263 on:** May 21, 2019, 09:47:26 am »

I agree. That fence really makes a huge difference to the look of your place. Good quality stuff makes a place look good. Cheap & run down does the opposite. You bought cheap because the place was run down now your improvements are really transforming the place - much more than it is costing you.

Bikerboer1973 · « **Reply #7264 on:** May 21, 2019, 10:55:09 am »

Happy happy Mrs. Zog! Nice going with the fench Zoggie and enjoy the Jacuzzi!

Maverick · « **Reply #7265 on:** May 21, 2019, 11:53:27 am »

Quote from: Mr Zog on May 21, 2019, 02:52:44 am

It was a good day...

I tried fishing off the pier at Sebastian inlet, saw many schools of fish, and even had a big barracuda follow my lure in for a few meters. But no takers. Still, beats a good day at work

On the way home from the beach Mrs Zog and I had a bit of a chat. Summer is here, temperatures are already high, and cooling down is a priority. We have a small plastic inflatable "jacuzzi" that we brought with from the old house, but without a "bug cage" we just cannot sit in it without getting eaten alive by the mozzies et al.

I had seen a gazebo at the camp ground that I had worked at last week that had mozzie screens all around, so I knew that they could be obtained. We did a bit of a google search and found several different ones on offer. With some more research we found one from Home Depot that ticked all the boxes, and didn't break the bank.

So this afternoon while Mrs Zog washed off the inflatable jacuzzi, I went to Home Depot and picked up the gazebo. I also got a couple of sheets of cheap plywood to use as a base for the 'cuzzi. At home I placed the sheets of plywood alongside each other, on top of an old tarp, then put another tarp over them. A couple of bits of duct tape to keep them all in place, then erected the gazebo over the base. Finally put the 'cuzzi in place and filled it up.

Now we have a lekker 'cuzzi to cool off in out in the yard, and can do so without being bugged by the bugs

And it looks pretty cool too

And some pics of the fence I finished off yesterday

Whenever I see a jakutzi the first thing that goes through my mind is Lukas Maree's song - ek kan doen met 'n miljoen

Quote

Ek sou kon doen met 'n miljoen.

Ek sou kon doen met 'n miljoen.

Want daarmee was die wêreld

vir my oral emmer groen.

Ja, ek sou kon doen met 'n miljoen.

Ek soek nie baie geld nie

net 'n klein ou fortuintjie.

'n Vliegtuig en 'n seiljag dalk,

Ja, al is dit net 'n kleintjie.

Ek dink nie ek wil ryk wees nie.

Ek wil net graag genoeg hê.

Om solank as wat ek wil

in my Jacuzzi te kan lê.

Ek sou kon doen met 'n miljoen.

roxenz · « **Reply #7266 on:** May 21, 2019, 02:10:48 pm »

Wow! Wow for the manatees, That is just pure magic. And Wow, for all the work you guys have done in, on and around the house. It looked pretty depressing when you bought it, but now it looks awesome! I wonder what you would get for it if your were to put it in the market now? (Not that you would, of course!)

Anyways, enjoy the good things!

Blou Zebu · « **Reply #7267 on:** May 22, 2019, 06:29:21 am »

Quote from: roxenz on May 21, 2019, 02:10:48 pm

Wow! Wow for the manatees, That is just pure magic. And Wow, for all the work you guys have done in, on and around the house. It looked pretty depressing when you bought it, but now it looks awesome! I wonder what you would get for it if your were to put it in the market now? (Not that you would, of course!)

Anyways, enjoy the good things!

I only found out a few months ago, while reading books for the children, that there are manatees in Mozambican waters and perhaps also in SA waters close to Moz.

Fudmucker · « **Reply #7268 on:** May 22, 2019, 06:49:17 am »

The manatees here are called dugongs.

"Dugong
(Dugong dugon) is found in Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean off the Coasts of Eastern Africa, India, Asia, and Northern Australia"

OomD · « **Reply #7269 on:** May 22, 2019, 09:59:01 am »

Ek sou my doodskrik as so ding in die water op my afkom.

For the english: I would shit myself if such a thing came towards me in the water!

Dustman · « **Reply #7270 on:** May 22, 2019, 12:51:25 pm »

It looks just like a big water-dog. Maybe a water-bulldog

Tom van Brits · « **Reply #7271 on:** May 22, 2019, 02:53:11 pm »

I was working and missed the updates, happy belated Bday Mrs Z!!

That Gazebo and jacuzzi looks the business!

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7272 on:** May 23, 2019, 03:53:51 am »

You ever have one of those days?

Started off ok, then went to shit...

I had one. Shit started when a hornet nailed me on my top lip. Felt like I had been hit with 10 000 volts in the face, then felt like my entire head was on fire. Now it just feels like I got hit in the face with a 2 x 4... And it went downhill from there, including me having a tyre on my van delaminate at 70 MPH on the Interstate. I almost lost it... that would have hurt too. But I did manage to get a new tyre fitted. Thankfully, because I am heading back to Bartow tomorrow at 5am to do some more work on the next dialysis clinic install. Not a night-stop though, will be home some time late tomorrow night.

TeeJay · « **Reply #7273 on:** May 23, 2019, 06:36:48 am »

Great sense of humour Gary

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7274 on:** May 24, 2019, 02:46:14 am »

Quote from: TeeJay on May 23, 2019, 06:36:48 am

Great sense of humour Gary

Thanks TeeJay, if we can't laugh at adversity it will overcome us

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7275 on:** May 24, 2019, 02:57:34 am »

Up at 4am.

Left the house at 4:25, woke up at 7:15

arrived at the shop, got my van out, colleague arrived at 5, and we left for Bartow.

Arrived at 7am, and got straight to work. A solid 9 hours of hard labour and we were done. It was really hot and humid, if any of you had seen me you would be forgiven for thinking I had pee'd in my jeans. It was just that hot that I was soaked in sweat...

Left the sprawling Metropolis of the City of Bartow (note the sarcasm, in SA it would be considered a "dorpie"

) at 4pm, and hit bad traffic on the way home. Finally got back to the shop at 6:40pm.

Unloaded the ladders and crap from my van and loaded up my plumbing tools and the parts I will need for tomorrow, and headed home at 7pm. I came home in the van because my first appointment tomorrow is just a couple of blocks from home, at 8am.

At home I had a hot shower to get the sweat and dust and grime off, then a lovely shrimp salad for supper that Mrs Zog had made. Ask her for the recipe, it's really lekker!

I got mail today, my new fishing license arrived. I pay an extra $5 (per year) for the credit card style license. The proceeds from this go directly towards maintaining and protecting the local waterways, so I pay it with pleasure. And it's a beautifully designed card, graphics by Guy Harvey, the renowned fish artist. Even the accompanying letter has a funny quirk, see if you can spot it?

Karel84 · « **Reply #7276 on:** May 24, 2019, 05:48:34 am »

Quote from: Mr Zog on May 24, 2019, 02:57:34 am

Up at 4am.

Left the house at 4:25, woke up at 7:15 arrived at the shop, got my van out, colleague arrived at 5, and we left for Bartow.

Arrived at 7am, and got straight to work. A solid 9 hours of hard labour and we were done. It was really hot and humid, if any of you had seen me you would be forgiven for thinking I had pee'd in my jeans. It was just that hot that I was soaked in sweat...

Left the sprawling Metropolis of the City of Bartow (note the sarcasm, in SA it would be considered a "dorpie" ) at 4pm, and hit bad traffic on the way home. Finally got back to the shop at 6:40pm.

Unloaded the ladders and crap from my van and loaded up my plumbing tools and the parts I will need for tomorrow, and headed home at 7pm. I came home in the van because my first appointment tomorrow is just a couple of blocks from home, at 8am.

At home I had a hot shower to get the sweat and dust and grime off, then a lovely shrimp salad for supper that Mrs Zog had made. Ask her for the recipe, it's really lekker!

I got mail today, my new fishing license arrived. I pay an extra $5 (per year) for the credit card style license. The proceeds from this go directly towards maintaining and protecting the local waterways, so I pay it with pleasure. And it's a beautifully designed card, graphics by Guy Harvey, the renowned fish artist. Even the accompanying letter has a funny quirk, see if you can spot it? 8:

You must have cleaned up kaaaak fast if you left home 3hrs before you woke up! Hehe

Peel it and reel it? Nice. I really like the credit card licence, obviously much better than our paper licence back here..

Sent from my SNE-LX2 using Tapatalk

Blou Zebu · « **Reply #7277 on:** May 24, 2019, 07:02:00 am »

Bartow
Population: 19 597 (2017)

I thought that to qualify as a city a place had have a Population of 1 000 000 or more?

TeeJay · « **Reply #7278 on:** May 24, 2019, 08:54:45 am »

Quote from: Blou Zebu on May 24, 2019, 07:02:00 am

Bartow
Population: 19 597 (2017)

I thought that to qualify as a city a place had have a Population of 1 000 000 or more?

I think Mr Zog was joking.

Mrs. Zog · « **Reply #7279 on:** May 24, 2019, 10:48:48 pm »

This seems to be the week for wildlife encounters.

Last night, around 22:00, Mr. Zog let the dogs out for a pee. I was in bed, reading. Suddenly I heard a might scuffle by the bedroom window, by the Schefflera tree that grows in the corner. Interspersed by Mr. Zog shouting "No! No! Down! Inside!" I threw on my robe and was on my way to see what the f*** was going on when Sammy cannonballed into me in the hallway, super hyper and excited. I headed outside (wisely leaving the dogs indoors - Mr. Zog had maneuvered them inside) and met Mr. Zog by the door, who said, "come quick, look at this!"

The dogs had cornered an opossum in the Schefflera tree (it's a shrub, actually, the size of a tree, but never mind, I digress). He shone the flashlight on it. The poor thing was scared to death and clinging on for dear life. I snapped a picture and then we left it alone.

Mr. Zog had already encountered it earlier this week down by the fence. He tried to chase it away so the dogs could come out for their last wee, but it refused to move. Its just froze. Eventually Mr. Zog bonked it on the nose very gently with the flashlight and then it scampered off.

Opossums are marsupials - related to kangaroos - and solitary and nocturnal. I'm sure this was the same one from a few days ago. They're harmless, shy, and carry few diseases. Rabies transmission by opossums is apparently extremely rare. But oh, they are so cute.

I don't know why my pictures are always sideways. Please, if someone knows how to fix it, please tell me. It's so frustrating.