Time flies

It was a year ago on the 22/07/2011 that we both left work in preparation for our emigration to Belize. All those warnings of you’ll be bored and go out of your mind have just faded away. I hauled an  X Box over here and have played it once for about an hour. The average temperature of 82 degrees with mostly sunny skies is lovely…. just to sit in the roof top lounge and swing in the hammock sipping fruit smoothies watching the world go by. We don’t get out much so jumped at the chance to help out at the Yacht Club (not tweed jackets and boat shoes) who teach local youngsters how to sail, a non-profit organization. I was supposed to help out on our neighbours Hobie Cat but a freak windstorm smashed the mast the night before , so when we got there we were seconded into the beer tent and asked to help out . Before we knew it we were up to our ankles in Belikin Beer bottle tops having a great time, whilst jigging about to the “Gilharry 7” a local reggae band. The day was a great success and it was nice to see the majority of people were Belizean.

Helping out in the Belikin Beer tent – Nominated driver on the right

In preparation for the inevitable hurricane season onslaught we had some sturdy galvanized 16 gauge window and door protectors made , to simply bolt onto the window bars when needed. As the guys were doing them i was going around making sure they fitted, the guys said “HEY MAAN, we know what we are doing” i went to get some lunch came out and they had done another 2 windows ,they said “No need to check they fit ”  i said “GREAT”  but lets check them anyway ..BINGO the first one doesn’t fit one of the holes is in the wrong position …i look at the guys they say ”  it’s not easy MAAN”   i think ..what getting someone to do a good professional job in Belize!  ….. no kidding  🙂   …  i had to provide the washers and nuts to hold the window protectors in place so went to the ” No Gaurantee No Returns place ..AKA  Cinty’s  …..  everything over here is sold in each’s (single washers and nuts) you can not buy a box ..i ask for a 3/8inch nuts  they give me one  -10 cents each (3p) … luckily i had a piece of the bolt in my pocket and guess what  ..the 3/8 nut doesn’t fit the 3/8 bolt …next i enquire about washers they show me one and it is again 10 cents   so i say i’ll just check at Lano’s the Chinese hardware store …i get there and the same washers are 25 cents each BUT their 3/8 nuts fit.  So bolts from Lano’s, washers from Cinty’s ..i go to pay at Lano’s and the owner says “Why you not buy washers” i told him they were a lot cheaper at Cintys ..he tries to convince me Cinty’s are smaller thinner and inferior until i take the washer out of my pocket and they are the same ..ONLY in Belize  🙂

You only need them …WHEN YOU NEED THEM !!!!!!!!!!!!

Bertlam bought us a pool cue bridge attachment down so H could get those pool shots that were just out of reach ….I was in a quandary as whether to  fix it up for H  as i quite liked her stretching over the pool table with her ass in the air …WHAT A MISTAKE A TO MAKE A  The introduction of the pool bridge has now leveled the playing field and frequently get my ass whooped ..she constantly reminds me she used to work in a snooker hall when she was a lass …YAWN  🙂

We are now searching for Yardman number 6  for Bertlam  ..number 5  asked for a 50% pay rise because he thought he was a hard worker ..Bertlam told him no so he said OK i’ll do it for 50bz  …Bertlam goes back to Canada  ..i fix the ride on mower ..to make it easier for the yardman to cut the grass as he was using a handpush one ….he cuts the grass in one day and comes up to me for his pay ..i give him 50bz and he says i cut twice as much grass i want double pay and tomorrow off ..i try to explain that the ride on mower is twice as fast and you sit down all  day instead of pushing …. he just didn’t get it …..  and now needs a new job.

I finally  did the Kayak across the bay to Jill & Benny’s twisting   Mrs Bertlams arm  i talked her into it kayaking across with me which she managed quite comfortably ..Bertlam and H went in the new SUV  and met us a couple of hours later…unfortunately the wind picked up so we didn’t get to kayak the 3  1/2 miles back ,so we strapped the kayak to the top of the SUV and drove the way home after a fantastic day.

Never paddle in the back 🙂

 

 

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