Ms. May discovers some six-legged-friends doing construction work(...dv file) (or a ...mov file) (right after the concrete got poured) - it seems as though these construction people, though, did not get a 'permit' - so we sucked-them-up with the vacuum... Now their construction project is permanently disabled....
BUT - we are still in the 'construction' business - and here are some brief images of what our roof over our BIG piece of concrete will look like (assuming we can get a permit?
- Roof-project - north-western-looking perspective view
- Roof-project - north looking elevation view
- Roof-project - plan view
- Roof-project - west looking elevation view
- Roof-project - pad-footing-rod-post-detail
view
Ms. May and Mr. Bill have some concrete-work-done - a separate web-page for this event... Concrete_November_2007
This ( Cat-Feed ) small movie (4.5 meg ...wmv file) of a cat reminded us of OUR CAT - who hasn't gone to this extreme but is certainly 'close' - this little cat-movie is NOT 'legal' and I do NOT have any control over it - and I have NOT paid any royalty or anything such as that, but it has appeared on "You Tube" so I do not think it's 'copyright' by any means?
OR you can download a bigger (on the screen) and higher-quality ...mov file of about 18 megabytes)
Monday, 5 November, 2007: - Mr. Bill has been LAZY - and not updated the web-recently! - but here's some things to report...
- We have had NO Hurricane-force-winds HERE in Stuart in the last
several months
- We had some TERRIFIC wind for board sailing and kite boarding during October
- We had some TERRIFIC bad weather for Hang Gliding during October (we never went for over a month)
- Ms. May spent a couple of weeks in Italy at a wedding of some close, Hong Kong Friends and you can view her blog-site at http://www.sailormay.blogspot.com - where she has pictures and text of that momentous trip & event
- Mr. Bill spent 5 days helping his sister empty her old Austin,
Texas house of moldy-stuff and sending some to GoodWill and some to
Storage. We were helped-out a LOT by the gang at the Servpro
franchise in Austin.
- Ms. Siew Mei continues to be our favourite cat - though Mr. Panda Boy gained a place in our heart for a while until his family (kids of kids of the gang next-door-to-the-east) moved away. Pictures of Mr. Panda Boy are also on Ms. May's blog-site noted above (you have to scroll-down to where is says "PB and I").
- Our trash-guys (and gals, I suspect, too) have re-arranged their
schedule so that our yard-trash now only gets picked-up once a week -
UGH - which has cut-in-half Mr. Bill's opportunity to both stay in
shape and
keep the yard in shape - we can now only put-out 10 trash-cans a week
instead of the prior twenty trash-cans a week - so - ugh ugh
- We've applied for permits to pour a bit of concrete and are awaiting the resolution of that obstacle at this moment but hope to have concrete in by the end of November.
- The USSCMC wind-weather is working again: http://www.vikingasia.org/USSCMCws/index.html
- During my trip to Austin in September, to help-out my sister, she gifted me with her old video camera. I have researched this and found that the technology in that camera, though 'dated' by modern standards is still very acceptable and useful in today's computing world. What with all our sports and other 'activities' it's been very handy to have a 'video' camera (as opposed to a 'still' camera). I'm learning as I go, to some extent, with iMovie and iDVD, but in the future you should see more video-clips available on the web, and then bigger-files available for download.
- a couple of videos are already available - the 'best' is of Ms. May gybing (my) sailboard. it's here: http://www.vikingasia.org/BeachWeb/CSS_tree/Bdsling/May.gybe.mov - it's a QuickTime Movie (...mov) file of about 2.5 megabytes - so think before you click and/or download... there's another that is of Mr. Bill's Kiteboarding - it's a little fancier (with some titles and some speed-up-action and such) but it's here: http://www.vikingasia.org/BeachWeb/CSS_tree/KBing/KB.27Aug07.v8.mov - it's also a QuickTime Movie (...mov) file about 7 megabytes - again think before you click...
- more things are happening on several fronts - pictures (and now some video of some things) can be seen at the 'main' family-web-site at: http://www.vikingasia.org/BeachWeb
Friday, 27th July, 2007: we went for another walk, today, to "Jug Island Beach" - a place we passed-by yesterday during our kayaking adventure (see below)...
Click on the above image to get an "in-The-Forest" image of Mr. Bill; taken by Ms. Wong, - Or click on the image of Ms. May to get a larger image of HER...
Ms. May IS learning to be a great photographer... on the other hand - look at her 'model' - geezz - anyone who can make this guy look good has got to be a GREAT Photographer, already, huh?
Anyway - a few of the MANY pictures that Ms. May took with her new Nikon D40 that she bought in May in Hong Kong. More pictures at the ends of these links:
In the Woods:
- picture_1
larger version of picture_1
this is one of several BIG TREE STUMPS at the trail's end at the
beach... - Mr. Bill has pulled out several stumps in Florida -
but never anything even approaching this scale. He feels humbled
by just looking at this thing!
- a typical section of the trail
- picture_3 and some text caption
- picture_4 and some text caption
- picture_5 and some text caption
and a couple of quick-track-log-file(s) - overlain on top of Google Earth image
small_image_here larger_image_here
more on this trip - later-on...
Thursday, 26th July, 2007: we went kayaking this morning - separate web-page-here
Wednesday, 25 July, 2007: More visiting with the inlaws, today, and had a TERRIFIC LUNCH with them. However, we also managed a short-walk in the park (near Belcarra) this morning - fairly early:
Some pictures of the local gang, (hanging-out at the park as gangs do)...
Some pictures of the local inlet (some call it Belcarra Inlet - some call it Bedwell Harbour (Bedwell is the name of the road that runs along-side the harbour / inlet). On our walk-hike out to the end of the trail ("Bedwell Bluffs"), here we seem to have scared-off a couple of deer from the rocks they were playing on and they, then, swam across the inlet. Too bad we didn't have a VERY VERY LONG camera lens and a TRIPOD, we could have gotten some terrific pictures of the deer swimming.
Another view of the inlet from the 'other side'; several boats were over-nighting here ...
Anyway - we walked around, explored the trail and the woods, took some pictures, and
Ms. May attempted to find a trail through the woods where there was none.
This morning's walk - track-log overlain onto a Google Earth background image...
Further-image (more (land-area) information, same size image) of the whole 'peninsula' upon which we walked ( small-image / large-image ).
We hope to go kayaking, tomorrow, then, perhaps to walk the 'other' trail out to view Jug Island. More of the Peninsula and Jug Island (right at the NW cornever of the island in the view(s) below).
ALSO - just in case you are fans of the TV show "The Simpsons" there is, here, in Port Moody, B.C. CANADA a "Kwik E Mart" as has been made popular in the TV show. in case you can't read the sign over the door, it says, " Thank you for loitering, please come again. "
Saturday, 21st July, 2007: - visiting the in-laws - have some interesting pictures for your perusal - not much text
Took a couple of flights on Monday, 16th, then a Greyhound ride on Tuesday, 17th - and I'm now HERE...
- there are 'activities' but they amount (mostly, for Mr. Bill) of computering - and I've been learning a LOT about my GPS (Garmin GPSMap 76 CSx) and a LOT about some other things, as well - all computer related or GPS related or Amateur Radio related (i'm studying hard for my next 'level' of test and certification - the General level test on 15 August, 2007.
- I have been offered a potential job, most probably working for an Indian (computer) consulting firm but with / for / to 'add value' to an American (Floridian) customer-client , more about that next week, assuming we learn more. - we'll see.
As I sit here (in a VERY NICE location, I must admit) it's now raining EVEN HARDER - outside than it has been for the past five days (yes - it's rained and been overcast for the past five days but there are a LOT of things to keep me / us busy:
someone came to visit - but only was interested in 'rose-buds' - not in engaging conversation & communications...
Ms. May has cogitated, measured, and cut the cloth for
Several re-upholstered kitchen-eating-nook chairs (and a couple of others not shown...)
we have 'oogled' the 'Oreos' at the local CostCo (which is an AMAZING place - we had never been inside one but we went today - and found that if you're HONGRY - then you can get almost an entire lunch in 'bite-size-samples" (unfortunately they are not giving-away other things besides food?))
we have had some TERRIFIC Chinese food
we have done some SHOPPING; we have been to the Library; we are writing How To files for the huggly-bunch
we have been hiking for 2 1/2 hours around "Buntzen Lake" - some considerable up & down hiking in and out of the woods, not for the faint of heart!... Track-logs can be found via these links. The track-log from the GPS unit is overlaid onto the Google Earth satellite photo or image of the Buntzen Lake and surrounding mountains area. Small Large OR if you're more interested in the hike / walk in the 'z' direction (up and down) then you can view the 'profile' that I made via GPS Visualizer (a terrific GPS manipulation web-site by a terrific guy, then view the " profile (vertical distance) graph ".
we have found some flowers on our hike!
etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.
more pictures and text to come in days to come - lots of things still to do before we exit the scene here...
Wednesday, 11 July, 2007:
- while visiting Ms. Kristin's house, in Jacksonville, and visiting with Mom, and staying in their "Log Cabin" (frequently known as the "LC") - the 'Certified Deck Inspector' called and wanted to inspect their deck. So I accomodate his request - the test included the popular 'snif-test' and their deck passed with flying colors...
Monday, 2 July, 2007: some brief thingies from around the house...
OH - Movie and book review(s) have been moved to their own page, here: Reviews
Mr. Bill's continuing bird-feeder / squirrel prevention activities... While recently in Jacksonville, he bought some new bird-feed, (to replace the 2 bags that were not TOUCHED by the local birds - Harumph - obviously birds have a very educated palate, and there is / are some things they just will NOT EAT!.. - But this new feed is more to their liking....
Additionally the lady at the bird-feed-store in Jacksonville, (very near his Mom's) claims there is a 'fool proof' (but - hey is it squirrel proof) way to prevent the squirrels from getting-at the bird-feeder?) We'll see - he's seen this - he'll try to build-one soon... - especially as the weather-forecast(s) for the next few days is NOT conducive to his sports-list!
AND lots of driving recently - and since these are roads that I have been driving for the better part of 8 years (to-from Mom's in Jacksonville) and for 1-3 years (Groveland, Florida Ridge for Hang Gliding) I REALLY NEED an alert, helpful, productive, GPS-enabled navigator to help me in the mini-van (which will get all new tires next visit to the dealership - new-tires at their expense (with the "Tires for Life" program I bought-into when I bought the mini-van about 18 months ago)).
Thursday, 28th June, 2007:
- I had 'some trouble' getting to breakfast this morning - seems like there are other people in my house (some two legged, some four legged, some multi-legged) that are of the opinion that when I MAKE some BREAKFAST it's for THEM not ME? - Harumph!
Sunday, 24 June, 2007: - Whoops - sorry - updated two days in a row
- well - you know - I have this 'addiction' to 'cute pictures... - sorry - your problem, not mine!
Saturday, 23 June, 2007: - Mr. Bill wants to cook, but he wants to sew, too, EARLY in the morning before things get too hot. SO _ he assigns a 'proxy' to prevent his boiled-peanuts from boiling
remember A Watched Pot Never Boils - so he asks Mr. Panda to watch the pot (of peanuts) so they never boil?!
Thursday, 14 June, 2007: - Mr. Bill has ressurrected the (hurricane) generator, charged it's battery (again) tested it and so-on and so-forth
- it's ready to 'save our bacon' (amongst other things in the fridge / freezer) if we have a hurricane AND we lose our power - on the other hand in 99% of all hurricanes we WILL lose power for 'some time' - though the recent addition (February - April) of some concrete poles means maybe we won't lose power as much as we did in 2004...;
Late-breaking-news... - Ms. May has chosen to write a blog and display some of her pictures on a gallery-type-web-site... We'll publish information, here, when she's 'ready to go public'!
A couple of pictures of Ms. May working on her calligraphy... - She took a brief class while in Hong Kong. Note several things in the background: bicycles, kayaks, hang-gliders, to say nothing of the 'environment' (porch, yard, etc.), and if you are "REALLLLLLY ALERT" you'll notice a cat-tail and associated parts at the extreme lower-left of the picture.
Upon Ms. May's return from Hong Kong - she brought back a Nikon D40 digital SLR camera. It is an 'awesome gadget' and I have read the (100 page) book at least twice, now. Some very nifty features and functions. In the future a LOT of pictures in / on our web-page(s) will be taken with this camera (like those above and below here). It will take 'some time' for us to become 'proficient' with this new 'expression of emotion' tool. My sister has a D80 and it was too complicated even for me. I think the D40 is 'just right'!. - for more information - check-out either the Nikon (type in D40) web-site or another more 'independent' view (about the D40 X (wherein the "X" means 'extended' has a bigger CCD in it (10 megapixel).
Mr. Bill & Ms. Siew Mei (in her treasured "Bills to Pay" basket) - where she seems to spend a lot of time these days...
updated: Sunday, 27th May, 2007:
Ms. Siew Mei is helping me modify the web-site / web-pages into CSS format. Something that's NOT ALTOGETHER EASY nor simple at this point... - I couldn't resist a picture - and I'm 'HOPING' that by the time June rolls around (the end of this week) that I can promote a totally NEW web-site-layout (no I won't go back and re-do all the OLD stuff - but I HOPE to make June (2007) and the future web-pages to be different... ... ...
updated: Sunday, 20th May, 2007:
- YES - Mr. Bill has spent the last two days Yard-Working - it's a WONDEROUS feeling to have cleaned-up the yard - to have mowed (it had been at least 3 months) and raked, and trimmed, and snipped, and clipped, and trash-canned (8 cans ready for Tuesday morning pick-up!) and etc. etc. etc. - the yard looks SO MUCH BETTER, however, we are still on 'water restrictions' but that did not prevent me from using-up what was in the 'rain-barrel' thusly:
Mango Tree - 5 x 2 gallons = 10 gallons
Calamondin 1 x 2 gallons = 2 gallons
Avocado 1/2 x 2 gallons = 1 gallon
other?? 1/2 x 2 gallons = 1 gallon
starfruit 4 x 2 gallons = 8 gallons
loquat 2 x 2 gallons = 4 gallons
misc 4 x 2 gallons = 8 gallons
orchids 1/2 x 1 gallons = 1 gallon
wowie-zowie - a LOT of water in the 'rain-barrel'!
AND to have bought 6 bags of salt at Lowe's (for the water-softener) and to have made-up a list of 'twiddley bits' to get to fix the toilet in Ms. May's studio (which is leaking all over the place (which we NEVER USE (so that's probably why it's leaking!), and to have cleaned-out the mini-van and re-organized it and so-on and so-forth.
YES - Every Web Page MUST have a picture of our cat!
Ms. Siew Mei - our one and only cat, that we love very much - even if she talks a LOT!
last updated: Friday (early) afternoon, 11 May, 2007:
AND NOW - Mr. Bill is back 'home' in Stuart, Florida - the yard definitely needs me (seems as though WEEDS have happened in my absence)...
HOWEVER, I went grocery shopping on Thursday morning (since the only thing in the fridge was a quart of soured-milk and some (Chinese) soup of Ms. May's that looked like some biology experiment (green, blotchy and such?!)
So - Mr. Bill has made his own visit to the grocery store and made his standard breakfast on Friday Morning (amid Ms. May's phone-call) and what is NOT in the previously noted image is the FRESH Mango, the semi-fresh Pineapple and the banana(s).. - ALL very tasty. Tomorrow is cereal day - looking forward to more Mango too!
ALSO: found (for the second time (Lightning???)) a blown-fuse in the yard-watering-gadget. But it's now got a new fuse and a lot of TLC (to say nothing of re-programming.
I WONDER, too, about weeds - why is it that 'weeds flourish' when we are away but the grass doesn't?
ANYWAY _ there was a meowling-cat here ( small ) or ( large ) when I returned home at about 12:30 a.m. on Thursday morning. She's STILL TALKING and still hugging and still reading books with me!
The teaching thing did NOT HAPPEN _ seems as though the "market" for GIS courses is NOT what it used to be. However, my boss tells me that the fall semester will prove interesting and productive.
old-text:
When Mr. Bill returns on 9th May; - he'll teach (GIS (Geographical Information Systems)) (software from 'ESRI' ( http://www.esri.com )) at _IRCC_ and then he'll visit Mom, in Jacksonville. He hopes, also, to catch-up with the gang at Quest Air to do some hang-gliding on his new glider (which he hopes will have been delivered to Quest by the time he returns and can fly? After all the WALKING AROUND here in Hong Kong - maybe his knees, legs, ankles and feet will be prepared for foot-landing-practice, huh?
last updated: 17:54 p.m. (USA-PDT) - Wednesday, 21 November 2007rga; revID: 2d (in Stuart, Florida)