Ask for Help

Ever since I returned to Florida I had problems with my sprinkler system. I was responsible for constructing this six zone system with a timer so I could meet the requirements of the City Watering Policy.There are always problems like a few sprinkler heads being cut off by grass mowers but this year it was more.

I use Orbit products out of Salt Lake City and have been really pleased with the service.This year I planned to replace three valves to my central manifold and after installing I was unable to get the system working through my central timer. For longer than I can count I tore the system apart and put it together. I want to Lowe's where I bought the product and their expert was of no help.

I enrolled Theresa to go over the wiring to the timer and she completely re-programmed the system.Nothing worked. I am a very patient person,I believe but some would differ, and was ready to call in an expert to help. I saw the $125 bill and waited for a day. This am I went out again and looked at the box the valves came in and there was a phone number from Salt Lake City.. I ran into the house and told Theresa I was going to phone the Mormon and get Devinne guidance. I took the phone, my bag of tools and a chair outside to work beside my system.

I dialed the number and after six options I punched in the section called help. A man answered and he quickly realized I called before three years ago. After a joke about Mormons and small talk he got me on track and asked what the problem was. In so many words I told him the problem and he asked if I saw the little arrows on the new valves. I went cold and thanked him for the help.I just realized that I installed the valves upside down. Five minutes later I had the system on line.

Men don't ask directions nor in this case seek help from experts until the last desperate minute.I just realized that I fit into that ordinary slot of men who are afraid to ask directions. That will never happen again and feel so silly for the previous 70 + years.

People Speak Again

Municipal elections were held here in Cape Coral and the total number of voters would make you sick.Out of 120,000 possible voters only about 20,000 came out to use their franchise. There was so much acrimony during the past year that I personally thought that the turnout would be very high.

Big issues and a falling economy made the platform ready for a shootout. There was a watchdog who attended council every meeting for the past two years and spoke at every available occasion. He was the watch dog and he ran a campaign on, have you had enough yet.

His incumbent was so sure he would win because he was sponsored by the local media that he relaxed. He spoke in the future and he was so confident that he appeared arrogant to say the least. The many debates were reported as a sure thing for this man. Today the news said that he was a loser and the new man won by a 63% winner. Why? The new man gave a story of hope and he engaged the people to think about the future.Now he has to perform.

All around this state the same thing happened. People are Fed up and the economy is driving everyone nuts so they take it out on the elected officials. Perhaps the future will be better and people will vote because of issues instead of the blind thought of get rid of the incumbent because they caused the problem

I love politics but I am distressed with the situation which makes good men into evil and people with short sighted plans heroes. Politics and solutions are a slow process and we find that people of value understand this. Voters get what they vote for but not necessarily what they deserve..

Away From Family and Friends.

Years ago when I left home to move to Temiskaming to be principal of a school and play hockey I felt very much alone. I lived in the White Oaks Inn which was a staff house for employees of the International Pulp and Paper Co. I was 19 and felt that I could take on the world but something was missing. Family. The only communication that I had with my family was through letters and the occasional telephone call.




To say the least I was lonely at times. Today Theresa and I choose to live in Florida for half the year. We miss the almost daily contact with family and friends we have when living in Ontario. We do have some good friends here and socialize with nice people but this never takes the place of your own family.




Today we have great telephone plans so we are able to talk for hours. We have face book and see and read of activities almost as they are happening. Visits from the family and friends help to keep us in the loop but it is not the same. The great benefit derived from living here in Paradise is the weather and the downside is the reduced interaction with those who mean the most to you.




Flying home at Xmas is our next big trip and already we are thinking about it. There is a sadness to life for people who have no family or real friends. We are double blessed because we have both, a loving family and great friends.

One Small Boy

Harry Potter made an unscheduled visit to our home on Halloween. This small boy has been coming to our house every Halloween since we moved here in 2004. He was a very small boy, almost fragile when we first met him with his mother. They came all happy and excited as we were practically the only people who had a lit pumpkin at our door. He was a cute Little fellow and as I amused myself with him, Theresa heard the sad story of their home. His mother's father was sick and she lived with her parents.

Her father died and this little fellow now lives with his mother and grandmother. There are no children in the neighbourhood so he is nurtured by female family members. We took a liking for this boy and I collected some very nice toys for him. Last year we never had the proper opportunity to give them to him so we decided to make this Halloween special for him.

We put out our lit pumpkin this year and waited for him to come. After a long wait Harry Potter came to see us and he was a perfect picture of the real Harry. So articulate and polite and grown up in so many ways but meek and only a child in other ways. We talked to him and asked about his school and so on and then asked if he might be interested in some toys.

He responded with a smile and when we opened the large box he examined all the cars and little trucks with enthusiasm. I had this front-end loader, large and battery operated and showed him how to manually operate the remote. His eyes lit up and he was happy. He took all the toys and thanked us many times. When he left I was a little sad that his grandfather was not around to enjoy this special child.

Harry Potter was the only child to darken our door this year but he gave us more joy than a hundred children who were just there for the candy. I hope to take him fishing some day and to give he a chance to be Tom Sawyer - and me the opportunity to experience this little fellow once more.

Baby Bananas

For all the years we lived here in Florida we have had limited success with growing bananas.We are either not here when the fruit was available or we had a hurricane or something. This year we are going to have a treat as one of our bananas is in the process of having a bunch of fruit.

For those who never witnessed the process of banana growing it is quite remarkable. One day you will see a different type of leaf appearing as they do from the top center of the plant. After one day you realize that it is not a leaf but an immature bunch of bananas.

A thick stock with a purple sheath at the end will suddenly appear and within two days the process begins. The stock is sturdy because a full bunch of bananas will weigh up to 40 pounds and contain a couple of hundred bananas. The bananas will develop one row at a time and groups or hands of bananas will show as small immature fruit. Every few days another row will appear and the process goes on until you have a fully developed bunch of fruit.

Five to six months are required to have fruit ready to eat. Our bananas are known as apple bananas as they look like regular fruit but taste like apples. Small, a third the size of regular fruit but sweeter and very delicious. Taken off the bunch in hands the fruit will ripen in a number of days depending on the heat index.

We have had the great experience several times but this year we will be here for the whole process. I have already staked the banana tree up and will give it some extra water and food. In April we will be giving these tiny succulent fruit to friends and neighbours. It is good to share.

Fleamasters

Florida is known for its flea markets and no trip to this state would be complete without a visit to one of many such interesting places.Our flea market brags about its size and ability to satisfy even the most difficult client. How things have changed.This several thousand booth enterprise has deteriorated into a shadow of its former self. Theresa and I were amazed at the change.

The 3000 car parking lot was not half full and the active selling stands were all but empty. Many of the high end full time players in this market were nowhere to be seen. The numerous citrus and vegetable vendors were represented by a measly few. The most prolific vendor was the dollar store variety which lacked the intrigue of the booths that called you in to discover your treasure.

Yes there were twenty slots set aside for selling three dollar watches, comic shirts and baseball caps were still available. The fifteen golf shops which offered full service services for the most hard to please person were now a handful. Ladies could buy shoes and clothing items or jewellery but the place lost its vitality, glitz and its beckoning call to leave happy and come again.

We know it is all about the economy and it really showed. In the outdoor section of the market many poor families parked their trucks and cars side by side and tried to sell their second hand wares with little success. I felt sorry for these people represented by a whole family trying to interest people walking by to look at their offerings. While Theresa was looking for something special I walked through this area and was approached by many young children trying to interest me in buying small items. I was there to find a bird feeder and one young man went helter skelter to fill my need with no avail.

Meeting Theresa at the fruit stand where we buy oranges by the half bu for juicing I felt a little depressed about the market and the country which in my estimation has sunk to a low level. The economy will return in time and all will be rosy some day but in the interim I see the very poor becoming more like the pictures we saw during the great depression.

This is a negative blog but that is how I felt and on the upside we did buy a clock for the kitchen, watch batteries, a set of wrenches and a bag of oranges. We spent fourteen dollars and no tax and had a two hour time mostly together so all in all it was a good day.

Collecting

There is a new culture of recycling. For years people have been putting out used items in their garbage never thinking that anyone would bother to look through it and maybe pick up some items of interest. Today this practice is not only common but encouraged. Many towns and cities have special days for cleaning up the large items in your home or garage and setting them out for collection and eventually the landfill site. On these occasions people often drive around to look for treasures. It iIs remarkable to discover some of the great usable items to be found.

Many people will label specific things to show their value and to tell the finder that it is serviceable or needs repair. I for one have been a collector for longer than I would like to admit. Furniture, appliances, garden tools and numerous items are no longer needed or wanted and they can be recycled. I have found many good things which ended up being refinished and put to use. Most of the valuable items were given to friends and service organizations for fund raising or general use. Some of most prized possessions were castaways from someone but were perfect for me.

Here in Florida where homes have been foreclosed or abandoned there are whole households of furnishings thrown to the curb. Good pieces can and are salvaged for reuse. I recently saw a documentary about well to do ladies in New York who started a groug called the Dumpster divers. These bored ladies regularly looked through dumpsters near their homes and salvaged goods which were restored and sold to raise money for charity. This group encouraged others to do the same and now it has become fashionable to become a collector.

How foolish to see an item ready to fill our landfill sites when they could be made useful. So get your gloves and get ready to become a Green person and share in the joy of recycling. You might be surprised with the people you will meet at that pile of treasures on the side of the road.

Much of the fun here is in the reclaiming of goods and with a little paint or cleaning placing them back where they can be of use. I would encourage you to place good items out a little early so they may be salvaged by your neighbour or just a collector. In our city it is estimated that these programs of reuse have saved thousands of tons being placed in our landfill sites and gave years added to their continued ability to receive necessary garbage.

Years ago when I was a collector sometimes my grand children would like to come with me. They were excited to find things but were a little embarrassed if I wished to stop beside a house where their friends lived. Today this may still be true but I am sure there is a change in attitude and your rewards are worth the little embarrassing moments.