On the Ranch … Or off – departure day

Thursday 31 July, 2008

Yesterday I decided that I had contributed enough, and Bobby had some errands to run before his annual summer trip to New York, next week. There was also things that I needed to take care of back in FT.. Lauderdale.

For the past two days, he and I did not accomplished much. In fact we did no work on Tuesday, as both of us were exhausted from the Florida summer weather.

Bobby spent most of the day on the computer doing whatever he does on the computer. I guess he spent sometime explaining to the New York hams about the delay, and now farther delayed ham radios from China.

Later on, he went into Okeechobee to visit with a friend, shop for supplies, buy cigarettes and fill up on the cheapest gasoline in the area.

I, well — I stayed behind and fell asleep in the late afternoon. I did not awake until 3:35 AM on Wednesday morning and went back to bed around six o’clock.

By the time we motivated ourselves on Wednesday, it was 3:00 PM. At my urging we installed the sheet rock on the ceiling until we ran out of material and then turned our attention to the remainder of the wall panels, again, until we ran out of material.

All in all, the interior of the ham shack is eighty-percent completed. Bobby also drilled a hole into the south side of the building and begun the installation of the electrical box.

I completed the day’s work by sanding wood that he salvaged from past hurricane damage, for his workshop shelves. The salvaged wood has had many uses up to now.

At first it belonged to a friend of his, then it was propped up against his bus for shading, next, it was used as concrete form boards for the steel building, and finally, now, in the ham shack as shelves.

Before I departed, Bobby swapped out the defective belt pulley in my van. It took him, about twenty minutes.

Then I was on the road back to Broward County, by 11:45 AM.

The first thing I did back in FT. Lauderdale at 2:45 PM, was go to the laundry mart and do a wash. I was past due for the laundry and precariously close to running out of clean clothes. I usually do a wash every two weeks.

Now that I am back at home base I have some catching up to do. Most importantly, find work.

The promise of a four months contract for a computer technician job with the Broward County’s Supervisor of Election office , does not seem to be happening. Before I left for Martin County, I e-mailed my contact (the person that told me about and recommended me for the job) a few times, but I have yet to hear from him. Guess I got my answer!

Since my return from the Caribbean last September, work has been sporadic at best.

A day here or there. A week’s project sometimes. No steady work, and with this economy, everyone that I know is in the same boat.

So, that is why, I was able to spend some time helping my good friend Robert Calvert, do some construction work on his “Calvert County” ranch in Indiantown, Martin County, USA.

Pictures from the ranch:

Ham shack view from the transmission tower

View from the house

Me driving nails into beam

Bobby dropping last roof panel