tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3313697077474148854.post532405465155947986..comments2010-07-07T17:32:37.992-04:00Comments on Adventures de la Americana: Oct 4th- Oct 9thBeTsYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589822437550268501noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3313697077474148854.post-30482334183122823032009-10-24T11:53:20.213-04:002009-10-24T11:53:20.213-04:00Hey Bets,
I was stung when I was 16 by a jellyfis...Hey Bets,<br /><br />I was stung when I was 16 by a jellyfish on my behind. Yes it hurts but not for ever. That was a long time ago and I'm not sure how long the pain lasted, but I can assure you not forever. <br />Sure was great to have you home for a few weeks...and I don't think you're rude. Love ya lots<br />maAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3313697077474148854.post-66878284500445359402009-10-17T01:37:01.604-04:002009-10-17T01:37:01.604-04:00This sucks. U know that I've left and gone th...This sucks. U know that I've left and gone through the stupid validation process twice already and neither of my comments have posted yet!!! Grrrr!batteredbugshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17842057585828372053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3313697077474148854.post-74765649484590155292009-10-15T22:59:48.526-04:002009-10-15T22:59:48.526-04:00Well Bets, I'd posted U this big humorous comm...Well Bets, I'd posted U this big humorous comment, and something got screwed up in the password part and it all got lost, but, "in a nutshell"... U should also propose an alternative means for the farmer to dispose of his bean shells, like as a heating fuel, for instance. I'm sure that once dried they'd burn just like any other organic, but probably require a special mesh to burn completely on or something like that. U'll be much more well received if U are able to come up with and suggest a more beneficial disposal means for them. And he needn't build himself any sort of elaborate heater, have them built in the towns and villages, in peoples houses, and then just have him dump the husks in large piles that people can come and pick up for their "heaters". And something like the "heater" could be constructed out of the same materials that U used to build Ur retention wall... Stone and mortar! They'd have to be open hearth units unless U could come up with metal doors for them somewhere. U do need to install a damper plate in them though, and something that will be able to seal pretty closely to the interior size/shape of the chimney stack, and it too would have to be made of fairly thick steel. Just a thought, but U just might be able to put something together there. They do have scrap yards down there, don't they? Next U should tie a small rock to a stout 3' stick, using the knots on the stick to keep the rock from falling off, and if U can find a piece with a branch on the end of it, that would be better. The secret to success with this one would be to use leather strapping, or in-other-words to "tether" the rock to the stick. This is a very special process as the leather must be sufficiently moistened/wet when it is tied to the rock and the stick, as tightly as U can. Then it is set out to dry in a hot sun. As it dries out it also shrinks, a great amount, making the "tethering" U did much tighter than U could possibly tie. That generally lasts quite well. So U might be able to smash spiders when Wandi's not available. Jellyfish are nothing to mess around with either, and watch where U step if they're in season! If they're in the water, they can just as well wash ashore. Aunt Claudia stepped on one on Cocoa beach once when we were kids. It was nasty. And I think there was one more thing, but I've forgotten what it might've been. And if U'd want any help or suggestions on setting up a heater/stove for those coffee bean husks, lemme know. And even as temperate as it might seem down there, from Ur description it seems like they could use some heaters out there, and something like that would be durable and revolutionize things for many of them, as well as solve a disposal problem too. Oh ya, U'll need a plate of steel for a hearth too, unless it's constructed on a dirt floor, and even if it isn't, a footer has to be dug and stone and mortar put in the trench. To provide a subteranian support for the massive weight of the stove and chimney. Oh well, I guess that's about all, so I'll talk to U later.<br />Lv,<br />Dadbatteredbugshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17842057585828372053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3313697077474148854.post-23983627702239306892009-10-15T22:28:24.045-04:002009-10-15T22:28:24.045-04:00Hi Bets, Dad here. I was just thinking that Ur vi...Hi Bets, Dad here. I was just thinking that Ur visit to the coffee farmer might go better if U go beyond merely insisting that he refrain from disposing of his bean husks into the river, which is probably the easiest thing for him to do, and offer an alternate option to him that would have a positive impact, possibly even offsetting an expense for him... Like heat. :) I would assume that coffee bean husks, once dried out, would burn, much like corn, and release heat in the process. He could collect this heat and use it to heat his home, barn, etc., etc. U did say that U have a "winter" down there. Also, U might want to consider tethering/tying a small rock to a stout 3' long stick for spiders and the such for Ur own purposes in case sometime Wandi's not around to help! Then there's jellyfish stings, and they're nothing to mess around with either, just ask aunt Claudia, she knows firsthand! When we were kids once we were all walking down CoCoa beach in Fla. on vacation, she stepped on one that had washed ashore. So be careful about that one too, b/c they don't just get U in the water, they can and do get washed ashore and they're stingers are still quite potent. Bad scene, U don't wanna be there. So, besides those spiders and snakes to watch out for, U now also must add to the list, jellyfish! Not to mention that Wandi too! Sounds like he's moving up in the world... Treasurer, huh. Hope his math is good! He's probably gonna want U to tutor him! :)<br />Love,<br />Dadbatteredbugshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17842057585828372053noreply@blogger.com