tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807Mon, 27 Aug 2012 06:34:56 +0000Evergreen Parkcareerbuilder.comChicagoland Heating and Air ConditioningLionel trainBahiaDave BarryNicole Jurekbaby gateHarry PotterskypeCarmaxcatalytic converteramazon.comQuebecEcuadorGame of Thrones4th of July ParadeQuitoGene Simmons Family Jewelsabc7chicagopity partyQuebecoiseShannon TweedAmeriCreditGeorge R.R. MartinHotel La PiedraTracy VistineAAACanadaPrairie State College Matteson Area CenterJeepemployment scamsAIBFdo-over. moneyBrisenoUSPSLaurie Notarolast car paymentBastille DayDodgeTargetsmall claims courtICD9CMCPT4David SedarisStephen KingdepressionHorsemenChicago politicsMantakindleSe7enCelia RivenbarkDeltaQuick StopFinancial Temps agencyelementary schoolsCanoaHCPCScodingNTBNOI. Northwestern Orthopaedic InstituteSouth Chicago DodgemananaDisneypessimismFather's Daygringomusings of a dysthymic mind...http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Debbie)Blogger657125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-5093811963752754132Mon, 20 Aug 2012 00:56:00 +00002012-08-19T19:56:02.969-05:00I swear to God, my life is insane!!!  Seriously, I couldn't MAKE this stuff up!!!! The bat is gone, but tonight we discovered a mouse in Sarah's room.  At this rate, she will NEVER sleep in her own room!!!  Robert chased it out of Sarah's room, but we aren't sure where in the house it went to.  All the while, my trusty guard cat, Odin, was sleeping on the couch, next to his canine brother Dillonhttp://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-life-is-insane-bat-is-gone-now-have.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-3816628510815782211Sun, 19 Aug 2012 22:49:00 +00002012-08-19T18:04:11.053-05:00I received an email from the "mystery person" who responded to my question about Ney Guitierrez today telling me I shouldn't have posted their posting (which they subsequently decided to retract out of fear of retribution) without their permission. It is here, minus the email address: I know you are only trying to help others by posting my Coastal_Ecuador comment to your blog, but please - You http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/08/i-received-email-from-mystery-person.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-3069622017473560151Sun, 19 Aug 2012 04:26:00 +00002012-08-18T23:26:32.441-05:00So today is the first 'weekend day' that we're in the house.  Because there aren't windows over the sliders and no glass in the 4 ceiling windows, we're assuming that the bat came in that way.  Yes, a bat...a VAMPIRE bat!!!!! Originally when I saw something fly in, I thought it was a bird and that it would fly out on its own.  Robert went and got some clear plastic sheeting and he and Marlon http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/08/vampire-bat.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-5749317071933025285Fri, 17 Aug 2012 14:15:00 +00002012-08-17T09:15:06.286-05:00So on Tuesday the 14th, Robert sent his weekly email to the builder asking him when our house would be ready to move into....his responses are listed below.  These are the main points:  1. There was never a house contract written or signed, only a verbal agreement between Robert & the builder. (He already knows he shouldn't have)  2. Robert paid the builder IN FULL before we arrived in Ecuador, http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/08/had-to-move-into-our-unfinished-house.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-5032310388319504103Sat, 11 Aug 2012 20:02:00 +00002012-08-11T15:02:41.563-05:00So I'm so happy that I copied and pasted the response from that person to my question on yahoo's coastal ecuador message board (see post below this one), because NOW THE MESSAGE HAS MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED AND THE PERSON WHO WROTE IT IS NO LONGER A MEMBER OF THE GROUP!!!!  I had sent the person a message through the yahoo group, and received a cryptic response as follows: I'm not in the US http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/08/backlash-from-posting.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-1377711101253777110Fri, 10 Aug 2012 17:44:00 +00002012-08-10T12:44:04.923-05:00No work today because it is Independence Day  Woo Hoo! As for us, we still are not in the house, and the time frame has once again passed.  Robert has sent the builder a list of things we're concerned about still not done as of today, and the builder claims he will be coming out to the site to check  I've copied the email list here: This is a list of items that we are concerned with as of http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-plot-thickens.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-4975636190317002213Sun, 05 Aug 2012 23:00:00 +00002012-08-05T18:00:00.582-05:00So it's been over a week and we're still NOT in the house.  There has been progress....all of the doorknobs are on, all of the door and window mouldings have been put on, there have been pedestals for the vessel sinks put up in the bathrooms, and the showers have had the "concrete lip" finished (no shower rods up yet....don't know if that's something that's "extra" and not included).  While we http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/08/its-been-over-week-still-not-in-house.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-5893088691395698270Thu, 02 Aug 2012 13:57:00 +00002012-08-02T08:57:03.493-05:00First off, please know that I did not write this, however, it is EXCELLENT and completely truthful and logical.  It was brought to my attention because I do follow Dan Savage on Twitter and I do care about marriage equality and LGBT people.  Please go to this link and read this:  http://www.owldolatrous.com/?p=288.http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/08/an-excellent-post-on-marriage-equality.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-4386890621737006947Fri, 27 Jul 2012 13:47:00 +00002012-07-27T08:50:32.236-05:00 This is what’s been going on with the house.  I posted 2 questions on an expat message board on Wednesday because I am beyond frustrated with the lack of action from the builder and the attorney (which is copied below).  Then yesterday, the builder sends Robert the email detailed below with all of his “excuses” outlined in the email.  He did NOT bother to send the letter to me, only to Robert, http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/07/trouble-in-paradise.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-6159660817025467177Sat, 21 Jul 2012 21:35:00 +00002012-07-21T16:35:34.157-05:00Here's a link to the latest pix of the house and Bahia:072012 House pictures http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/07/latest-pics-of-house.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-1905928221734957458Mon, 16 Jul 2012 18:50:00 +00002012-07-16T13:50:34.232-05:00So evidently it is tick season right now on EC's coast....we've found them in the condo and on the dog.  I didn't realize the big bug was a tick (the vet said the big ones are the females and the small ones are male ticks), but the vet confirmed it today after we brought the pets and 2 ticks from the condo in a ziplock bag to him (1 tiny bug and 1 big bug).  Here, ticks are called garrapatas, andhttp://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/07/ticks-ticks-ticks.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-6165145124083144516Sun, 01 Jul 2012 19:06:00 +00002012-07-01T14:06:27.470-05:00I don't know if it's missing the Fourth of July activities or just an exacerbation of my usual grumpiness, but I'm really bummed out lately.  We got internet out at the house since we couldn't get it in the condo anymore (USB stick use was too expensive with Sarah doing online homeschooling), so it means coming out here at the house to do anything with the internet, unless we want to try the http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/07/does-ecuador-have-any-honest-builders.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-6966991275815356912Fri, 15 Jun 2012 15:12:00 +00002012-06-15T10:12:44.953-05:00So I'm at work today and I have no classes to teach;  it is the end of the first marking period and the kids are taking their primero parcial exams.  I have 2 grades (8/9 level A and segundo bach, equiv. to a junior in US grades) and their exams are Monday and Wednesday.  Even though I don't have classes, the time at school is supposed to be used for uploading grades, making lesson plans, etc.  Ihttp://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/06/so-im-at-work-today-and-i-have-no.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-1209782813840715779Tue, 29 May 2012 01:25:00 +00002012-05-28T20:25:17.594-05:00Pictures taken 05/26/12 posted on Robert's facebook page:  the big thing is the sliding glass doors on the back of the house, which is the side facing the Pacific Ocean.  Also added was the pressure tank for the water and finished decorative aspects of the front porch steps.  Still a lot of stuff to do, but at least the sliders are in. Last Thursday was a very short day at school...it was http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/05/latest-pix-taken-52612.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-8005633859125189602Sat, 19 May 2012 16:59:00 +00002012-05-19T11:59:35.711-05:00 Forgive me……for not bowing at the feet of our builder and thanking him profusely for paying for the place we are staying while we wait for the house that should have been ready when he promised it, back in January.  I understand he does not control the weather, but I foolishly expected to get a response to a text message that was sent a while ago.  So I texted him a message that told him that http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/05/hindsight-is-2020.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-2783187211687564050Sun, 29 Apr 2012 04:16:00 +00002012-04-28T23:19:29.211-05:00So I'm putting the link to pictures of the house taken today here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.421026324574945.105730.100000027424577&type=1  Robert has been uploading the pictures to facebook, and even if you aren't on facebook, you can see the pictures....they're public.  The roof is finished, some painting has been done, the lava rock for the base of the foundation is being http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/04/new-pictures-of-house.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-43061905055722369Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:47:00 +00002012-04-13T20:47:49.496-05:00Last week we went to our attorney's office on Thursday to get our 90 day tourist visas extended to 6 months, but the attorney's office did not have our papers translated into Spanish...even though they've had well over a month to do the translation.  They also did not have the builder's signature on the transfer papers, so it was a wasted trip, and I was EXTREMELY pissed off about it.  So today http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/04/omg-another-fall-wtf.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-7181228643956999463Fri, 06 Apr 2012 20:09:00 +00002012-04-06T15:09:13.819-05:00 http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/04/pictures-taken-today-of-house-etc.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-8703625386999114877Fri, 06 Apr 2012 05:38:00 +00002012-04-06T00:38:14.620-05:00Since I last posted.  Sarah turned 13 on March 30th.  I was going to make a birthday cake for her, but there isn't any pre-made/canned frosting here in Ecuador.  I was going to bake a cake and put some pudding-type covering on it, but I couldn't get the oven lit.  The stovetop has electronic ignition for the lp gas, but there isn't an electronic ignition for the oven to work, and I was just http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/04/so-its-been-little-while.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-2189079362410246916Tue, 20 Mar 2012 01:13:00 +00002012-03-19T20:13:26.201-05:00So check me out....I'm listed on our school's website as Profesor Deborah Brookhart in the English department:  http://www.interamericano.edu.ec/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=135.  Take a look around the website...Sarah is awaiting the school supply list for 8th grade.  School starts in 2 weeks, April 2nd. On other news, Robert took Dillon to get groomed today.  Instead http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/03/call-me-profesora-debbie.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-5612134420439167594Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:44:00 +00002012-03-13T16:44:02.956-05:00For reasons which are really....pure Ecuador....we still do not have Direct TV.  I'm not even going to go into the various reasons we've been told, but it's all a crock of you-know-what.  Honest to God, I am just soooooo over this place right at the moment. Over the weekend, Robert looked at a car that an expat couple was looking to sell...they've only had it a few months, but they are going http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/03/still-no-direct-tv-but-did-get-car.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-3471167673287739310Sat, 10 Mar 2012 05:00:00 +00002012-03-09T23:00:49.807-06:00For only working 4 days this week, I'm super glad it's Friday!  If it wasn't, I'm not sure what I would've done, except perhaps cry.  Getting back into the swing of working (and not even full-time yet) has been hard, but I'm working with pretty nice people so far.   Let's see....Tuesday I started back to work, Wednesday at work was a tutorial on Excel, yesterday we had International Women's Day, http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/03/tgifand-waiting-for-directv.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-6113267260086792305Tue, 06 Mar 2012 23:33:00 +00002012-03-06T17:33:51.390-06:00So today was my first day at work since we've been here (50 days today)....actually haven't worked since 12/30/11.  It felt good to get back to work and feel "responsible".  I'll be teaching jr. high (2 grades) English at Interamericano Academy here in Bahia.  Thankfully, there is another teacher who came to EC last year who is not conversant in Spanish, like me, so I don't feel so bad.  The http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/03/first-day-of-work.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-5667413862229424409Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:28:00 +00002012-02-29T10:28:04.013-06:00So it's 11:20a and it's been a productive morning already...Robert & Sarah went and picked up the laundry, then we went and got passport photos for our attorney in Manta.  After that, we went and picked up my new ride....I got a bicycle to get around Bahia.  Robert & Sarah had already gotten theirs last weekend, and I picked mine out yesterday.  It's purple, of course. Also I took a http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/02/been-productive-already.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499807.post-6130396366243102273Mon, 27 Feb 2012 23:44:00 +00002012-02-27T17:44:30.794-06:00Today is a very sad day....Evergreen Park has lost one of its finest citizens, Mr. Jim Ryan.  He lost his brave fight against cancer today, gone much too soon.  He will be missed by so many people, because he touched so very many lives.  He was a true "people person" and always had a smile for you.  That's how I will remember Jim...always with a smile. Jim (and Sue) mean a lot to us, mainly http://dbrook1.blogspot.com/2012/02/rest-in-peace-jim-ryan.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Deborah Brookhart)0