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I have a very good friend in the DR who flew to Edmonton on an emergency basis for surgery and I came up to see him.
Currently -9 and ice fog.
Heading home today and will be back on the beach tomorrow.

Bob K

We are waiting for you Bob,  hurry up!!!  and -9,  I do not think so.... yikes...

Packing my suitcase as we speak!

BobK

Wow thanks for that post Bob!

Question for anyone...what pet carriers did you all use? What pet carrier services do you recommend? Heard a horror story very recently about a dog and cat that the airline personnel were kicking around in their kennels. Owner caught it on film...wow! That's scary for me, said animals were half dead...that's serious. I am possibly going to have my dogs trained as service dogs and just found out that they can travel with us in the plane if so...have to check this out.

Still fundraising for exploratory trip down, have to raise enough for at least one child, one adult and three dogs...also doing research into possibly staying for a bit to determine whether to stay permanently or try different Central American country. May attempt to spend a school year there. Researching that too. Some local friends one from Peru and one whose visited Costa Rica and Nicaguara are pushing me to try those...I think DR is first choice for many reasons including having a family member on the island even if we won't be close to each other. One way or other can't wait to visit...

Oh and guess what I have actually met two women here locally that are from the DR! One is from Samana and the other I don't know yet...She is the mom of one of my daughters classmates that married an American.  We are working on a playdate so kids can play and we can talk DR...can't wait!

Check with your airline about "service" dogs in the cabin. I believe they cannot "just be trained as a service dog" but rather "working".  It is a ambiguous situation and you may find a way around it.
It sounds like you are doing your homework which is a good thing. Schooling here is generally not very good unless using a private school. Public education is a joke.
Good luck

Bob K

Finally back home in the DR. Boy I missed it.  My friend is improving so it was a good visit.

Bob K

Welcome back Bob!!!!!  I ordered sunshine for you today.....

Glauriel,  I think you are doing this the smart way,  come try things out for several months!  Make sure to check several areas of this island as well,  the areas are very very different.  Make sure you have plenty of money to see you over the time you spend.  When you have more and more questions, feel free to open your own thread to track them all in one place!!!

thanks for the welcome home. It is good to be back.

Bob K

I can imagine Bob, I've only been out of this country 4 times, always for work, and always February or March!!!! Bloody freezing!!! No thank you.....

We have traveled some, like this summer, but in the 7+ years we have been here we have been back to the US a total of 35 days!

Bob K

Wow what a busy day. After basically not being here for 5 months and the little time I have been here we have been busy with emergencies, today was a catch up day.  And catch up I did.

I started off at the bank exchanging money (42.47 pesos to the dollar) for both myself and our friend who is in Canada for a medical emergency (He was the one I went to visit last week in Edmonton).  While he is away we are managing his villa as well as our own and both his and our rental properties. All I can say is whew!

Then on to pay our medical insurance (theirs and ours) for the next two months.  Like everything else it is more expensive this year than last and now is a bit over $1400RD per person per person per month. We started out 5 years ago at under $900 a month.

From there to the Cable/internet guy. He was supposed to replace our internet cable while I was gone...did not happen so we still are without internet service.  We have been borrowing a friends Orange flybox while is gone but it is not as good as our own internet was.  He promises tomorrow morning.  He is starting to remind me of Planner's cabinet guy.  So we will wait for him tomorrow morning.

Off to the Panderia for some fresh Pad de Agua.  Our staff enjoys a roll and hot chocolate every morning...No Pan till 1:30 so to Playero (big grocery store) for some eggs and stuff. Then lunch with my wife and back to town to "finish up"

First stop the bakery.  Nope no pan de agua till 2PM.  So went to the insurance agency to pay for this years car insurance.  Cost for full coverage including "casa de conductore" for a 2006 RAV-4 a bit over $25,000 pesos.

On the way to the insurance agency I ran into the "coffee man". It was the delivery truck for Santo Domingo/Induban coffee. He delivers to the restaurants and bars.  I was running low and coffee and I usually buy from him.  So 8 bags of Induban en grano (beans) and $1480 later I am stocked for the next 8 weeks or so.  It runs about 30-40 pesos cheaper a bag buying it this way.

Finally back to the bakery for a dozen rolls for the staff. They will be happy. Next a stop at a local bar that supplies bulk cheese for the local expats. He buys in bulk from Price Mart. Upcharges about 25 pesos a block and sells it to us. So a 2 pound block of Mozerella (sp), Monterey Jack and sharp Chedar and now in our refrig.

One last stop at our friends house to pick up some stuff he had for us and then  home by 4PM.

Got a lot done Dominican style.... a good day!

Bob K

Wow Bob you got a lot done by any standards today.  So should we start our own little lottery??? Cabinet boy and  Internet boy showing up tomorrow?  You can bet on one, both or neither!!!! LOL 

One thing we should always stress here -  bring a double dose of humour, you will NEED IT.  We either laugh at this or we cry......

hey bob welcome back. I contacted you a few months ago and you gave me your phone # and invited me to come over when I come to DR. I have lost your phone # so please give it to me again. i'll arrive POP this Friday, 12/13/13. may not see you til after the holidays unless I stop by quickly on Friday, it will only be quick tho, I need to get to costambar before sundown to arrange for an apartment. if I can I would like to see one in sousa before going on, may just rent in sousa. people are looking for me in costamber but no news yet. I realize your are running around now trying to get things in order after your return and may not have much or any time for me then. I tried to send a private message earlier today but don't think it went through for some reason. do you know what a bus ride to Puerto plata cost and can I get on the bus in sousa, thanks

You can get on caribe tours in Sosua, take a guagua or a carro publico. Caribe tours is about 80 pesos and the others are less. From Puerto Plata likely a taxi to Costambar!

I will send you a PM

Bob K

Planner I will bet on my cable guy. This is the first time he did not show up when he was supposed to.

Bob K

And no way I will bet on closet boy!!! LOL

one president. You are on

Bob K

HAHAHAHA   okay  8:49 am  of the big "Dominican Challenge".  who will arrive?  who will arrive on some sense of correct time? And what new excuses will they use this time.......

Seriously you must laugh at this stuff..... or go crazy....

My landlady showed up - she lives in Italy and is here visiting.  She called closet boy and he showed up at  11 am!!!!  So now he is working his butt off to get it done.... or she won't pay him. I like her attitude.

hi planner,I am trying to locate someone in Italy and have gotten any where on the internet. if you don't mind, please ask the Italian lady if she has some ideas, thanks

oh by the way I land at POP this Friday and will be around til may

good job!

OK now have new cable and internet. Late but done today. Hah Planner my guy wins, if you can call it that.

Bob K

I will be in POP and Sosua next week to pay up!!!

Let me know when  you are coming.

Bob K

Will do!! Likely  Wed or Thursday.  Once I know I will post for everyone who wants to,  can meet up for a drink.....

Ok keep me posted and I will try to clear the calendar

Bob K

hey planner, let me know where you'll be in POP, we'll hock up somehow

You bet!!!

Good morning everyone,  wherever you are!

This morning it is about 28C or 82 F  here in the shade.....  Looks to be another beautiful day.

This week I have been dealing with  "closet boy"  As I talked about earlier, he showed up after my landlady called him and told him to get his butt over here.

So he worked hard that day.....  until 4pm then left.  So he had to come back, of course,  1 more day.  YUP what a pile of hooooey that was.   He was coming "early".  I suggested he needed a dictionary to look up the word early!  He showed at 2:30 pm.

He did some stuff,  then of course one of his tools would not work so he spent 45minutes "fixing" it and it still would not work.  So at  6pm  he proceeds to "spray" the closets!  He is putting some kind of varnish/sealer on the wood.  AND THE WHOLE HOUSE stinks of this stuff.

He put one coat on the master bedroom closet, which is the one I asked him to get done first!  Right, the other two are "finished" and still the master closet is not finished.

So, he needs to come back again today. I have cleared my schedule to stay home another day and wait for this idiot!!!!! I told him to get here early as I am not sleeping and breathing all those fumes another night!

Puerto Plata - I will be there next Wednesday / Thursday!  Lets get together!!! 

For those in Santo Domingo, we are getting together  Tuesday Dec 17th at Adrien Tropical on the Malecon about 7pm, come join us!!!

Let me know wed or thur.

You need a new closet boy. This guy is giving Dominican time a bad rep

BobK

The continuing saga of..............Closet Boy......  today's episode brought to by the makers of Tylenol, your drug of choice...... 

This guy is unbelievable..........  I called him early this morning so he could get over here.  Right.   He did not make it early, he didn't make it at our prearranged time either.   I called him at 3 to be told he would be here in 1 hour. Right we all know that means..... whenever..... so I told him NO. You are not spraying today. Oh, he said, well I don't get paid until the job's done!  Gee, really,  TOO bad you should have thought of that earlier!!!!!   So,  my master closet is not done,  the vanity doors in the bathroom are not done, his tools are all over my upstairs, and I don't care!!!!!

the landlady just called me to ask if everything is done, I said no.  She said OK, he doesn't get paid.....  for some of these tradesmen  money is the only thing that talks.  Unfortunately I know it is similar in all countries!  Work doesn't get completed until you withhold the money.

The lesson from this - the landlady now lets me hire who I want and deal with them.  She lives in Italy,  her sister lives too far from me,  I am right here and can handle things!  yeah. 

THE other lesson - don't give anyone money to go buy material. GO with them and make sure you know what you are buying.  This man was given the money in August to build all these closets. HE used the money on other things. So over almost 4 months he was coming up with enough money to buy wood to build my closets.  NOW he is dead broke right before Christmas hoping to get paid for his labor!  I am not going to make this easy for him! But I am not a total you know what..........I will make him show up at  8 am to get this done one day next week!  HA.

Hello Bob.    Is the name of the massage business called 'Sunni' or is that the name of the masseuse?

Can you provide directions to find this place?   My wife would love to stop by and give them her business.

Thank you.

David

Suni is the therapist and is at M and M massage. It is behind the orange store in Sosua.  Right next to The large banco Popular. It is the small plaza in the back. The name of the plaza is Colonial plaza.

BObK

hi planner, where will you be in Puerto plata on wed. or thursday

Quick update - Closet Boy - he was given the opportunity to show up tomorrow at 9 am - he can work until 1pm and that is it!!!!  After that the house and I are not available until after the holidays - meaning no money for him.

On another note, I will be in Puerto Plata Thursday and Friday -  I am available  Friday morning to meet with anyone who wants to.  So  Breakfast in Puerto Plata about  10 am!!!!  Barco's (used to be called that)  on the west end of the Malecon at  10 am!!!  Who is coming to meet me?????

Damn. I was hoping for Thursday. Friday is totally booked with condo/client work.  Next time.

Bob K

David started my day with an hour and a half deep tissue massage with Sunni today.....Great!. Actually I start every Tuesday with one.

Bob K

Ok Bob let me see if I can swing Thursday.  PM me your phone honey and I will call you if I can shift my schedule.