Monday, June 30, 2003
CONTRACTOR: Finally caught up with the guy. Yes, he had been in the hospital after collapsing from hypoglycemia and wouldn't work on my windows unless his MD said OK, and the MD wouldn't answer his call. So we have now scheduled the window replacement for July 28, in that short window between Olympia National Park and Guatemala. Carl was cute - "Wazza madda, ya leevin da cuntry fer too yers er sumpin?" Well... YES!
HOUSE: Emillia arrived yesterday with a 12' UHaul and a gang of 6 Med Students to move her stuff temporarily into a room upstairs - her lease begins Aug 3rd. She has more stuff than I do, including an "Entertainment Center" that looks like the cockpit of a 747. Her crew seemed impressed with the quality of the place, so I guess all my hard work and expense over the past month or so have been effective. Afterwards we all went to Chili's for a celebratory dinner. It really reminded me of the med student parties 'way back in the '70s when Diane was studying at Rutgers Med School. Impressive attractive young people with a sense of mission and accomplishment, teasing and playing with each other.
Today the Arborist (!) should be here to cut the tree limbs away from the house so the gutters won't clog and turn the roof into a swimming pool for the next two years. $600. Then I have to drive to Newark DE (1 1/2hr each way) to personally set up email access to my bank account - still feels a little crazy to control my bank account in DE from some outback location in Africa for the next two years. And this evening will be my last day of working with the Clean Air Council before the China saga begins. Onward!
HOUSE: Emillia arrived yesterday with a 12' UHaul and a gang of 6 Med Students to move her stuff temporarily into a room upstairs - her lease begins Aug 3rd. She has more stuff than I do, including an "Entertainment Center" that looks like the cockpit of a 747. Her crew seemed impressed with the quality of the place, so I guess all my hard work and expense over the past month or so have been effective. Afterwards we all went to Chili's for a celebratory dinner. It really reminded me of the med student parties 'way back in the '70s when Diane was studying at Rutgers Med School. Impressive attractive young people with a sense of mission and accomplishment, teasing and playing with each other.
Today the Arborist (!) should be here to cut the tree limbs away from the house so the gutters won't clog and turn the roof into a swimming pool for the next two years. $600. Then I have to drive to Newark DE (1 1/2hr each way) to personally set up email access to my bank account - still feels a little crazy to control my bank account in DE from some outback location in Africa for the next two years. And this evening will be my last day of working with the Clean Air Council before the China saga begins. Onward!
Saturday, June 28, 2003
Windows: Yesterday I came home to a voicemail from Henninger's live-in girlfriend that (a) she FORGOT to schedule the work, and (b) anyway he had been in the hospital for a few days. I'd feel more sympathetic if a neighbor hadn't told me she saw him leave for a job early just that morning. The girlfriend DIDN'T say when my work would be done, and after the 3rd, I'm OUTTAHERE! Now his voicemail is too full to take messages. I knocked on his door after work last night (10:45pm) and again this morning (7:00am). His car is there, but he isn't. Weekend at the shore? I left a CALL ME OR ELSE note under his door and will keep checking back. What else can I do? Damn!
Friday, June 27, 2003
Things are pretty much on schedule. I varnished the floor in the upstairs "office" yesterday so Emillia could move some of her things in - even though her lease doesn't start until early August. When she brings in her stuff on Sunday, I will use her crew to move my own heavier stuff to the garage. Some money plus beer and pizza should handle it.
But there is a problem. I really do have to replace the old industrial-type windows in the front bedroom that let snow blow in during the winter. Contracted with this local guy Carl Henninger to do it and gave him a $300 deposit since the windows are not a standard size and must be custom made. But he has been very hard to contact, and hasn't returned my last dozen or so phone calls to his number. He was supposed to install the windows this morning. Uh uh. So I looked up his address in the phone book and drove over there. No answer at his door. At least, his neighbors do say he lives there, and is usually out working before the time I arrived. So I left a note on his door - what more can I do? I'll start trying to call him at off-hours tonight - like midnight. I don't know what I can do if he really has stiffed me.
But there is a problem. I really do have to replace the old industrial-type windows in the front bedroom that let snow blow in during the winter. Contracted with this local guy Carl Henninger to do it and gave him a $300 deposit since the windows are not a standard size and must be custom made. But he has been very hard to contact, and hasn't returned my last dozen or so phone calls to his number. He was supposed to install the windows this morning. Uh uh. So I looked up his address in the phone book and drove over there. No answer at his door. At least, his neighbors do say he lives there, and is usually out working before the time I arrived. So I left a note on his door - what more can I do? I'll start trying to call him at off-hours tonight - like midnight. I don't know what I can do if he really has stiffed me.
Thursday, June 26, 2003
I'm just so terribly impressed by the effort that Chris, Unite for Peace and Spiral Q are putting into the Bush Effegy July 4 Demonstration for Peace and Justice here in Philadelphia. Especially Chris! I want to print in total the email I just got describing the status of the Bush Effegy, outlining all the stuff that still needs to be done. (Forgive the long post!) To wit:
Hello Everyone,
We're almost one week away from the BIG EVENT. King George II is rising from the scraps of lumber and cardboard and is almost ready to be wheeled into action! This Saturday we will have another big build session at the Spiral Q PuppetTheater (3114 Spring Garden) and we need everyone's help. We will be
creating from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm and then again for the final rush to the finish line on Tuesday evening at 6:30 pm. Here is a detailed list of things that need to happen on Saturday:
1) The Base and Shredder are nearly finished. The shredder comes in 2 parts. The bottom part that is permanently attached to the base needs to be taped up more with duct tape so that the sides are strong but also have smooth clean edges. The small "filler" parts at the bottom need to be secured and
smoothed out. Once this is done, we need to cover the wheels with something (paper) and paint the entire base white -- wood and all. We do not need to paint the inside though. Be extra careful not to get paint down into the wheel axles! The top part of the shredder is removable but should be painted white as well. Remove this part first before painting. Do not physically attach this top part to the base (otherwise it won't fit inside of the freight elevator.)
2) The upper body structure is also nearing completion. The "Mast" and armatures are done and hands attached with clearance for the (Old) Constitution to slide between the board connecting the hands and the hands themselves. (The constitution is 36" wide x 8' long.) This structure is a little fragile right now, so please handle with care. For this main structure, we need the following projects completed:
A) We need to make a flat cigar-like structure, probably out of cardboard, that will serve as his shoulders. From this, the long robe will hang all the way to the ground and down his arms (that move.) The structure should be 4'2" wide and about 12" deep curving around at both ends more like a cigar. This should also be rounded on top just like your shoulders and then be attached to the top cross arm of the "mast" -- leaving room for the ³neck pole² that will be attached to the backside of the mast (sticking up) as well as for the eye hooks already screwed in for the pulley cable. Once this part is made, a large 70 degree arch for his raised collar needs to be attached to the shoulders. The swooped collar needs to be about 16-18" high with a good 90 degree curve in it. It will also need to be large enough around so that Bush's head will be able to turn slightly -- if we can get that far. From this entire shoulder structure we will hang ALL of the fabric -- a few pounds worth blowing in the wind, so it has to be very sturdy!
B) The red and white striped robe needs to be completely painted on the sides that remain white. The sleeves also need to be painted in matching red tripes the same size as the robe going the length of the arms. Once these have dried, the sleeves and blue piping will be sewn to the robe. The piping will get stuffed, I guess with newspaper, to give it a little thickness. David has been in charge of this project. All of this will then get attached somehow(?) to the shoulders and draped over around the arms. David will have to cleverly find a way to make the sleeves look like they are sleeves even though there are some nasty cross-braces in the way! Since it will only be seen from the sides, possibly the sleeves do not have to go "around" the arms just attached to the sides of them? Some thickness to the arms would look nicer though -- maybe some pieces of cardboard on top of the arms as well... if someone is available.
C) The hands needed to be screwed onto the armature so the thickness of them had to be compromised a bit. If there is someone who has nothing to do, these hands good be built back up with cardboard and tape and then paper machéd and then painted again. The trick to this is doing it with as little wetness as possible so the area around the screws do not turn to mush and the hands fall off! This is a last priority, so leave it if other things need attention.
3) The head has a new coat of paint and is looking good, although a bit pink. To fill out his features, possibly we should make beady little eye balls and a more defined mouth area... not sure. Maybe Beth P. has some ideas on this? The head will be placed on the brown tool handle already marked for depth.
This will be attached to the back of the shoulders with 3 C straps so that it can be assembled outside. (Chris can take care of this next week.) The wire already attached to the armature will then be strung for the pulley system. DO NOT CUT THIS WIRE.
4) One of the last little important details is the King's Crown. We already have a cardboard structure but need some blue fabric to match the piping, stuffed inside and stapled to the edges so it looks poofy! The crown could use a gold band about half the thickness of the base and then a giant roman numeral II cut out of cardboard and then attached to a white or blue upright. The II should be very big and painted in gold as well.
5) The Unite For Peace banner needs to be assembled onto poles. Three poles have been laid out already but hardware is currently being gathered for that job. (Be careful when drilling holes into PVC -- it is extremely toxic stuff.) Bamboo would be the natural alternative and the generous folks at Spiral Q just harvested a new bunch. (Jacob said he was going to search for this hardware, so he may be able to do this next week.)
And then it's almost done! Just a few more finishing touches next week and we will have one helluva puppet. THE MONSTER LIVES!!! So let's hold up a mirror to our Tyrant Ruler on July 4th and show the world that we won't take it anymore.
Thanks for everyone's help! Any questions, you can reach me at home until Friday 610.667.7788 or on the weekend at 610.322.3428.
Peace. Chris Dietrich
Hello Everyone,
We're almost one week away from the BIG EVENT. King George II is rising from the scraps of lumber and cardboard and is almost ready to be wheeled into action! This Saturday we will have another big build session at the Spiral Q PuppetTheater (3114 Spring Garden) and we need everyone's help. We will be
creating from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm and then again for the final rush to the finish line on Tuesday evening at 6:30 pm. Here is a detailed list of things that need to happen on Saturday:
1) The Base and Shredder are nearly finished. The shredder comes in 2 parts. The bottom part that is permanently attached to the base needs to be taped up more with duct tape so that the sides are strong but also have smooth clean edges. The small "filler" parts at the bottom need to be secured and
smoothed out. Once this is done, we need to cover the wheels with something (paper) and paint the entire base white -- wood and all. We do not need to paint the inside though. Be extra careful not to get paint down into the wheel axles! The top part of the shredder is removable but should be painted white as well. Remove this part first before painting. Do not physically attach this top part to the base (otherwise it won't fit inside of the freight elevator.)
2) The upper body structure is also nearing completion. The "Mast" and armatures are done and hands attached with clearance for the (Old) Constitution to slide between the board connecting the hands and the hands themselves. (The constitution is 36" wide x 8' long.) This structure is a little fragile right now, so please handle with care. For this main structure, we need the following projects completed:
A) We need to make a flat cigar-like structure, probably out of cardboard, that will serve as his shoulders. From this, the long robe will hang all the way to the ground and down his arms (that move.) The structure should be 4'2" wide and about 12" deep curving around at both ends more like a cigar. This should also be rounded on top just like your shoulders and then be attached to the top cross arm of the "mast" -- leaving room for the ³neck pole² that will be attached to the backside of the mast (sticking up) as well as for the eye hooks already screwed in for the pulley cable. Once this part is made, a large 70 degree arch for his raised collar needs to be attached to the shoulders. The swooped collar needs to be about 16-18" high with a good 90 degree curve in it. It will also need to be large enough around so that Bush's head will be able to turn slightly -- if we can get that far. From this entire shoulder structure we will hang ALL of the fabric -- a few pounds worth blowing in the wind, so it has to be very sturdy!
B) The red and white striped robe needs to be completely painted on the sides that remain white. The sleeves also need to be painted in matching red tripes the same size as the robe going the length of the arms. Once these have dried, the sleeves and blue piping will be sewn to the robe. The piping will get stuffed, I guess with newspaper, to give it a little thickness. David has been in charge of this project. All of this will then get attached somehow(?) to the shoulders and draped over around the arms. David will have to cleverly find a way to make the sleeves look like they are sleeves even though there are some nasty cross-braces in the way! Since it will only be seen from the sides, possibly the sleeves do not have to go "around" the arms just attached to the sides of them? Some thickness to the arms would look nicer though -- maybe some pieces of cardboard on top of the arms as well... if someone is available.
C) The hands needed to be screwed onto the armature so the thickness of them had to be compromised a bit. If there is someone who has nothing to do, these hands good be built back up with cardboard and tape and then paper machéd and then painted again. The trick to this is doing it with as little wetness as possible so the area around the screws do not turn to mush and the hands fall off! This is a last priority, so leave it if other things need attention.
3) The head has a new coat of paint and is looking good, although a bit pink. To fill out his features, possibly we should make beady little eye balls and a more defined mouth area... not sure. Maybe Beth P. has some ideas on this? The head will be placed on the brown tool handle already marked for depth.
This will be attached to the back of the shoulders with 3 C straps so that it can be assembled outside. (Chris can take care of this next week.) The wire already attached to the armature will then be strung for the pulley system. DO NOT CUT THIS WIRE.
4) One of the last little important details is the King's Crown. We already have a cardboard structure but need some blue fabric to match the piping, stuffed inside and stapled to the edges so it looks poofy! The crown could use a gold band about half the thickness of the base and then a giant roman numeral II cut out of cardboard and then attached to a white or blue upright. The II should be very big and painted in gold as well.
5) The Unite For Peace banner needs to be assembled onto poles. Three poles have been laid out already but hardware is currently being gathered for that job. (Be careful when drilling holes into PVC -- it is extremely toxic stuff.) Bamboo would be the natural alternative and the generous folks at Spiral Q just harvested a new bunch. (Jacob said he was going to search for this hardware, so he may be able to do this next week.)
And then it's almost done! Just a few more finishing touches next week and we will have one helluva puppet. THE MONSTER LIVES!!! So let's hold up a mirror to our Tyrant Ruler on July 4th and show the world that we won't take it anymore.
Thanks for everyone's help! Any questions, you can reach me at home until Friday 610.667.7788 or on the weekend at 610.322.3428.
Peace. Chris Dietrich
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
The big news today is that I heard from Charlene Ward, my medical reviewer at the Peace Corps. Her only question was about why my heart rate was so low - 50 - on my EKG. No problem there. Heart rates slow down with exercise, and at that time I was swimming about three miles a week. That qualifies. So lets see ... counting. Right now it is pumping at a more normal 76. Figures - I haven't been swimming in several weeks now, spending my time working on the house and putting things in boxes to store, instead.
Now my Peace Corps file goes to Sylvie Mortimer, my placement officer. She infers that it won't take too long to complete the placement now that I have gotten past the medical review. We'll see. I sure would like to know my destination country before I leave for China next month on the 3rd.
Now my Peace Corps file goes to Sylvie Mortimer, my placement officer. She infers that it won't take too long to complete the placement now that I have gotten past the medical review. We'll see. I sure would like to know my destination country before I leave for China next month on the 3rd.
Canvassing with the Clean Air Council this evening in Kennett Square, we found ourselves in a heavily Spanish section. At three homes, I spoke with people who did not understand either spoken or written English. And I was able to explain who I was and what I wanted, and got small contributions from all three. OK, so they were feeling sorry for me and wanted to help out this guy who was struggling to make himself understood in a foreign language on their doorstep. No matter - I did it! Gosh, after a full month in Guatemala this August, I will just be incredible!
Sunday, June 22, 2003
Finally, a day without rain! Cloudy, but no rain. I guess that counts as progress. Maybe I can finish fixing the roof tomorrow.
I'm into using things up in the kitchen - the emergency caches of tuna, sardines, cans of soup and packages of noodles. Partly to use up the Aunt Jemima I made a big mess of pancakes for my breakfasts throughout the week. To do that I had to go to the store for more milk. It hit me: the use-by-date on the milk was July 5, two days after I leave for China! It feels like I still have a lot of work to do in these remaining nine days, since I am still putting in a lot of time with the Clean Air Council, too. I do think it will all come together when it has to, though.
I drove to Neffsville to visit Mother today, after church. Her room was empty and I found her sitting alone at a table in the dining room in a wheelchair, at 1:30pm. That seemed a little strange, but at least it was nice, bright and cheery there. The corner she likes in her room always seems so isolated and dark. We shared the ice cream sundays I had brought with me from the Freeze & Frizz - I ended up eating most of hers as well as mine, but she seemed to enjoy having the taste. Then we went for a stroll outside, and she commented on all the flowers we passed by. So that counts as a good day. Of course I told her about my travel plans, trying to keep things simple. She smiles and nods yes, but clearly does not understand. When we got back to her room, Arlene was there with a friend, Ruth, and Paul Ebersole dropped by for a brief time too. With that much company, she loses concentration and was soon asleep. I am very aware that we will be very fortunate indeed if she is still with us when I complete my two years of service with the Peace Corps...
I'm into using things up in the kitchen - the emergency caches of tuna, sardines, cans of soup and packages of noodles. Partly to use up the Aunt Jemima I made a big mess of pancakes for my breakfasts throughout the week. To do that I had to go to the store for more milk. It hit me: the use-by-date on the milk was July 5, two days after I leave for China! It feels like I still have a lot of work to do in these remaining nine days, since I am still putting in a lot of time with the Clean Air Council, too. I do think it will all come together when it has to, though.
I drove to Neffsville to visit Mother today, after church. Her room was empty and I found her sitting alone at a table in the dining room in a wheelchair, at 1:30pm. That seemed a little strange, but at least it was nice, bright and cheery there. The corner she likes in her room always seems so isolated and dark. We shared the ice cream sundays I had brought with me from the Freeze & Frizz - I ended up eating most of hers as well as mine, but she seemed to enjoy having the taste. Then we went for a stroll outside, and she commented on all the flowers we passed by. So that counts as a good day. Of course I told her about my travel plans, trying to keep things simple. She smiles and nods yes, but clearly does not understand. When we got back to her room, Arlene was there with a friend, Ruth, and Paul Ebersole dropped by for a brief time too. With that much company, she loses concentration and was soon asleep. I am very aware that we will be very fortunate indeed if she is still with us when I complete my two years of service with the Peace Corps...
Saturday, June 21, 2003
Today I went to the Spiral Q Puppet Theater to help Chris and Unite for Peace build a huge mechanized effigy of Bush, for the demonstrations in Philadelphia on July 4th. It will stand about 15 ft tall, and Bush's arms move as he pushes the Constitution into a paper shredder. People were working on his Royal Robe, making his huge paper-mache head and hands, and building the framework. Chris has put a tremendous amount of energy into it, and it will be a great visual image. I was a gofer, and went to Home Depot for bolts and stuff, then helped to worry about how to attach the wheels. I'm sorry I will miss it in action as I'm leaving for China on the 3rd, but Chris promises to send me photos.
Chris has been an energetic member of the Unite for Peace campaign against the USA PATRIOT Act, single-handedly creating our impressive and informative website. Check it out, from my menu of links on the left side of this page.
This was my first visit to Spiral Q, and it is a hoot! Remember that last Republican convention in Philadelphia, where the police raided a "subversive"puppet factory, confiscating puppets and arresting the people making them? That was Spiral Q. Their studio and work space is in this ancient industrial loft, cram-full of huge paper-mache heads, arms and body parts, signs, skeletons, houses, oil wells, birds, fantastic images and creations, all on top of each other, in riotous colors. They have a whole technology for construction of large figures and images. A real treasure! Once I figure out how to insert photos into this blog, I will certainly post a few of Spiral Q.
Chris has been an energetic member of the Unite for Peace campaign against the USA PATRIOT Act, single-handedly creating our impressive and informative website. Check it out, from my menu of links on the left side of this page.
This was my first visit to Spiral Q, and it is a hoot! Remember that last Republican convention in Philadelphia, where the police raided a "subversive"puppet factory, confiscating puppets and arresting the people making them? That was Spiral Q. Their studio and work space is in this ancient industrial loft, cram-full of huge paper-mache heads, arms and body parts, signs, skeletons, houses, oil wells, birds, fantastic images and creations, all on top of each other, in riotous colors. They have a whole technology for construction of large figures and images. A real treasure! Once I figure out how to insert photos into this blog, I will certainly post a few of Spiral Q.
Friday, June 20, 2003
OK, now I've established this blog to share my travels and experiences with family and friends. If I am successful in using this medium, I'll be posting comments and pictures from my trip in China with Matt, then writing from our family camping experience in Olympia National Park, and on to follow my adventure as a Peace Corps Volunteer starting this September.
My intention is to write at least SOMETHING to update the blog every other day or so, unless I am out of range of an Internet Cafe.
So where are my preparations for this saga, now? I'm still doing maintenance on my house so it will be in good shape to lease to Emillia and Adrienne for two years - E&A are second year med students at Drexel U. Today I cleaned out the basement drain with a rented Rotorooter - tree roots had clogged the line. And I would be finishing patching the roof of my house if it ever stopped raining long enough for that. Yesterday I spent the day going to the Chinese Consulate in New York City. Since May 1st, China no longer accepts visa applications by mail - you or your agent has to go there IN-PERSON to get the visa. What a pain! They claim it is a response to 9-11. Usually I enjoy an excuse to spend a day people-watching in NYC, but it was a rather miserable and wet day yesterday.
My intention is to write at least SOMETHING to update the blog every other day or so, unless I am out of range of an Internet Cafe.
So where are my preparations for this saga, now? I'm still doing maintenance on my house so it will be in good shape to lease to Emillia and Adrienne for two years - E&A are second year med students at Drexel U. Today I cleaned out the basement drain with a rented Rotorooter - tree roots had clogged the line. And I would be finishing patching the roof of my house if it ever stopped raining long enough for that. Yesterday I spent the day going to the Chinese Consulate in New York City. Since May 1st, China no longer accepts visa applications by mail - you or your agent has to go there IN-PERSON to get the visa. What a pain! They claim it is a response to 9-11. Usually I enjoy an excuse to spend a day people-watching in NYC, but it was a rather miserable and wet day yesterday.
