copgib

I came home today around 2pm from a cleaning job and found my home burgarized. The subjects pryed open the side door of my garage with deadbolt attached. The responding deputies stated it look like I might have spooked the intruders by arriving home unexpectly. There were foot tracks where someone jumped my fence and ran through the woods to a side dirt road where another person may have been waiting in a car. Beside ramsacking my house, all my wife's expensive jewlery was taken, a 5-gal watter bottle with about $200 in change with it and a Wii machine I just purchased last month. Of course they left the games and controllers behind. What really bothers me, is that I had a badge from my old Sheriff's Department they gave me when I retired sitting on my office desk that was taken also. We really feel violated and now that they have seen what I have in the house I suspect they will return sometime. Well I have my 38 loaded and waiting for them. The deputies that responded canvased the nieghbors and alot of them stated that lately there had been a couple young guys knocking on their doors asking if they had any scrape metal that they wanted to get rid of. More than likely, they were just checking to see if anyone was in the homes. Unfortunately, I wasn't home at the time they came by. I had my new laptop and digital camera in plain site but they never took either of them. I can only hope that law enforcement will finally catch these suckers. Tomorrow I get some bids on an alarm system for my home! Hugh

I do have insurance on my household items, but for jewlery, if you don't have it appraised they will only give you a max of $2500. My insurance company will be cutting me a check for about $4000 but when we totalled everthing including all the jewlery I bought my wife overseas while in the Navy, my total loss was around $16,000. I can assure you if that subject trys to return for more items, I will put some lead in his butt. My new alarm system gets installed on Wednesday. Take care Hugh

Jeff I expected a good response out of you! That is why I posted it to get your blood pressure up! I am still recovering from coming home from a job and being burglarized. I totaled up my losses and it was about $16,000 dollars in jewlery and other items. I still can't believe it finally happened to me! Hugh

I see alot folks on here and other forums state how Bush screwed everything up while in office. I voted for him and yes he has made alot of mistakes in my opinon, but as you can see above, he has did some good for everyone even though they may not realize it. Just trying to share an email that a relative sent me. Hugh

Thanks everyone for your comments. I didn't get much sleep last night, the neighbors dog kept barking. I have a 2-story house so I kept going downstairs with my .38 checking things out. Now I am waiting on an alarm system company to come by to give me an estimate for installation. My wife stayed home from work because she is sick over losing all her real nice jewery. I believe it was kids or young adults also. Taking my Wii game console lets me believe they weren't that old. Anyway thanks for all the nice comments. Hugh

Craig, I just ordered some NMD80 to clear up some white stain on bricks. Will it normally work? Or am I wasting my money. Hugh

Ron I still write all my estimates. I have my letterhead on a two sheet form that works like carbon paper. Although there isn't any carbon paper to it, it still works exactly like carbon paper where I can keep a copy for my records of the actual form I gave the customer. Hugh

I have been using my 7' x 14' enclosed trailer for sometime now. Everything has worked out well, except I now am working more night jobs and I realized that in order to use my lights in the trailer I had to have my truck running. This is the way the electrical was setup. Well I finally had enough and decided to fix the problem. I went to my local Harbor Freight store and bought a 5-watt solar panel and I had a new battery for this job. I mounted the solar panel on the roof of the trailer and wired it to the battery. I now have lights inside my trailer even if the truck isn't connected up to the trailer. This really helps when I come home in the early morning hours when it is still dark. My shed 42'x45' does not have power to it yet, so this really helps out. After I was done wiring it I checked with a meter to see how the panel was drawing. It seems that during daylight hours inside my shed it still draws enough power to fully charge my battery without even leaving the shed. I just thought I would share this with you. Anyone in this same position, I would recommend you check out small solar panels to help you keep a charge. I mounted the solar panel on top of my enclosed trailer with liquid nails, because I didn't want to drill holes in the roof. If I notice the solar panel coming loose I will use the brackets that came with the solar panel and screw it down. So far so good, man it is great having inside trailer lights anytime I want with or without the truck hooked up! Hugh

I bought one of those shed lights for my shed, they work ok. I have had my solar panel attached to the top of my 14'X7' trailer for about 1 1/2 Months now and even using liquid nails to attached the panel to the roof everything seems to be working great. I now have light inside my trailer whenever I need it. I have 3-inside lights so it is pretty bright inside any time I need lights. I would say this was the best thing I have ever did to improve my night working conditions. Hugh

Can someone explain to me exactly how the nozzles are suppose to be postitioned in the surface cleaner? Thanks Hugh

One of my first large jobs was a dealership where I was cleaning the building. In order to clean the top area I had to get on the roof, lean over the concrete ledge to clean the mold off the very top of the building. I this time I did not have any equipment to reach up high. What I didn't know was I had chlorine on the ledge that I was leaning over on. Since I was wet from sweat I didn't realize it until the burning started. My belly still show some of the redness after 1 1/2 Years. Lesson learned the hard way! Hugh

Tony, I live just outside Gainesville in a small town of Williston. There are alot of small towns around here that offer 5,10 & 20 acre properties. Although the prices have went up over the last few years, it is an area to consider. I moved here from the Florida Keys in 2005. I built a new home on 10-acres. My location makes it easy for me to go to Orlando, Jacksonville or Tampa in only about 1 1/2 hours. Good luck in your search. Hugh

How have you been ? Long time no hear. Has business been good to you? Here in and around Gainesville Florida my business has been picking up steadily. This year looks to be alot better then last year if this keeps up. Take care! Hugh Gibson (copgib)

I just got a school property to keep clean which I have to clean the buildings and concrete twice a year and the roof once a year. This is my biggest job on tap right now. Hugh

You sure that wasn't your new advertising sign? Hugh

Thanks Steve for all you have done for our profession. Hugh

Can you do me a favor and look in your Spokane phonebook and see if there is a Burt Coston listed there? I have lost contact with him since my Navy days and I know he went back to his home town of Spokane Washington. If you see it in there, please email me at Copgib@earthlink.net Thanks Hugh Gibson

Carlos, can you email me the information also? Thanks Hugh copgib@earthlink.net

Believe me you may be getting away without it now, but once someone sues you, you will then wished you had gotten it sooner. You are working dangerously without insurance!

I am sure some of it is true, and I wouldn't be surprised to find out it was originally started by Hilliary or one of the other canidates to get ahead in the voting. This has been all over the web lately.

Thanks Ron! Hugh

I know when I lived there. The Keys required anyone working in the keys whether they lived there or not to buy their occupational license to do any work. Unless it has changed since I left. Hugh

I am not sure if I will be able to attend or not yet. I would like to go and meet the legend himself (Russ). I will probably know whether I will be able to after the first of the year. I have had some unexpected end of the year expenses come up which I have to pay before I can go very far from home. Like $7,000 in property taxes. But if everything works out I just might be there. Hugh

Russ stated on another board that once Christmas is over he will firm up the dates for this roundtable and stated is will be near the end of Feb 08. I hope this helps you! Hugh

Unfortunantly Saturday is not good for me. Saturday is the only day I dedicate to my wife. It's her day, she works for the VA Hospital in Gainesville and works all week and expects me to be able to go with her somewhere every Saturday. Usaully to Flea Markets or Festivals throughout Florida. This last Saturday we traveled to Panama City area for a Seafood festival, great food, but it did get crowded with people fast. If Saturday works for everyone else, then go ahead and have it, I will just have to catch up with you all at a later date. Through the week is my best time where I can schedule it in and my wife is at work. Hugh