# MY POLTERGEIST GRIN



## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

A member pointed out a few weeks ago, jokingly I guess, that I had a "Poltergeist grin" for an avatar. Do tell! It was a crop from a larger photo taken in the high tundra at about 15,000 ft not far from our farm which is much lower, 10,000 ft. Susi took the photo, I was holding a friend's cat who, some time ago, took a special cat liking to me (and me, him, a super nice kitty). We were eating at a trout restaurant there and after chow we went for a stroll outside, el cat followed us(Arnis is his name I think, named after the martial art of the Filippines) and it was a fine afternoon in all. I got a little plinking in as well, I seldom plink. You can barely see the SS tucked into my belt on my right side.

The background is a curious white plant that only grows in the high tundra region of the Ecuadorian Andes, I was told that anyway, no idea of the species name.

I thought some would like to see the whole photo from whence my Poltergeist avatar came. I like faces and names here...wish more had photos of themselves.


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## Sr.Miss Alot (Jul 3, 2015)

I think that was smiling fury that said you had a poltergeist grin, it was when you were raising a big stink over the slingshot of the month voting.


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

Sr.Miss Alot said:


> it was when you were raising a big stink over the slingshot of the month voting.


 :yeahright: here we go again . . . ? :iono:


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

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## Sr.Miss Alot (Jul 3, 2015)

Don't let them get to you Chuck! You handsome rascal you.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)




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## crypter27 (Oct 13, 2010)

I just think you look like the FBI agent from greatest American hero.


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## devils son in law (Sep 2, 2014)

Grinnin' cause he's got the coolest white cat in Ecuador!


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

I love it! Hey, if we were all sitting at a campfire shuckin' 'n jivin' it'd be a fun time. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish with just black and white text, between a real jab and a good ribbin'. I took Smelling Fury's comment as a good ribbin'. (don't take it personally Fury, please!)

Being ex military and reared by an ex army colonel, I learned from the get go to take a ribbing and a few jabs like a man. In combat we had nothing really other than a good sense of humor to keep us up and punching. It's like that anywhere though, don't you think? A team must keep itself up and alert and in good spirits...in a factory, an office cube farm, out fixing a downed electric line in the rain...a team is a team is a team.

The stink I raised I wouldn't say was a "stink", it just was in effort to offer suggestions (forums are like that) to be fair to all. If being fair to all is stinky, boy do I stink! And so do others who stunk with me with similar suggestions acting as contributing forum members. I hope we have a good 'n stinky time of this!

Anyway, Susi and I are getting quite a kick out of the research being done about that cat pic with me...keep 'em coming. I think a bit of forum levity is always welcome. If it is a "roast" I am honored to be the "roastee".

I'm an animal lover and it makes no diff if it's cats, dogs (we have six dogs) or whatever. I love them and they love me. Susi is the animal lover of animal lovers. Likely that's why she loves me so much! Har har, am sure someone will do something with that one.

She commented this morning that my smile was what attracted her to me first. Frankly I didn't think I had such a winning smile but that's the way the voting went with her. She claims her vote is the most important anyway. I can agree.

Thanks guys for the funny come backs! I often make light of things which others would scowl over, after all, life is supposed to be fun and funny, right?

Don't worry Mr. Imperial, it's all in fun....find a pic and contribute to this funny thread, Fred. I consider it an honor to get roasted by you fun guys.

Treefork, I recognize that character from somewhere that you posted but dunno his name or reference? Can you help me with that? But I have a full head of hair (albeit white). So far. I imagine someday I'll have a chrome dome however.

By the way I have one more pic to post of that day when the "me/cat" photo was taken, it's of Susi and me...but I can't seem to find a way to post the pic, the "My Media" button only accesses my gallery and the pic isn't in there...any tips on this guys?

Chuck


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## Sr.Miss Alot (Jul 3, 2015)

She was attracted by your smile??? Huh. I always thought she said beetlejuice three times fast! How did you two meet? That sure would make a interesting story.


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

OK, I fingered it out of how to post another pic...first time fer everything, eh? :stupidcomp:

Refresh your screen...something happened to the first pic in it's journey to SSF in hyperspace.. here's two grins. Susi's grin is MUCH more appealing than mine I think. At least it's straight, unlike mine, and without a chipped front tooth!

The trout restaurant is behind us and this pic was taken before we went in to eat (and before Arnis helped me eat a big fat rainbow trout). It snows up there sometimes but that day it was just overcast. Can you imagine all this on the equator? The restaurant is a rustic one, we've gone there for many years, no heat but a fire place that smokes you out due to fierce winds outside blowing smoke back down the chimney that's not designed too well...cough sputter. So we sit in the other room, a few hot native cocktails keep the blood flowin'.

Ah, Miss, how'd we meet?

Susi (Susana) was my process worker for immigration here in Ecuador back in summer of 1996.. We did this in Quito, the country capital (Kee Toe) where she lived. Unfortunately we started the process work under one president but his term expired during the work and the next presidink's crew was imept, corrupt and we had to do it all over again. We saw each other in all phases from elated to frustrated but finally she managed to get it all done. Her boss was a retired army colonel and ex governor of a province and he pulled a few strings for us and I got my permanent visa. After all that I invited her to lunch as usual and popped the question. She said, "I was going to ask YOU but was a little embarrassed...so...YES!" We were married a month later in September of 1996 and moved to Cuenca, (Kweng kah,) Ecuador's cultural center city and university town in southern Ecuador's Andes where I'd already bought a nice exotic jungle wood adorned ski chalet style house and a 4x4 and lived happily ever after. We moved out of Cuenca to a hidden Andes valley about a half our away a few years ago. To us it is pure heaven. Susi is one of the politicals in the valley and I help out with engineering for the water project and set up a gifting service of other expats living in close by Cuenca to help the valley's poor Indians with niceities and internet, telephone service etc.. Nice story, eh?

Our house is a meeting place for the youngsters in the valley, they get food they never heard of (pizza, lasagna, chili, beef stroganoff etc..) and they use our computers and internet to do homework...Susi gives free English lessons, having graduated the honor student in her class in the University of Cuenca in English studies. She's a brainy gal and has a heart of gold for the locals. We get all sorts of beans, corn, milk gifted to us but we pay for these anyway, we insist. We've sent two kids through college since we've known locals for the whole time we've lived in Cuenca, almost 20 years and sent one to Madrid Spain to study..he's still there and manages a big restaurant chain and has his own computer company and web company. Nice success story for a poor Indian kid who's mother cooked on wood and clay pots.


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## ile66 (May 28, 2015)

Nice storiesSusi in Finnish, means Wolf


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

These two cuties are Alexandra (L) and Ximena (pronounced Hee men ah) (R) who are our two god daughters. They live down the mountain from us a few hundred meters and may as well be our own daughters since we have no kids of our own. Their father abandoned them and their house is falling apart. We ran a pipe down from our spring so they'd have enough water. We offered to send Alex to college but she's a country girl and would rather help her mom on the farm. Ximena however is a top super studius student in jr. high (she's 15) and wants to study...she doesnt' know what yet. Whatever it will be she'll do well. I hope it's medicine...someday I could use a good doc.


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

haha, ile66, she's the fox, I'm dah wolf! (or old scraggly dog actually).


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## ile66 (May 28, 2015)

Chuck Daehler said:


> haha, ile66, she's the fox, I'm dah wolf! (or old scraggly dog actually).


 just look at your pic,i thougt you must be ex military.


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## ile66 (May 28, 2015)

Pic from my Finnish military pass. Young corporal Räsänen. ????


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## pgandy (Aug 15, 2011)

A "Poltergeist grin"? Heck all of this time I've been calling it a sh*t eating grin. My mistake. Being an army brat and ex military you should know that's a rib. Nice looking family, adopted and otherwise. Enjoy.


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

Hehe Andy, yeah, a SE-ingG alright! The two princesses are not adopted, they live down the mountain a ways with their poor single mom and two other sisters. Together they tend the cows, milk them, hoe and plant the fields, cook, clean, wash their clothes in our spring water at their place, go to school(s) (1 in HS, one in nursing college, 1 in 2nd grade, one just works with mom - Alexandra.) Older brothers are electrician (licensed) and the other is a stock manager for a ceramic co. Older sis is a school teacher. Mom, well, she's just a good ole mom trying to keep 'em all fed and healthy (does a great job). Yes it's a great family. Had I "real" daughters I'd hope they'd be like these ones. Susi is "aunty" (tia) to many young'uns here.

Well, this thread turned out pretty good, hope it brings a "grin" to everyone who sees it. I know it's off topic but what the heck, a little levity at the end of the week is OK, isn't it? I much appreciate the "roast" and yes it is certainly taken as just a bunch of us fun lovin' guys doing a little camp fire tickle here and there. (Chuck opens another bottle of Jack Daniels and passes it to Andy to take a wee swig and pass around the campfire).

ile66, thanks for your military photo...I know there are a whole lot of folks here on SSF who also served in their respective militaries one way or the other, in fact Bill Hays' (pocketprreditor.com) daughter signed up for Army reserve I remember (saw this on his web site)..so sons and daughters alike can say they also are military or ex. There are some here I think who are active military too. It's a big brotherhood (and sisterhood). I personally grew up wearing a uniform, did me a lot of good, all in all it was certainly worth it. I'm a man of peace now however, pleasantly retired livin' the dream. Hope the same for all of you'ns. Why not post military photos here as well, y'all? I will have to scan some, have no digital photos handy. My nephew Nate is a staff sgt in US Army infantry commo (communications guy..satellite, radio, I.T. networks etc..), 2 yrs Afghanistan,1 year Iraq. Miraculously he's alive...Ft. Lewis, WA.


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## pgandy (Aug 15, 2011)

I got in a hurry and posted my reply before I finished. You might want to be careful with expressions like "she's the fox", at least in her presence. Translated fox is zorra, although in some Latin countries zorro can also mean 'possum, and she may misunderstand. A beautiful Colombian woman began living with me, another place another time. She was most beautiful, very intelligent, witty, and had graduated from one of the Colombian universities. She spoke hardly any English. She wasn't marriage material, didn't even know how to make coffee at first, but was enjoyable to be with. Her family was well off and she had servants to do everything, that is until they had to flee the country. One day I told her that she was foxy meaning she was smart and cunning. As she spoke essentially no English I told her in Spanish. The word "zorra" did it. Let's just say that she was less than appreciative and let it go at that. That was only one of many times I put my foot in my mouth over the years. Latinas, at least all I've met, take a dim view of being referred to in any way as "fox". I think they consider it lower on the scale than b*tch. Perhaps it's different in Ecuador.


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## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

Nice pictures Chuck.... but I've got to say, Treefork's was pretty funny too though..


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

Chuck Daehler said:


> Don't worry Mr. Imperial, it's all in fun....


thats what im here for, fun ! i dont get as to why some people cant find some fun on this forum, it should be a get away from all of lifes seriousness. i will be sure to down a shot straight from my bottle of capt. morgan as a toast to you, have fun, but most of all. . . ENJOY !


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

Thanks for the heads up, having lived in Ecuador going on 20 years I did know that. Susi is attuned to north American slang however and realizes that when I do call her a fox it is meant as a compliment not a slur. Unlike your Colombiana, Susi is an excellent domestic wife...cooks like crazy, clean and super neat (fanatic on that), speaks fluent English and presently we don't have a cleaning maid. Susi is a winner for sure. But as said in another post, I do get a lot of shooting time when she's prepping when we go out. Latinas are like that though, never frumpy, always pin perfect. It is no wonder why so many men here who are expat singles are attaching to Latinas...and why so many married ones eye Latinas at the risk of being seen doing so by their wives who are fifty pounds over weight and dress and look like frumps. I can't say much more for the expat men from north America...it's not a good cross section of "gringos" who desire a life style here.


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

treefork said:


> post-13707-0-47639600-1444792106_thumb.jpg
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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

I don't always agree with your views Chuck but I'm glad you are here. Great pics and story man. You are blessed.


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

Well, we all can't have the same views but if we all have respect for each person's right to "view" then all is fine, agreed? I think the folks on this forum are "freedom mongers" as I am... afterall, the freedom to express oneself with respect is important to all of us.

I'm glad this thread displayed levity and "roasting" with all fun intended. Yes it's off topic but it's a fun way to just spend a campfire passing a bottle with each other online.

Have a great weekend y'all, we're having an El Nino rainy spell here, will last about a year by the looks of the Pacific Ocean surface temperatures but we really need it in the highlands, been bone dry. I've got time inbetween rains to shoot a lot so that's not an issue, our rain cisterns are plum full of water and rain water sure makes a good pot of coffee. Life's grand, ain't it?

Thanks for the humor everyone, I much enjoyed the roast. I was serious about all the vets posting photos, why not? The idea was not intended fgr us vets to have a "one up on ya" thing, it's just to increase comradery...which always is a boon for any forum. I think there are a lot of present and ex military folks here. Why not a thread of present and ex fire, and present and ex EMS too someday, as well as ex law enforcement? It's good to get to know some things about members I think without compromising identity security. Personally I give a hang about personal security but that's just me.


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## Slingshot Silas (Apr 4, 2013)

Imperial said:


> Sr.Miss Alot said:
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> > it was when you were raising a big stink over the slingshot of the month voting.
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Giggity,

SSS

:woot: :woot:


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