It feels like it was just yesterday that I last wrote but it has been four weeks….yikes where does the time go! It is Easter Sunday or Pasqua in Spanish and this past week has had the first real crowds we have seen all winter. This is the last hurrah for many of the hotels and restaurants before the “busy” season ends and summer season begins. We feel bad for everyone here that business has been so slow but it is also an amazingly peaceful place to live when there are so few tourists visiting. So we are into our last week before we leave for the summer…so sad but also we are ready for a change of pace (or at least some pace) and I really need to get a job! The house is close to being completed to the point we had agreed upon with our builders. There are a few more details which I’m in doubt that they can finish in one week but we will see and go from there. The roof tiles are completed, all the concrete has been poured and all the stucco is done (minus a couple small areas). The pasta man has started and his one week job is going into week 3 and he has a long way to go……. We decided to wait on painting the exterior until we return in November. I still want to research different types of paints and sealers that are made specifically for stucco and maybe bring it down from the states. I started working on our front gate and have been making frames for mosquito screening to keep the bats and other bugs out during the summer. It actually feels good to be working on something again.
The wood guy finally showed up the other day, set three windows and said he would be back on Monday. We will see! Things have gone great with our builders but much slower with their subs! Still, we are very pleased with our project and have had just a great experience living here this winter. When we get back to the states I’m sure we will go through sticker shock over the price of food and gas and medical…but it will be good to see family and friends again. I just hope all the snow has melted by the time we get back to Colorado
And for Debi…It seems we’ve been waiting for a long time for the builders to take down the makeshift scaffolding so we could update the photos….and still today there’s a large ladder leaning up on the front side of the house. Maybe we’ll just move it and get the photo today! I’m taking measurements for materials for the couch cushions and measuring for baskets and containers we’ll use in the pantry. We also need to get mental and physical pictures and lists of other things we may want to bring down from the States in November. We’ve found that a lot of people that live here from the US and Canada try to bring a lot of things in that are so much more expensive or not as high quality here such as, appliances, certain fabrics, linens, towels, electronics, some hardware…actually as Marty said the main things that are cheaper here are food (although not much of the produce is organic), gas and medical and if you find the right places to buy them…. furniture and hand made ceramics.
I’m getting on a health kick now and realizing we (both!!) need to detox…so I’m excited to get back to the nice health food stores and organic produce in the States. Yes, it’s been a real fun time here but I’m ready to go ‘home’!! Hmmmm. …wonder if some day I’ll consider this home?? I guess once we actually can move into our house it’ll feel more like home!
Roof tiles are on and the house is ready for paint.
View of house from beach side.
The real concrete counter tops and sink.
The start of our bath and shower.
Check out our fish faucet!
The patios with concrete floors.
The colored pasta going on the walls.
The composting septic tank in its protective well.
Preparing the concrete lid.
