Progress Report

August 21-27, 2005 // CONSTRUCTION LOG #46

Contact phone numbers

Internet Phone:
New York 315-279-6711 // Toronto 416-907-5758

Costa Rica:
Cell 506-305-3965 // Land 506-282-4142 Ext. 101

NOTE: our land line in CR has changed;
we are now integrated into the compound network.

Pictures: 114-116 advances; 106, 117-120, and 121-123.

CONSTRUCTION

Permit: We have it!!!!! We finally got it on Thursday but Wow —what a process and over 8 mo...

New Construction: We're gearing up the workforce and currently have about 50 people.

114, 115, and 116: The white finish coat is on the walls and sanded and the lighting valences are nearly finished in two units. The interior and exterior window moldings are also finished. The clay tile for the upper of three roof structures is on site and is being installed beginning Sunday. The kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities are being made as well as the closet cabinets. The window contract has been let. Prime coat of paint will be applied on two units this next week and possibly on 115 towards the end of the week. Following that, will be the ceramic floor installation. The cana brava is being installed on the front terraces.

Unit 106: Virtually all the blocks are laid for the ground floor. Structural columns and the collar tie are yet to be finished. Electrical rough in on the ground floor is nearly finished.

Unit 107: This unit is now finished, cleaned, and decorated.

Units 121, 122, and 123: We laid out these units as per the site plan drawing. Reality was very different than plans. They simply didn't work. We reviewed our options and came up with a very good solution. We are now working with the would-be purchasers of 122. They had made some decisions based on the planned orientation; now that it's changed slightly, we have to review those decisions. We have torn down the original building and have started the excavation of the 123 and 121 sites. We have to move a warehouse before we are clear to excavate for 122 but before that, we have to have a dry place to store our wares. That will take a week to have the roof on 120.

Units 117-120: We have restarted work on these four units. The terrace roof is being framed. Framing for the upper roof has started as well. Welders are working Sat. afternoon and Sunday to advance us such that we can work during the rains we've been having in the afternoons

Marketing: We closed on Unit 111 and received a commitment on 122. Progress payments on other units are occurring as per plan.

Telemarketing campaign: I'm told they couldn't work their way through the UNIX system problems so have reverted back to the Windows platform.

Next Project: We decided to pass on making an offer on the 35,000 acres we loved so much. It could have swallowed us instead of us swallowing it. The owner came back to us with the possibility of dividing the lot into a chunk we could handle. Unfortunately, my partner had some personal issues to deal with (illness and an inflamed tooth) before he returned to Canada so we really didn't get a chance to discuss it much. However, I've since walked the land again and reviewed what might work. I'll be doing a pro forma on it this weekend.

OUR LIVES

Weather: It's rained nearly every day usually in the late afternoons and evenings. Most of the time, very hard...We're gearing up for September and October —thus the importance of getting the roof on 117-20.

Boat: The "Lita-B" passed the survey and the sea trials. I'm moving the remainder of our personal belongings off. I expect the deal to close later next week. I'm reminded two best days of owning a boat are the day you buy it and the day you sell it. It's been fun, great in fact, but now it's time to move on.

The parrot: We've been having a problem with the ballast on a florscent light in our kitchen. We had one of the electrical tradesmen in to work on it. I was out doing things and left Lita to look after things. Canuk, the German Sheppard guard dog was on the terrace. She went off to her gym class but before doing so, she assured him that Canuk wouldn't hurt him and she cautioned the tradesman NOT to talk to the parrot, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. She was very specific about it. (Lita has been trying to teach him a few new words and didn't what the moron in her confused.) As Lita had said, Canuk was fine but the parrot, drove him nuts the whole time with his incessant yelling, cursing and name calling. Finally the repairman couldn't contain himself any longer and yelled, "Shut up, you stupid, ugly, mean, nasty bird!" To which the parrot replied, "Get him, Canuk!" (That's a paraphrased joke! The parrot's not that smart!)

Brian, Lita, Hugo and irreverent Vicka, the pigeon toed parrot.

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