Progress Report

Dec. 27- 30, 2004 // CONSTRUCTION LOG #12

Note: This was a short week: only 4 days of work. The crew wanted Dec. 31 off. We start again on Monday, Jan. 3, 2005.

Construction

This was a short but busy week. As in the previous week, it was full speed ahead on all items except the core (new) construction:

Front Wall

It was landscaped inside and out with blue and pink flowering vines, bamboo, Christmas palms and xoria - a local, slow growing, every blooming plant. About 1/2 of the columns have yet to be stuccoed and lights mounted. The garbage area was advanced to the point where the structural steel is in place. The front doors/gates are being made off site and will be installed next week. The entire structure along with the columns should be finished by the end of next week.

Warehouse/laundry/employee change room

The slab was poured and rough in plumbing is in place.

Renovations

Unit 105: it is virtually finished and cleaned. With the exception of hanging two doors, and the installation of the windows, and polishing the floor. The closet organizer came out very well as did the front entrance. The space is very useable. We now need to do some landscaping to finish off the exterior. Overall, this renovation came out very well. Based on our research, we are putting a sale price on it of $80,000

Unit 103: All structural steel has been completed and the sub roof installed. Rough in electrical is done and boarding is substantially complete. The kitchen was redesigned and we are awaiting a new diagram. This unit should be finished in at least two weeks.

New Construction

All the rough-in plumbing and electrical work is now completed. The substrate for the floors has been added and compacted. Leveling marks have been completed and the first layer of stucco is being applied.

The site is cleaned of debris and the soil is being leveled for easier working.

Misc

The VOIP internet phone is not yet working. This plug and play advertising is far from reality.

Our Lives

The pig roast was held Thursday afternoon. They each chipped in 2,000 colones times 40 or so people bought a huge pig. It was brought dressed to the site, butchered and cut into small pieces. It is then placed in large pots over an open fire where it is cooked into "chichirones" or deep fried pork. I bought some Coke, a bottle of "guaro" -a local light vodka, and cold beer -the latter being a real treat for them since it doesn't usually fit into their budget. I also bought some tortillas. The added cabbage salad mixings and that completed the meal. We were invited to join as well as our recent guests. It was a lot of fun. Lita arranged for some music and had her video camera going. We haven't looked to see what she captured.

Our friends from Quebec arrived but not without incident and what happened to them should be a lesson to all re. Planning. Despite the pitfalls we've experienced either ourselves or with others, and despite cautions which we give, not all lessons are learned via someone else's experiences. They chose to get bumped in Atlanta. I didn't know this so waited two hours for them to arrive before I gave up and returned to the house. Unfortunately they did not have my phone numbers, nor did they have a map which can be downloaded in either English or in Spanish from my web site nor did they remember the name of the property or the town or area we lived in. They arrived at our gate at 10:30 pm after fortunately finding a cab driver who persevered in finding us. The mystery at my end was answered and they were very relieved. All ended well but the message here is very clear -always have a back up plan, have phone numbers, e-mail addresses, maps, alternate meeting place/time, etc.

Yesterday we took them to a nearby parrot and macaw sanctuary. Two people have dedicated themselves to saving endangered and injured or unwanted birds. Their passion and dedication over 30 years is incredible. Their home and property has become a haven for these magnificent birds. They have incubators for unwanted babies and eggs. Their knowledge is incredible. They exist on donations; no government subsidies. They are quite elderly now and one wonders who will carry on their work in a few years.

This last week has been one of feasting. Between the grilled marlin, Gino's fantastic pizza's, a birthday party for one of the residents on the property, and last night's New Year's Eve dinner of seared fresh tuna with a sauce (by Terry), Caesar salad (Terry), a vegetable and pasta dish with Alfredo sauce (our guests from Quebec), baked corvine (sea bass) (Brian and Keith), and flan de coco (Lita) we really outdid ourselves. Keith made the flower arrangement (a new talent he's discovered) and hosted the event. We were surrounded on three sides by local fireworks. We made it until 12:02 and crashed.

Our Quebec friends are now off by bus (formerly by car at $300 for 3 days) but now at $2,50 (each way) to Puntaranus where they will meet up with her brother and spend several days at a beach resort near Playa Tambor. They will return for a few more days with us.

Lately we've seen a lot of parrot flight activity. They don't stop on the property because we don't have their favorite foods but they do have desired food source near by which causes them to fly across the property several times a day. They are smaller than Vicka but green like her. They are very erratic flyers can't seem to fly without "talking" so you can hear them for more than a block coming and going.

Tomorrow (Sunday) I'm hosting a "Dagwood Sandwich" party around the pool. Today it's hammock and digestion day.

Brian, Lita, Hugo, and Vicka.

^ Top