Progress Report

July 9-15, 2006 // CONSTRUCTION LOG #92

Contact phone numbers

Internet Phone:
New York: 315-279-6711
Toronto: 416-907-5758 // 416-461-2203

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

NOTE: the New York and Toronto numbers are "local calls" for people in the area codes; calls from outside the area code will be billed at the normal rate from the caller's area code to either the "315" or the "416" area code.

Pictures: house 101 / 102 and 124 / 125 (Pictures are posted by Tuesday's in "Current Status" section of the website)

The Story: my recovery, new opportunities, an accident, and the transformer

CONSTRUCTION

Weather: generally nice weather with little rain

Accident: One of our gardeners cut his toes off with a lawnmower. Fortunately Paul was very near and took immediate action with tourniquet, ice, toweling, gauze etc. The ambulance was here in less than 10 min. We understand his is resting comfortably at the hospital. We will visit him on Monday/Tuesday. We propose to maintain his income-he's got enough to deal with now and doesn't need the added worry. As we understand it, it was like many accidents -human error. As life would have it, Paul lost all his toes + a portion of his right foot in an accident when he was in his 20's. Paul will counsel him showing him that life is not over and in fact, about the only thing he will not be able to do is ballet, We will, of course, hire him back when he is able to work.

Units 101 / 102: Unit 101 has been the focus of much of our manpower. The interior is boarded, mostly sanded and ready for primer. The window contract has been let. We now have to pick the color scheme and that has to be done soon as the tile have to go in the kitchen before the cabinets are installed. I'm being pushed. It's a nice but an unusual feeling.

Unit 102 has seen the addition of the terrace railings and the addition of interior and exterior window moldings.

Lockers and Houses: Units 124 and 125: We want to finish these units at the same time such that we can get the tradesmen out of there and clean once. All the little things will be finished off this week and the units cleaned, ready for occupancy next weekend.

Lockers: We're beginning to refocus on finishing off these-interior and exterior.

Electrical System Upgrade: We now have the transformer on site!!!!!!! However, there seems to be some concern regarding the location of the meters. We are modifying the access to the meters as I write hoping to satisfy the authorities. It's a bit discretionary but I think we should be able to meet their discretionary rules without having to move the meters.

Marketing: Unit 105 closed this week. We now have only 102 to sell but I'm not pushing it until it is finished. We still have two re-sales - 104 ($185,000) and 106B ($140,000).

Internet: No problems this week.

Satellite TV: So far, so good. We are still awaiting the balance of our access cards.

Next Project: We continue to focus on a 4 hectare / 40,000 M2 or 10 acre site which has a stream running lengthwise through the center of the property. The main issue we need information on is the building set back requirement from the stream. We are told this answer is likely to take a month.

We continue to entertain other and more immediate options but nothing is exactly jumping out as us...

OUR LIVES

My recovery continues at a spectacular rate although I did suffer this week from phlebitis which is an inflammation of the blood vessels. It's a bit painful and can lead to blood clots so has to be dealt with. Dealing with it is taking anti-inflammatory pills. I'm not 100% yet but I can see I'm on the road to being there. My appetite which mysteriously disappeared about 4 months ago and from which I've lost 20lbs seems to have returned on it's own accord.

Lita continues her exercise routine-up at 5:30 am; gym at 6-8; birds and dog from 8-10; house cleaning / TV / and whatever the rest of the day. This week and next she will be packing for our interim move. About half the time we seem to have dinner company. They get whatever is going which must be o.k. as they keep coming back.

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

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