Progress Report

 May 22-27 , 2006 // CONSTRUCTION LOG #85

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 . 192 and,124 / 125

The Story: Waiting...

CONSTRUCTION

Weather: very little rain-morning sunshine and afternoon overcast.

Units 101 / 102: More, and more, and more-- steel re-bar, more steel floor joists, steel deck pan, and collar ties. The spans in this house are longer and wider so it requires more. We have, however, made progress. We should pour the floor this week and then the pace of construction will increase.

Lockers and Houses: Lockers: The repella (parging) is virtually finished. They look great even though they are lockers. The main things left to finish are doors and painting of all surfaces. We've started to allocate them based on the information we have. All the large lockers are spoken for; we have smaller lockers available.

Locker allocation: We've started allocating the lockers to purchasers based on feedback. All the large lockers have been taken.

Houses: The Densglass and gypsum boarding is about 80% completed and 25% taped; at the end of next week, we should have the prime coat of paint on. Cabinets and closets have been approved and ordered. We expect these units to be substantially completed in three weeks or around June 22. The large open concept living room / kitchen really made this space.

Landscaping: The garden gets happier every day. The gardners are working out of their back log. We got the results of a soil analysis we had done. The soil is too acidic. We have to add magnesium and calcium-I thought it would have been lime but who am I... we're still awaiting the answer of how much?

Electrical System Upgrade: Why should this bad saga end?... it continues with no visible sign of progress. One of our purchasers is an electrical engineer dealing with transforms all the time. He thinks something is very fishy as well. We don't , however, in this case, have much of a choice. When they ask for the check, however, then we've got an opportunity to deliver a message; and I'm going to do it.

Marketing: Lot's of waiting here-lot's of serious lookers but many are gathering information and trying it on to see how comfortable they are with their desired decision. The closing of 109 continues to be delayed due to slow bank actions in the U.S. CR banks do not have a monopoly on the "difficulty-to-deal-with" scale. The clients' contact is having a kidney transplant; no one seems to be available to fill in.

We leased with an option to purchase unit #111. The owner told me on Wednesday of the previous week to put it on the market for sale or for rent. Four days later I had a client for him. He was amazed (so was I)-the deal closed on Friday. Now I have bragging rights!

I'm working on completing the furnishings of 120 and some modifications to 108 which consists mainly of an electric hot water tank.

We've had a number of people who have looked at Unit 110 and at other investment opportunities but none have so far, committed... Having said that, one of our clients took about 8 mo. before got his ducks lined up and committed.

Next Project: Waiting is also the story here: We offered, he counter offered and we countered his offer. Once we found out what the one of the real issues was, we were able to address it. There remains one sticking item yet to resolve.-I'm not interested in giving him a $50,000 deposit without security. He has rejected an escrow account so... we wait. Regardless, we have started putting the team together and to get things in a position to role when / if we get this land. If not this land, then we will have people in position for when we do secure land we want.

Fly season: It seems that the first several weeks of the rainy season brings out the house flies. After a few weeks, they all disappear. I'm still waiting for the end of this cycle.

OUR LIVES

Our house: It's going to be more up close and personal doing our own house. I beginning to have to deal with our life styles, our habits and our limitations. This will be a bit of a challenge but we have an opportunity to design a house which best fits our particular situation. I've had to work with the maestro de obra to design the ramp which will allow Lita to access our house. It's longer than I would like but that is necessary to make a gentle enough slope so one doesn't have to climb Mt. Everest. Now to develop a place for her to care for the parrots(s) and to keep them away from me. We will have to have a number of skylights to give her the maximum light during the day. The house will be bigger than we need and really wanted but I again made best use of the land.

The artist who did Lita's picture, returned to modify her jaw. She still has a "lantern jaw" and a fat neck but not a Jay Leno jaw.

Paul returned to Canada for a few days on Friday.

This past week has been fairly quiet. I've found myself wondering around wondering what I should be doing. I found the hammock a few times.

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

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