Progress Report

September 4-9, 2006 // CONSTRUCTION LOG #100

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: none-stay tuned for next week.

The Story: Reflections on 100 weeks of work.

CONSTRUCTION

Weather: overcast with frequent rains.

Clean-up: We continued the clean up; Most of this week's materials were garbage quality and were treated as such. Some items are being retained as presents to the workers.

Unit 102: Floors, doors, and some of the cabinetry are in. This unit will be substantially finished next week..

Lockers: Landscaping is virtually completed.

Electrical System Upgrade: Almost all finished; we haven't yet connect all the meters but we have only a couple left.

Marketing: Unit 118 was leased to a person who had been looking at it for several months. All of a sudden he needed it by the next day. I was busy furnishing it. Did a pretty good job in 10 hours but have a few things yet to get. The client wanted reliable internet and well maintained swimming pool as well as NA sports channels.

While we have no offers, we continue to have several seemingly interested buyers for 102.

Internet: continues to work fine

Rio Oro Development

We've received two other proposals. We now have three. We will evaluate them next week when both Paul and I are together.

We've reallocated our surplus work force to Ri Oro; they are cutting the grass and will be clearing out the small brush and trees such that we can better see the land.

The forester identified 390 trees; we are expecting a report from him. I have authorized the GPS location and plotting of these trees such that we can better locate the roadways and supporting infrastructure.

We have received verbal confirmation that we have sold 40% interest in this development to one of our Los Jardines investors. This being the case, we now have non-leveraged equity funding sufficient to build out the infrastructure. This is no small achievement in CR.

Reflections: Some people are expecting something special as this weeks marks 100 weeks of construction. While 100 weeks is one month short of 2 years which will see the final completion of all the work at Los Jardines, 100 weeks is close enough to know what the end will be.

In 100 weeks, we have:

• Built 23 houses plus four additional service buildings (that's more than one building a month or about 1,350 sf. a month).
• In addition, we have built the entrance fencing decorated and furnished 15 houses installed the site services to all landscaped the site sold 25 houses purchased a new site for another project
• And, in doing this, we have invented a new future for ourselves and have had a lot of fun doing all of the above.
• We have shown that ordinary people, committed to inventing a new future for themselves can adapt and thrive in Costa Rica. We have no personal horror stories to share; we've heard many but we have not experienced them. We have been the inspiration for a number of friends as well as the curiosity of other friends
• We have met some wonderful new people who we hope to get to know better, and have had some great experiences. We look forward to more of the same.

OUR LIVES

We have our outside dining table and chairs, our dishwasher and clothes washer are now installed but unused.

One of our resident friends returned for good and we've reunited.

I was beginning to enjoy a slower pace when on Wednesday we leased 118. I was again catapulted into a frantic pace.

I got my passport renewed. We will be leaving CR for Georgia today around noon and will return on Thursday. The zoo will be cared for by one of our resident friends.

Lita has been slacking off from the gym.

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

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