Still dusty

Not much to report. Progress is slow for no other reason than it is slow. We are getting a little worn out with the mess and the dust is not doing anything much good although I have everything that turns on or is edible covered with plastic. After a couple of false starts I got the workers to build the stairs like I want and I think they will be much better. Sick of putting up with dust on everything I broke down and made a contract with a carpenter to build some new doors although it will take a couple of weeks for delivery. I am sure solid wood custom doors would cost a lot in Canada – no different here.

Turns out that although there are two taps into the kitchen sink, they are both hooked up directly to the cold water – just an example of Mexican housing. None of the toilets work properly and I am torn between quickly replacing them or fixing them. The main bathroom is a real dilemma. While it has this magnificent and well, quaint, arched brick shower entrance there is little about the space that makes sense. What you may not have picked up from the photos is that it also has a (poor man’s) “buvola” ceiling in brick. Together these elements would never pass hygiene inspection so I am thinking it all has to go and then I could enlarge it somewhat at the same time and maybe find room for a bath. That however is a big job and will have to await the rainy season or later I am afraid.

I have big plans for my garden but can’t get near it yet because the construction is taking up the space with sand and bricks, scaffolding, and cement mixing. Nor can I get started on the kitchen cabinets for the same reason but I am thinking I will secure a little space later this week to set up a workbench. I went to Delores Hidalgo again yesterday to look at some tile and bought a few plant pots. They are a lot cheaper there and the variety is endless.

I stupidly left a bunch of stuff in my car overnight including the radio (which had a easy-out feature) and had most of it stolen including the radio/CDplayer. I got a lot of sympathy from the neighbors but I am still light a radio, a new 4-pound hammer, new bathroom faucet, a football, a flashlight, and the manual for the Chev. The thief kindly only broke the small back-door window to gain entry. The neighbors were somewhat relieved to learn that I had a similar incident in Montreal just a year or so ago.

The neighbors are cute and helpful. Polo, (from Leopold), across the street, is a civil engineer retired. He invited me to look at his house and meet his wife. They fed me coffee and let me pick up their puppy Chihuahua and get scratched by their cat. He is very proud of his house but to say the least it is very strange and so full of memorabilia and kids stuff, (they have 3 – all grown up – one an emergency specialist doctor – useful if he practiced here which he does not), that it would take a book to describe it. Very Mexican I am sure. I got a look for the first time at the roof of my place. It is flat and probably leaks like a sieve.

The brother of the previous owner and my neighbor south has located a carpenter for me and wanted to find me a garage after the theft. He virtually invited himself in to see what I was doing to the place. They are all fascinated by this dumb “Americano” who speaks to them in pigeon Spanish. Polo also invited himself in to my place after he showed me his. Fair I guess. The neighbors all remember growing up in this neighborhood when it was farmland.

The attorney for the seller was by the other day and dropped off a bunch of paper including the original deed of sale when the property was first bought in 1974 on which they built the current house. They paid 6000 pesos for it at that time – that is probably equivalent to $60 now. Talk about inflation!