We had big plans to get some serious shopping done today, heading to Cordoba mid-morning with a long list. Two things happened to derail our plans. One is that this is a holiday. Apparently a big one, because most businesses and all official offices are closed. Big box stores are open, of course. AND FULL OF PEOPLE. So full of people that the lines snake up and down and around the store, and you can tell it's going to be at least an hour and probably longer just to check out.
No thank you.
Especially because the second thing to derail our plans is a simple little thing called fatigue.
Which hit with a vengeance while trying to brave the crowds at our first stop.
So we ended up at Starbucks, enjoying a shared frappuccino and free wifi.
Part of me feels guilty that we made the trip and won't actually accomplish anything, but I think it's been good to get away from all that remains to be done at the casita and enjoy a change of scenery. We've been pushing hard for a long time, especially the past month. A day off is not out of line.
So rather than shop, we're taking a little coffee break and then we'll head home early. I foresee an early dinner and bedtime, and hopefully a good, long night's sleep.
I'll be back soon with an update on what we've gotten done, and what's still on the To Do list. It's a toss-up as to which is longer.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Rainy Days and Mondays...
It's not Monday but it IS rainy. However, I'm not feeling very down today. Despite some setbacks we know we'll be moving in a week. "Si o si" as they say here (roughly translated: "For sure and for certain!"). I told Ivan this morning we may be glamping in the casita for a while. Another adventure!
Quick update on progress: The bedroom ceiling is primed. The bedroom walls have been sanded, small holes filled and sanded again, swept and washed to remove any remaining grit or dust, and two coats of sealer applied. The remainder of the casita walls have been patched, the tile backsplash in the kitchen is done, the bathroom window installed, work continues on the wall tiles in the bathroom, and the drywall ceiling has been taped, mudded, sanded and painted. Oh, and of a more critical nature, Ivan's been making slow but steady progress on the garage door.
[The garage is really the main priority because we HAVE to have it secure so we can store the bulk of our belongings in it when we move next week.]
What remains:
~ Bedroom ceiling and walls need to be painted (more on that in a bit).
~ Once the cement patches in the kitchen have set up well, those walls can be sanded and cleaned, then sealed and painted. Pretty sure the rainy, humid weather might delay this but not sure how much.
~ The bathroom wall tile needs to be finished and grouted.
~ Light fixtures need to be installed (after first being removed from where we're living now).
~ The garage door must be finished and fully installed. Also the two garage windows and security bars.
~ U-shaped wall has to be built on top of casita to store the new water tank we still have to buy.
~ Still waiting on the final gas line inspection (more on that in a bit, too).
~ I need another 12-15 boxes so I can finish packing.
Now, for those promised bits....
On the way home Tuesday evening I asked Ivan what he was going to do about the considerable gaps between the ceiling and wall on two sides of the bedroom that provide a perfect haven for all manner of spiders. He said he'd talked to a few people about the problem and had decided to have Guillermo go ahead and plaster over them. Well, I have no desire to spend time painting the walls a nice bright white only to have them later boogered up with cement splatters so I asked if he couldn't go ahead and have Guillermo do that right away and I'd hold off on painting.
So yesterday Guillermo made it a lot harder for those spiders to inhabit the space I'll be inhabiting in a few days.
I'm very glad to have that handled.
VERY GLAD.
You have no idea how glad!
But it does mean my painting schedule has been blown to smithereens.
Because now we have to wait a day (at least) for the cement to set up.
And with the rainy, humid weather? Might take a couple days.
We shall see.
I'm making good use of the time back at the rental house to start some deep cleaning. Yesterday I tackled the dining room windows. Only managed to get 5 of the 9 windows done, but considering how big they are (they start about 18" off the floor and go up to the ceiling, and range from 2' to over 3' wide) and the difficulty posed by the exterior security bars, I'm okay with my progress. The remaining four windows will be easier since they're sliders and can be removed from their tracks. But they're also too heavy for me to lift in and out by myself, so they'll wait until Ivan is around to help.
I can, however, easily lift the much smaller bedroom windows out, so the plan for today is to clean all of those. And maybe the kitchen and living room windows as well.
As far as the final gas line inspection... You just never know what will happen, do you? In this case, it's very sad. Last Thursday the woman we've been working with, a liaison with the gas company who does the necessary drawings and files the paperwork, came by in the morning and told Ivan she'd be filing the paperwork on Monday so we'd have the inspection by Wednesday or Thursday this week. But then she stopped by again this Tuesday to let Ivan know that last Thursday afternoon her husband had suddenly passed away! She told Ivan things are "starting" to get back to normal, but she didn't indicate when she'd get around to filing our paperwork. We feel sad for her. And now I feel sad for us too. I'd really hoped we'd have the gas hooked up before we moved, since I'm rather partial to hot showers and such. But what can you do? The poor woman just lost her husband, so it's not like we can expect her to worry about our final gas line inspection.
Between the rain and this, I'm not sure how ready our little casita will be, but this time next week we'll be moving into it, si o si! And even though I've never been a fan of camping, I'm hoping that glamping might be a bit more fun.
Quick update on progress: The bedroom ceiling is primed. The bedroom walls have been sanded, small holes filled and sanded again, swept and washed to remove any remaining grit or dust, and two coats of sealer applied. The remainder of the casita walls have been patched, the tile backsplash in the kitchen is done, the bathroom window installed, work continues on the wall tiles in the bathroom, and the drywall ceiling has been taped, mudded, sanded and painted. Oh, and of a more critical nature, Ivan's been making slow but steady progress on the garage door.
[The garage is really the main priority because we HAVE to have it secure so we can store the bulk of our belongings in it when we move next week.]
What remains:
~ Bedroom ceiling and walls need to be painted (more on that in a bit).
~ Once the cement patches in the kitchen have set up well, those walls can be sanded and cleaned, then sealed and painted. Pretty sure the rainy, humid weather might delay this but not sure how much.
~ The bathroom wall tile needs to be finished and grouted.
~ Light fixtures need to be installed (after first being removed from where we're living now).
~ The garage door must be finished and fully installed. Also the two garage windows and security bars.
~ U-shaped wall has to be built on top of casita to store the new water tank we still have to buy.
~ Still waiting on the final gas line inspection (more on that in a bit, too).
~ I need another 12-15 boxes so I can finish packing.
Now, for those promised bits....
On the way home Tuesday evening I asked Ivan what he was going to do about the considerable gaps between the ceiling and wall on two sides of the bedroom that provide a perfect haven for all manner of spiders. He said he'd talked to a few people about the problem and had decided to have Guillermo go ahead and plaster over them. Well, I have no desire to spend time painting the walls a nice bright white only to have them later boogered up with cement splatters so I asked if he couldn't go ahead and have Guillermo do that right away and I'd hold off on painting.
So yesterday Guillermo made it a lot harder for those spiders to inhabit the space I'll be inhabiting in a few days.
I'm very glad to have that handled.
VERY GLAD.
You have no idea how glad!
But it does mean my painting schedule has been blown to smithereens.
Because now we have to wait a day (at least) for the cement to set up.
And with the rainy, humid weather? Might take a couple days.
We shall see.
I'm making good use of the time back at the rental house to start some deep cleaning. Yesterday I tackled the dining room windows. Only managed to get 5 of the 9 windows done, but considering how big they are (they start about 18" off the floor and go up to the ceiling, and range from 2' to over 3' wide) and the difficulty posed by the exterior security bars, I'm okay with my progress. The remaining four windows will be easier since they're sliders and can be removed from their tracks. But they're also too heavy for me to lift in and out by myself, so they'll wait until Ivan is around to help.
I can, however, easily lift the much smaller bedroom windows out, so the plan for today is to clean all of those. And maybe the kitchen and living room windows as well.
As far as the final gas line inspection... You just never know what will happen, do you? In this case, it's very sad. Last Thursday the woman we've been working with, a liaison with the gas company who does the necessary drawings and files the paperwork, came by in the morning and told Ivan she'd be filing the paperwork on Monday so we'd have the inspection by Wednesday or Thursday this week. But then she stopped by again this Tuesday to let Ivan know that last Thursday afternoon her husband had suddenly passed away! She told Ivan things are "starting" to get back to normal, but she didn't indicate when she'd get around to filing our paperwork. We feel sad for her. And now I feel sad for us too. I'd really hoped we'd have the gas hooked up before we moved, since I'm rather partial to hot showers and such. But what can you do? The poor woman just lost her husband, so it's not like we can expect her to worry about our final gas line inspection.
Es lo que hay.
Between the rain and this, I'm not sure how ready our little casita will be, but this time next week we'll be moving into it, si o si! And even though I've never been a fan of camping, I'm hoping that glamping might be a bit more fun.
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