Another peek at the tile progress

We had a few questions for Arturo last night. He called (via Skype) us this evening with the answers to most of our questions! We were so surprised that he was able to get most of our answers so soon. Another surprise he had for us was that he stopped by our house and took some more photos. So now we can see some to the tile work in progress. When it's finished with the high polish that pasta tile floors get I think it will be stunning.

Carlos' study and library is half done

The upper promenade 

Arturo also told us that when the workers were leveling the downstairs floors they took off a layer of tiles and found the older tiles underneath and it is beautiful! He will be talking to Roger to see if this can be saved and used where it was found or removed and used elsewhere.  Here are the photos of the older pasta tiles revealed. If the older tiles are not chipped they will polish to look look like new. The more colors in the pasta tiles the more expensive it is to make. Keep your fingers crossed that it will be able to be saved!

We have Tiles!

Tiles stacked and ready to go!

Being Prepped

Measuring and leveling

Looking towards Carlos' library, the first row is done!

I received a few new photos from Arturo this evening just before we had our Skype conference call for updates. I thought I would quickly post a few out here as I was pretty excited to see that the tiling has been started in the upstairs promenade. Arturo has promised more photos in a day or two when the upstairs hallway has more to see. I'm excited!

How will my cats like Merida?

I've discussed how we will keep our cats in our yard when we get to Merida. Roger, our architect and I have discussed adding to the wall height by using metal poles and bamboo sheeting. This has been becoming more popular in the Merida area as it helps to keep your pets in as well as other animals out. I would also need to do this on the roof area that connects with the neighboring house. I would hate to lose my pets and cats as well as dogs are just not respected enough in Mexico... although it has been improving. Here is a glimpse of our beloved pets:
This blog as well as our Merida house is named for Bleu-Berri. He is a Tonkinese cat which is a Canadian breed known as 'dog-cats'. They have a very mellow temperament and a tendency to follow you around like a dog!

Bleu would like the Merida weather!

Next comes Kiwi. He is a Siamese rescue. Quiet and mellow, he adventures on his own and keeps somewhat to himself. He does love to hunt, mice, bugs, and has been known to ambush his fellow cats for a quick game of cat and mouse! Oh yea, he does love his catnip!

Kiwi with his catnip!

And finally there is Persimmon. His breed is Ragdoll. Another rescue and truly a lover of a cat. Loves to hunt, loves to snuggle, loves to play in water and loves most everyone he meets!

Persie with my nephew Sebastian

Two steps forward.....

I just received some updates from Arturo. He is right on it. He makes sure he is keeping us updated on the changes and my gosh... today it seems like the house has taken two steps forward. So here are a few of the changes I am seeing!

Beams added for skylight and stone wall for inside water feature done!

Stone wall for my shower is finished

Remember this?

It's improving!

Floors are ready for tiles

Tiles have arrived!

Beams are in over stairwell

According to Arturo everything will move much faster now. I'd love to be planning a trip to Merida, even in the heat....

6 Decades

Yesterday I turned 6 decades old. I'm just 5 months behind CQ. On my facebook page I had more than 100 happy birthdays. Someone assured me that 60 is the new 40, someone else said that 60 is what you make it by diet, exercise and attitude. 60 to me is no different than two days ago, except that I am closer to the time until CQ can retire and we can be in Merida full time or close to it.

Bathroom(s) updated..check!

The difficult part is that I am ready now.... but my house in St Louis isn't as well as our house in Merida and not to mention our retirement financial plan...
We need to get the NOB stuff ready. I really need to declutter this house, paint and get some repairs done. We have a list of things that need to be done before we can sell this house. Some we can do ourselves and others I will need professionals to do. I am ticking the jobs off the list. New decking, new gutters, new front concrete porch, chimney tuck pointing,  the list is almost endless..

New floors and french doors, lower level..check!

We are in the same predicament that so many other are.... too many ties keeping us from Merida and no way to be there NOW! 

Granite added to kitchen...check!

It's all about the time!

I look at the photos that Arturo sends me and I have to look and look again to see any changes. I realize that construction takes time. I have to stop and remind myself that this is Mexico! I still have some of the NOB get it done NOW mentality! I really need to slow myself down.
It's interesting that I am married to a Puerto Rican and have lots of Puerto Rican relatives. We joke over and over again about "Q" time and 'real time'. Oh yeah and we also have 'A' time which is Carlo's sister's family time. Real time is actual time invited and could be 10 minutes early. 'Q' time is Carlos time which is usually 30 minutes to an hour past the time invited or expected by people such as my family... but 'A' time is more than an hour and up to several hours past the time expected.
Here is an example... Carlos is in Miami and he and his sister's family decide that today would be a great beach day.. this is at breakfast about 8 or so. The kids get their bathing suits on but continue to play. S, their dad decides that he needs to clean up the kitchen from breakfast and after that starts to make some lunch as it's an hour or two after breakfast. K, the mom is cleaning up the rest of the house. Carlos continues to sit at the table and converse, etc. They talk about getting ready to go. Kids are getting restless. About 2, after lunch and cleaning up again, they get in the car to go. They arrive at the beach at 4 pm. Dark at five... Day at the beach ends up being an hour at the beach... That's 'A' time. If it was 'Q' time we would have arrived at the beach at about 11. Heck with lunch. When Carlos and I were first married, 35 years ago.. he would have been 'A' time, through the years of my nagging and northern living he is now 'Q' time.
What will happen when we move to our house in Mexico? Will I be able to make the transition from 'real time' to 'Q' time and maybe even to 'A' time? I'm going to start my practicing now... no longer will I be punctual. I will make a pact with myself that I will be at least 10 minutes late for everything and work my way to the hours of 'A' time. I wonder if I can really do this!
So below are some of the small changes that I see!

Wall is totally done and ready for lights

 

 

Beams go over terraces for translucent roofing

 

 

Roof is cut for skylight over inside fountain

The wall is almost finished...

I wasn't sure about the wall being covered in stone before, but now as it's almost done I am really happy with it. I just need to work on trusting Roger more. He's been right almost every time! I still am reserving judgement on colors however!

 

 

How did I miss the discussion about our wall?

We had a Skype conversation with Arturo last night and he mentioned how nice the wall was turning out. "What wall?", I asked. And he went on about how interesting it is to watch the stone workers cover our wall in stone by cutting and placing all the stone like a large puzzle. How did I miss the conversation when we were told that some of our wall outside would be covered in stone? How did Carlos miss this conversation? After all his first language is Spanish... well actually Puerto Rican spanish... but close enough! I knew that one of the walls in the interior hallway will be covered in stone, that's where the inside waterfall will be... but outside in the courtyard... I totally missed that one! So I reserved judgement until Arturo's photos arrived last night.

And the verdict is, I like it! I'm imagining the area with some green and my courtyard water feature. As Roger, our architect would say, "Organica"!

Arturo also sent several photos of some of the fine finish on the walls now, with promised of some more photos this week. Here are those....

What comes next? Well this week the electrician and the plumber spent some time here. We are still waiting for the tile order to be finished and delivered and the floors to start being installed... than we will really see some changes! 

Maia loves the snow...

Maia kissing her first snowman earlier this month

Earlier this week it was cold, cloudy, dull and grey. Just the weather I hate! It snowed and Maia wanted to go outside and make another snowman, but the cold was just bitter and the wind would cut right through her. So I did what I used to do when my son was a toddler. I brought the snow in to her. And she had a blast!

Maia loves her 'peoples'

Her snowman gets a nose.

I have the winter doldrums.....

I’m in the winter doldrums. You know that time after the holidays when there is nothing going on…. I’ve almost recovered from surgery, I have a slight chest cold and it’s grey and cold here. I’ve walked my miles several times, but most days it’s just too cold and windy. Carlos is back to work after a month vacation and this week he’s in Omaha. He’ll be home next week and than he has several weeks in Miami! The Merida casa doesn’t seem to be advancing much right now and frankly I’m ready for it to surge ahead so I can see some results.

I’ve been spending my time reading through all the blogs and writing down places and restaurants to visit. I’m so jealous of many of the bloggers. They have so much wisdom to share… I soak it up. Their writings transport me to Merida and I learn so much from the information that they write about. Many times they verbalize what I am feeling but I am unable to communicate. I hope they realize how important their sharing of information is to others!

So in the meantime I sit here in the midwest. In my head I am starting to plan furniture I need for the Merida house. I’ve been saving images of the furnishing I like to remind myself when it’s time to find them. Plans are to start the declutter process here so I know what I will take to Merida and what I will leave behind, sell or give away.

I’m really ready for spring and hoping we can spend time in March in Merida, but it’s looking like that may not happen….