Lunes, 09 Julio 2012.
Carmen is getting antsy to get back to her cats. She feels guilty
having someone else caring for our gatos, once again. The
alarm we installed has gone off a few times. No break in – just
the cats setting it off apparently, one time at 5am. We hope Sally
has been able to move stuff around so the cats, no matter where they
roam, are not within the motion sensor sensitive zone.
This morn we went to the
Fogon & Paila restaurant for breakfast so that we could use their
internet. This was recommended by the señorita at the INM
office, so we could track our visa application. We found that our
visas had been processed and registered, but the questionnaire that
was supposed to be there, was not. So we bussed into Cordoba to get
some help from the folks at the INM office. The young lady who
helped us last week was having a sick day, so we talked to the
manager, who was doing his job & hers today. He made a phone
call, as he was unfamiliar with the new online features of the new
immigration law now in place. Had us go to the bank to make our
payments for the No Inmigrante Rentista visa, MXP1451. This
means that the total cost of changing from a tourist to a resident
has been MXP2001, or about USD148. Our visa, a coated ID card, will
be ready Wednesday, and they can take the questionnaire answers from
us then. With visa in hand (plus apostilled birth
certificate, proof of residence, fotos, etc), we plan to go from
there on Wednesday directly to the IMSS office, about ten blocks
away. Frank will meet us there, since he wants to apply at the same
time.
A day with lots of walking.
First to Sears to check out appliances—looking for a stack
washer-dryer combo. Same model we've seen elsewhere, a Mabe
lavacentro, but more expensive here than in other stores.
Then, a half a block from Sears, we met our lawyer in his stairwell,
on the way out of the office. He finally told us that we did not owe
him any more – we were even, and as yet the SRE had not sent any
refunds that we had been told might be forthcoming. Next to the
tourist office to find where we might get a phone book—they weren't
sure, but gave us an extra copy of last year's edition. Then to
Telmex, the phone company, where we investigated service packages,
and, oh, by they way, could you spare a guia telefonica?
Nope, but they directed us to the phonebook publisher, Sección
Amarillo, many blocks away. Sure is hard to get one of those
here—you'd think all those Wolley Segap advertisers would want one
in every home. Why do they not just sell them, if giving them away
is such a problem? Reluctantly the publisher finally gifted us
one—we noted that the next edition comes out in September. Now to
two hardware stores searching for galvanized sheet metal to make
flashing and fencing for the gatos. Finally caught a bus to the drop
off 12 blocks from home.
On the way home we took a five block detour
to go to Franks place to talk to his foreman. Asked him to stop by
our place after work to look at the jobs we had when we get back in
September – for when Frank is done with them. Here's a a picture of the fachada of the new house. When we got home, Dan started drawing up some
sketches for the ground-floor bathroom addition with second floor
terrace off the master bedroom. About 6pm Frank stopped by with
Manuel and the whole crew, on the way to taking them all to the bus
to Coscomatepec, where they live. It was raining so a climb to the
roof was out, but Dan & Manuel scoped out the jobs. Turns out
work has progressed enough that Frank would be willing to give up one
of his crew for a day or two to get the Festermicide painted on to
the ceilings in our upper floor rooms. Hurray!
