Falta de Drenaje?

Domingo 20 – Sábado 26 Enero 2013.  (Sun 20^th) Last night Carmen told the cats that they did not need to get us up early because the workers would not be here today. Well, there was a slight misunderstanding apparently. Gardi let us sleep only six minutes longer. Thereafter, he loudly told us, for the next hour, that it was his breakfast time. Dan somehow managed to fall back to sleep. At the end of the hour, the cat changed tactics. He got on the bed to give us pets and kitty kisses with purrs. Okay, we got up. After breakfast Dan had his hair cut. Actually Carmen was enjoying his hair longer, so she had put off the haircut for a few weeks.

After catching up on emails, Dan later started putting in the new electric circuit in the kitchen. This involved drilling thru the electric service box and the wall behind it, and attaching surface wiring elements to the wall behind where the refrigerator sits. The line will extend further under all the kitchen base cabinets and past the sink and range. In preparation for the drilling thru the cabinet walls, made of stuccoed brick, Carmen cleaned the contents off the upper shelves where the drill dust would land, Putting all the kitchen appliances on the one circuit for which we have additional space in the box, will leave all the remaining wall outlets in the house on another circuit. Carmen blogged and then caught up on some Spanish lessons.

Have you ever fried or charcoal broiled green onions that have a nice sized bulb on them? We fried them in olive oil for lunch today. We are especially fond of them. Yes, the green and bulb part. Other than cooking heat and hot water heat, we have no heat going inside our house during our cold winter spell. Temps up to 60ºF today outside and 66ºF inside. Looking forward to sun again. No rain today, just a white-gray sky.

Dan finished the day just as dark settled in, with a quick wacking of our tiny front patch of grass. Would you believe – a small dog had come thru our fencing and left its droppings on the grass, which of course Dan stepped into and then Carmen got it on the broom as she swept his shoes off. Nice way to end a day. Wasn't really the end. We read awhile before sleep took over.

(Lun 21^st) Another cloudy day. The sander was returned in full working order and all for about US$30, the cost of replacing the two main bearings. Our carpenter stopped by and removed the window that needs rebuilt. Left the glass with us to be put in when he returns with the frame. He took the cat door with him to be fitted into the bottom part of the window frame. Our fellows cut a piece of plywood to cover the window hole. They treated, sealed and stained the mirador decking planks today, and also plastered the wall where we had bricked in where we had removed two of the three laundry windows, narrowing the opening.

Carmen painted bathroom and what a horrible time she had. The paint ran down the walls, even with the tiniest amount on the brush! Never used anything like this before. Being that she is painting over a dark peachy pink, two coats will be needed. Dan installed his new printer, it's good to have scanning and copying ability back in-house.

Dan went to the water department to see when the engineer was coming here to tell us where we could tie into the sewer line passing by our back gate, that he had told us was there, somewhere. The city water department now tells us that there are no sewer lines on Avenida 21 where we planned to connect our new drain line for the new bathroom. How can there be a total lack of drainage (falta de drenaje) on a street with four lots (three occupied with houses) on one side, and the other side platted for at least that many more?  Our presumed options:  we can go up hill to Calle 11 (where there is a sewer line buried 12' below the road surface, so the slope would not be any problem, but the digging a major expense) or hope a new line is installed soon on 21st. We saw a new line installed a few blocks from here – so maybe. We have seen the plat for many houses the other side of the avenue, so surely the city will put a sewer line in to service them, and not let the sewage all run into the stream at the bottom of the hill. Right?

(Mar 22) Birds are singing. Carmen spent last night hanging over the toilet. No idea what caused the problem, but why did it have to be after eating peanuts? Thankfully Dan has been okay. Carmen did a second coat of paint on the shelving only today. If it will cooperate and dry before night time falls, we will be able to get the items out of the shower and back on shelves. Took nearly 24 four hours for the first coat of paint to dry. The can say the paint is semi-gloss, but in this small room it seems like full gloss! Carmen does not like gloss paint, but at least it's water cleanup and has little odor going on. Dan did his best at telling her how easy it will be to clean. The color is nice, nearly white with an ever so slight lime green cast. The hand-painted wall tiles in this bath are deep green with bright sunflowers.

Our crew banged away on the area above the laundry opening a vent in the wall for the water-heater combustion exhaust to go, and putting up the first deck planks on the mirador. Dan has started reading a new book just received from the Anacortes library. Carmen needs to get her trusty spanish dictionary and try to translate her way thru a book written in spanish.

(Mie 23^rd ) The crew was here earlier than usual today. Close to 7am instead of later...must have caught a quicker bus. We talked to Guy on skype and left our house at 8:45am. Drove into Fortín center and dropped off some recyclables at the grocery store, drew our daily quota from the bank and stopped at the post office to return the letter (from Germany) that was delivered to us wrongly—it will probably be some time to convince the postman that all letters from foreign countries don't necessarily come to this pair of gringos. Next IMSS again. There til 12:30pm. Carmen was finally okayed for a consult with the rheumatologist in Orizaba. Must go back again next wednesday for the appointment time.

We made a pastry stop at Chedraui, and also bought some veggies, fruit and cheeses. The specialty breads here are delicious, and in small loaves. There was also a new item today – a bran bar that was nice and moist and most flavorful, plus the price was right. On to Home Depot, where we purchased more electrical fittings, plumbing parts, caulk, and metal flashing for the roof edge. Spent much time looking at light fixtures for bathroom. Also Dan talked to an office person about restocking a specific screw we're using to put on the decking planks. At first she checked with another person and he said it would be two to three months. Dan's jaw dropped and he looked so appalled that she made some phone calls, and then happily told us they could be in next week, as they would raid their stock in Veracruz City for us. Which will it really be?

Drove our 4.8 miles home and arrived about 3:30pm. Dan immediately drove to the water department to talk to the engineer about where we must connect our sewer line. The techs were all in a meeting, so he was told to show up tomorrow first thing. Back home, Dan now called the tile store that was supposed to make a delivery this past monday. They are to check out the problem and call back. Had a quick bowl of soup before Dan left taking the crew to their bus. Phone rang while Dan was driving the guys to the bus stop, plus he was stopping at FortiFerre to place a large order of rebar, blocks and brick for tomorrow's delivery. Carmen did not answer the phone, knowing if it was anyone other than the dental assistant, she would be unable to understand a good part of the message.

(Jue 24^th) Dan went to the water-sewer department to learn that a crew was coming out to view the situation in about a half and hour. They, all seven, arrived an hour later than they said they would, and much discussion about locating where the present drain lines run. This happened just as the FortiFerre delivery was being made. Mass confusion all in the same spot. As a result we were nearly late for the dentist where Carmen spent 2.5 hours. A temporary bridge was put in, which Dr Soley made while we were there.

Since we were in Córdoba, we drove to the El Gigante tile store to see why our tiles had not arrived past monday as promised. Were told that they were being delivered today. Sure enough when we got home – there they were. Knowing that we would spend several hours at Home Depot, we got smart and took a snack with us instead of waiting until late late afternoon before we ate again.. Nine or more hours between nourishment is just too much for Carmen to handle. Finally decided on the light fixtures for several places. While we were gone, the crew dug ditches for footers and put the tied varilla (rebar) in the footings.

(Vie 25^th) Lots of activity today! Crew worked on the foundation for the new bathroom. Carmen put the second coat of paint in the upstairs bathroom. She still must finish the area above seven feet height opening into the bathroom, but that might get painted white like the ceiling. Also need to paint part of an outer wall and ceiling. These areas have not been sealed from possible water damage from outside, so they'll wait for awhile. Dan installed a light fixture we bought yesterday, in the living room, and completed the new surface-wired and below counter kitchen appliance circuit.  The light fixture looks so good, we decided we will buy more and replace all the white bare-bulb ceiling sockets on the first floor.

The fellows from the water-sanitation department were here again trying to figure out where the waste water flowed from the registros along Avenida 21. Oh horror of horrors, while Dan was speaking to the engineer he discovered that, no matter where we connect to any of the sewage lines here – they all drain into arroyos south of the city! There are plans for a treatment plant between Fortin & Villa Union, into which the lines will converge, but so far no funds have been appropriated, so that's many years away. Not quite the middle ages with open sewers along the curbs on the streets, but definitely a bad situation. So – this is why all toilet paper goes in waste cans instead of toilets. That way the paper goes into a land fill instead of into the creeks. We never thought to check where our sewage went to before settling here. We'll need to change some habits, and investigate some composting alternatives.

(Sáb 26^th) Our cabinet maker (ebanista), Melitón,  arrived with newly built window and kitchen cabinet. They look just like they were always here. Both look great now that he installed them, which took from 9:30 til 2pm. Melitón touched up a couple installation scratches on the cabinet and Carmen's hair got momentarily stuck in the fresh varnish. He also had to put the window together, besides drilling and screwing into concrete wall to hang the cabinet. We decided we will have him build the two cabinets we need in the bathroom. Our crew of abañiles (masons) laid up the rest of the foundation for the bathroom walls, with a stemwall of two rows of blocks, topped with a cadena (beam) bonding the stemwall together.  The also set up the rebar for the castillos (posts) that will tie the walls to the ceiling and floor.

Later Dan installed the cat door at the bottom of the new window, with Carmen's assistance. Did a quick bank run when we were putting the car to bed for the night. Was such a beautiful evening with many people in the park. Dan wanted to stay for a while, but Carmen realized she had dirty-fronted clothes on and would not wander about other people, looking like that. First evening as perfect as this in what seemed like a long time—Spring seems to have arrived (after less than four weeks of nights around 50F). Guess we made it thru the winter here with no problem...still we expect a few cooler nights for a number of weeks yet.