Is This the End?
Update for 28 June 2003

After 17 months, we have completed construction.  There are still many little things to take care of.  Cabinet work and interior doors are still not finished for two of the apartments, but the last of them are being built now.  We don't have the air conditioners and water pumps connected yet, and there are still a few electrical wiring errors for me to sort out.  Coco is hard at work on railings for the stairs and balconies.  Martha's house is the only one ready for occupancy today, but the others will follow in another week or 10 days.

This will be the last update until the grand opening party.  I'm not sure if there will be any interior shots after the families move in.  Rayo kind of summed up the feelings of the ladies: "I don't want the whole world looking in my bedroom."

This website, like the project itself, has been a labor of love for me.  I appreciate the many e-mails (590 thus far) from e-viewers from 12 countries around the world.

There will be another construction story with much of the same cast as we remodel a 25-year old 2-bedroom house to turn it into a two story 4-bedroom home.  This project will start soon, so please check back for another picture story.

Here's some of what we did this week:
 

After a couple of false starts and mixed up paperwork, the power company finally  got us connected.

Ruben is tearing out the old broken sidewalk.  Manolo is making a new one.  That was our last construction task, so Manolo is no longer with us.  Ruben and Nanny will stay another week or so to finish up odds and ends, paint touchups, cleaning, etc.

Both utility rooms have been stuccoed, and brick pavers have been laid for a floor.  The water heaters are connected and ready to go. I still have TV and telephone lines to hookup -- that mess on the left.
 

Martha's new refrigerator and stove are connected and ready to cook. 

Saturday night the moving in begins.

Martha and Gabriel have a hurried first meal in their new home.

 

One month later - A Birthday Party

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