text: December 12-18, 2004 // CONSTRUCTION LOG #10
  This week's story is about advancement on the front fence and streetscape as well as the renovation of Units 105 and 103.
  Front Fence and Streetscape
  The sidewalks and street curb are now poured. The east gate is installed and painted but the electrics have yet to be installed. The refinements and adjustments to the west gate are now done and it operates as it should. The balance of the columns have been formed and poured and all but three of the spaces have been filled in with the chain link fence. We've started the stucco process and had added moldings to the top of the columns. The original design, when installed, look like a giant phallic symbol -all we needed to do was paint it pink and we could have had a very different statement at the street. Needless to say, I changed the design. We are still building the garbage areas. Stucco work has started; we are using the same color as our neighbor to provide some consistency to the streetscape. We will start the landscaping on Monday. Landscaping will consist of palm trees in the green space between the curb and sidewalk and some lower plants. In addition, on the inside, fast growing vines with blue and others with pink flowers will be planted in the planter boxes. The bamboo will be replanted the inside. We hope it comes back if we pour enough water on it.
  Comment: the pedestrian and vehicle gates now seem to be operating as they should and I am gaining confidence in their performance. It's taken some adjustments, some user education, and some patience amidst the frustration but I think we are making progress.
  it is now ready for painting and we have both the sealer and finish paint on site. The kitchen and other millwork is ready for installation as soon as we get it painted. We bought the tile for the new area; we couldn't match the old tile but found a pattern and color which complimented it so it should be fine. The copula which acts as an architectural feature as well as a ventilation shaft - is now framed. Window frames are installed. All flashings and gutters are also installed. We have the roof tile on site and will begin installation next week. I decided to emphasize the entrance way by adding some stone work for texture and contrast. When this and the moldings I brought from Canada are added, it should make this a very distinctive and attractive unit. Certainly, it's "presence" is much more dramatic than before. This next week should see the culmination of the previous 3 1/2 weeks work. I'm hoping that it will be substantially completed by quitting time on Dec. 24.
  We had substantial difficulty sourcing the light weight tile for the roof. After several false starts we finally have enough on site for the roof. We expect to get more in January when the factor open again for Unit 103.
  The rough-framing, electrical, and plumbing -work is nearing completion. The roof has been substantially restructured and replaced. Instead of a cupola, we opted for 4 dormers to provide the ventilation we need. We started drywall framing-there isn't a lot to do. As per Unit 103, we have opted to put in an all new kitchen made by the same cabinet maker who made the other kitchens for the all new units. I'm expecting a very dramatic product. The older cabinetry will be reworked as closet built-ins.
  Completed but now we wait as the various government agencies are closed for the holidays.
  We hosed a bar-b-q with friends on Sunday as well as an impromptu dinner for 8 on Monday. We took Tuesday to recuperate, and went to our favorite fish restaurant on Wednesday. Pool on Thursday. My pool partner crushed the fingers of his wife in the car door so she wouldn't be as good; it worked, she wasn't. He's beginning to take this game seriously although he better watch his marriage. (Actually it was a terrible accident but not a lot of damage -fortunately.)
  Our friend Terry hosted a Christmas dinner party on Saturday. He's a great cook and even though others contributed, his food was it's normal fabulous self. Not only that but since he only lives across the street, I could slither home without fear of driving.
  The Parrot: I've substituted the phone cord, which she bit last week with an extension cord. So far, she hasn't bitten into it. Darn!
  Hugo: he's had a quiet week. No mice, no tragedies.
  Lita: we tried to have her karaoke microphone fixed. It didn't work; She's continued to recruit other help but it is still not functioning.
  She decided to help the laborers shovel gravel on Wednesday. At first there were two others on the rock pile. Soon there were about five. They were all having a wonderful time. Later that night Lita realized they were probably looking at her breasts and that was the reason for the great time!!!!!! Anyway, it was a good laugh when she realized what was probably going on.
  The construction workers are planning on a pig roast Friday afternoon. It ought to be fun. They will do all the work. I expect it will be cooked on an open fire with the unusable form wood. I expect Lita will get involved in some way -rice or something- and I'll contribute a couple cases of beer and perhaps the inevitable black beans.
  I've been wanting to get a VOIP (voice over internet protocol) telephone system working here. With the high speed internet cable we have, I'm told it should work. It will allow me, and others, to make and receive long distance phone calls to Canada and to the U.S. in a seamless manner and be billed as a local call. It uses a regular telephone which is hooked into a router. In addition, I will use my Toronto phone number as a virtual number such that any calls to that number are routed to me and billed as a local phone call. This is very new technology although the capability has been around a few years. The local phone provider here acting like any good monopoly who is hopelessly incompetent and technologically outdated would like to outlaw it -but it's going to be very difficult. The former owner of the property ventured into the satellite TV business -one of our TV systems was purchased thru him -has a a VOIP system he'll be hooking it up this next week for us to test out.