Seven Years and Counting

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Here we go on our 8th year in Mexico. It has been a great ride so far. We have shared a lot together – you know more about me than I know about you – but that is OK this is my venue. Thanks for 400,000 visits and 5,500,000 plus hits this last year alone – quite amazing. By sheer coincidence this is our 900th entry exactly  (keeping in mind we started this count after removing the first two years of Blog entries to gain server space.

We are ending 2012 and beginning 2013 in a building mode. I cannot deny I like a building project. And the projects here in Puerto Escondido always come with such great weather.

This is not to say the weather hasn’t been adventurous this year. We had Hurricane Carlotta’s total wrath arrive on our shores – but alas we were sweating it out in Xico, Veracruz. We came out the other side with little more than some roof damage by way of our neighbor’s to the west patio flying across our property nicking our roof and then destroying our neighbor’s to the east garage.

We only have a dent in the fence between us and the western vecino’s property to remind us of Carlotta’s power. Otherwise she will leave our memory banks like a bad date.

We also lived vicariously through a HUGE forest fire that was within a couple miles of our little house in Capitan, New Mexico – another save. But there was some stomach acid produced during both those trials.

Aside from a lot of rain our casas in Xico made it through the year disaster free. We have nothing to complain about with so many suffering serious harm and damages through these events and still more.

That part of 2012 will not be missed.

OK so that brings us to the project we are calling the “The Beach Bodega”. Here are some photos covering so far:

After much deliberation we decided on a spot to build our small 8 x 10 foot bodega. Anita and Simplicito are clearing the ground. (Taken from the second floor balcony).

castillos or rebar frames were cemented into the corners.

 

A perimeter trench is dug for footing support (septic drain field tube passes through after being repaired ;-(

We used a double layer of solid block for footings – cemented together.

Batter boards installed – then tamp down soil and water it down.

Wire mesh reinforcement is cut and  set in.

Always exciting – the pour begins.

There is a sequence to pouring with buckets – for a level surface.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Now we wait a few days – then the walls – STAY TUNED!

  • Steve Cotton

    You have conquered the subtleties of Monopoly. But I thought you were supposed to build a hotel, not just a bodega, once you had purchased a block of property. Is that next?

  • Kim G

    I’m looking forward to subsequent installments. (as always) I too always love a building project, having grown up in a very do-it-yourself household.

    In my youth, we built water tanks, country cabins (actually a geodesic dome made of wood, that almost drove my father to distraction), several small outbuildings that became our bedrooms, and various and sundry upgrades, repairs, etc.

    There’s nothing more satisfying than building something EXACTLY the way you want it, and then getting continual use out of it for years to come.

    Saludos,

    Kim G

    DF, México

    Where we are engaging in real estate fantasies.

  • norm

    Rule of thumb: concrete that stands up wet, stands up.

  • http://vivaveracruz.com/blog John Calypso

    Norm – my experience is Mexican builders use too much water in their cement.

  • http://vivaveracruz.com/blog John Calypso

    Kim we are making progress – more tomorrow.

  • http://vivaveracruz.com/blog John Calypso

    No hotels ;-0

  • norm

    Not the case with your masons. That stuff looks better than readymix out of the truck.

  • http://vivaveracruz.com/blog John Calypso

    Where strength is an issue – I have put my foot down on minimizing the water content of any concrete mix – so yes a fine slump on our pad pour. We also did the barbecue slab (equal sized) which has been crack free and attractive – giving us great confidence for this project ;-)