More construction, a new tree and time at the beach - ahhhhh

ARROYO SECO, Jalisco, Mexico - Three work crews are pouring concrete, sawing, hammering and laying tile this week at The Pink Flamingo (the new name for this enclave). The tile needs to be put down on the foundation sidewalls (to discourage scorpions from climbing onto the floor). The bathrooms & showers are being plastered, one step before the electrician puts in lights and switches. And outside the front fence, a large concrete pole is being constructed where an electric meter for our second electrical service will sit.

But the dust! Jaysus H...


Progress on the showers and bathrooms

Besides watching the workmen, well, work, we moved ahead on two other fronts: getting some privacy for the trailer and also making the Communications Center a better place to, well, communicate.

The aft window of the trailer (where the bedroom is) could be seen easily from the rear gate and so we purchased a six-foot fan palm from the local vivero to use as a natural screen. Although I would normally have hired some guys to dig the hole and plant the tree, I decided it was time to break out the shovel and do it myself. The minute I did, of course, one of the workmen (on the tile job) came over and helped.

And after a half-hour of digging, the tree went in the hole and I went in the trailer and took an hour-long nap.

I really have to get more exercise.


A new tree and some privacy

The Communications Center (with the connections for the Mexico phone, Vonage Phone and Internet Modem) had been set up under a simple shade structure, which generally worked fine, except at night, when you were likely to have to battle a variety of flying and crawling insects while trying to use the Vonage phone.

But the La Manzanilla Message Board came to the rescue with a screened-room tent, offered for sale by Ani Mac. The tent project took about four hours and included Admiral Fox getting totally freaked out by the variety of insect life that had taken up residence in a wood pile we had to move. I did see the largest spider I have ever seen.

Message Board Link

New Communications Center at The Pink Flamingo

But all the digging (and the building) was getting pretty old when nephew Nate Schwartz and his mom Beth came to rescue us just as the new Communications Center project was about to drive the Admiral and I to a dust & bug-induced insanity.

Nate grabbed a surfboard and headed to the beach, where we followed not too long after for a couple of hours of boogie-boarding, swimming and, of course, cerveza swilling. Can't be too careful about dehydration in this climate.


Nate gives surfer buddies a lift