Some people are never satisfied

We are going to have to start tightening our belts, until now, I have let the projects on the house run and just kept an eye on the budget, but outsourcing of work is going to have to come to an end, and I will take over. The back breaking work has been done, or is in the process of being completed, the house itself should be ready next week, then they will move on to the outside work, saying that, they have been doing bits and pieces of that as they have gone along, however there are jobs such rendering, and touching up that I can do, and it was always my intention to paint the outside of the house myself, I have also got to fit all the inside doors, but until I can get all my tools there safely, that will have to wait, and that is another story I will cover shortly…

This morning Henri and I left at 8am, stopping to collect the wages, and then again to buy a post borer and pry-bar, on arrival, I parked in the road, because we were expecting the kitchen to be delivered and fitted today. I had made a decision, I was having the telegraph pole delivered tomorrow, and the cost of delivery, for one pole was ridiculous, however due to the length, I didn\’t have much option. However we would shortly need all the timber for the roof of the area alongside the house, so I told John he would have to stop what he was doing, and compile a list of what was needed, which he did.

In the mean time, I found Henri working like a Trojan, clearing the area behind the house, but without gloves, and it was teaming with ants. I went to get my leather gardening gloves, but couldn\’t find them, I turned the place upside down, no joy, suspicions aroused, I asked John, he hadn\’t seen them, so I went to the room Romillo (I\’ve been calling him Camillo for a couple of weeks!!!), made out I was angry, and asked if he had seen them, at which he went straight over to his bucket which had his tools, and a jacket thrown over the top and fished my gloves out of the bottom, he had stolen them, but he has done such good work, I let it slide for the moment. I will be checking all the tools I have there before they leave. I was really upset, because I have let him have two of the beds I was throwing out, along with doors etc. which I am sure he will sell on.

I then left with John, on the way to the timber yard, (Which also sells roof tiles), I told John about Romillo, and that if anything else went missing I would be less than happy, he immediately said he would speak to Romillo later, and from the look I got from him before we left, I think he had got the message. On arrival , we ordered all the timber and 400 tiles, thinking I would now get my monies worth, but unfortunately the weight of the tiles meant a second lorry, but I got a good discount on that, so I went ahead.

Back at the house, Henri put up an outside light, and I changed the last couple of sockets in one of the bedrooms. We then went out to dig the hole for the telegraph pole, using our newly purchased tools, John said he needed a hole one metre deep, so we started, but I think Henri thought I hadn\’t a clue, and he went at it hammer and tong. It was hard going, I think the lawn is growing on top of the rubble from the two old Fincas that were knocked down to make way for this house.

Again another story, but it explains a lot, the neighbour we are having problems with, told Marcela that the house was built some years ago, and not by Don Pedro, but the previous owner, and local builder Hernan, Pedro added the perimeter walls and the pool. So now we know why the house was in the state it was, I thought it had been hard lived in for it to be two years old.

If I remember, I will take some photos tomorrow.

Henri and I left about 1pm, and called to collect tiles which had been ordered yesterday, before returning to Marcela for lunch.  This afternoon, Marcela and I have been out to get a quote to have the sides of the trailer boarded, and as a result it is going in on Monday, apparently it will take about two days, but it will be of more use.

That about wraps up today…thank goodness!