Yesterday, we went up to Girardota to start transferring the bills over into our name, and this time some will be in mine, because at the moment, I don\’t have a credit rating, because nothing is in my name, not that I am bothered, because I have no wish to use Credit, but there are times when at least being listed helps.
From Giradota we went up to the finca to drop off some tile adhesive for John, and then we moved on to Copacabana, stopping off for lunch on the way, every one had been going on about how tasty Mondogo is, so I decided to try it, and then realised that it is \’Tripe\’, as long as I shut out the thought of it being tripe, it was fine, think of the word, and I felt myself starting to wretch, why I have no idea, I have never eaten it before, and here it is served much like a soup, and it\’s a bit like eating squid, will I have it again…not out of choice!
On to Copacabana, paid another bill, the Town Hall (Alcaldia) would change our names, as the Registro had not sent them their copy of the Deeds (Escritura), apparently it is done automatically, but for some reason there was a glitch, so we have got to return with a photocopy.
Then it was back to Niquía, to find a Metal Fabricator, who would make some post bases, purlin hangers, and post to beam brackets, they don\’t sell them in Colombia, and we had a hard time finding anyone who was prepared to make them, however we eventually did, but they just make the parts, they don\’t weld, anyway we placed our order, by which time light was fading, and Pépe had been on his own for some time, so we headed home.
I dropped Marcela off, and then had to go back to the DIY Store, to get some tools and fittings for this morning.
Today, I was out of the house for for 7.30am, and off to the finca for a days work, I had bought all the fittings to fit out one of the bedrooms as a walk-in wardrobe, or as they are called here a vestier, however on arrival, I found Ramillo hard at work, and John had not yet arrived. It was lovely out, so decided to do a gardening job first, and get in tick in Marcela\’s book, and that was our decision to remove the hedge down the side of the path to the house, it looked nice, but is full of spines, and we rather put some flowering shrubs along there. I had stopped on the way to buy a mattock, so I was set to go.
The hedging by the house came out easily enough, whether it was younger than the rest, or just not grown much, I don\’t know, but it pulled out with using tools. Then came the hard part, and I had to use both the mattock and a crowbar to remove the rest, as the morning wore on, it got hotter and hotter, I found myself taking more breaks, and realising that after two years in the apartment it was going to be a while before I could work a full day again, I was becoming really light headed, despite taking plenty of fluids. So when 11.45am came and I had finished removing the hedge, I had had enough.
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| Hedge removed |
I fought my way through the Builders Yard, to the main gate
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| Help! |
It was a good job Marcela was not with me, her pride and joy, the Pool is filthy, from sand, dust, and now the men using the water from the pool to mix cement, as the water was off for the morning, while John was sorting out some more plumbing.
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| Much more, and you won\’t see the bottom! |
I went up to the snack bar to buy a bottle of pop, as I had run out of coffee!
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| preparation work for land drain |
I then, sorted out all my tools in the house, and at 12.30pm, called it a day, and made my way home.
An Englishman in Colombia 