Jesus has a job for 6 months, at least. When Maurice called him to find out how long he would be on his job this is what he told him. Where he is working right now they are building a house. We can not make this kind of time committment to him. For that reason Maurice did not ask him to come help him.
I beleive that he may be brought to us yet...just not right now.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
OH MAN!!!
Today we ran into Jesus(pronounced HEY-SOOS)...of course there are 1,674,221 men named Jesus in Mexico but this particular "Jesus" is our Jesus. He wears a white hat, speaks "rapido Spanish", is very intense when working, and smiles in a subdued way when he is pleased about something. He is not a "normal" employee of Don Jose, our builder, but is hired when needed on his crew. For our job Jesus was here about 3/4 of the time. I would call him "the man in the hat" and Maurice always knew who I meant. You never see him without his white hat.
About 6 weeks ago Jesus was told he was no longer needed on this job. He came to us and thanked us for letting him work on our project. It brought a tear to my eye. He was one of the hardest workers we had and he was THANKING US for letting him work here. The next week we created additional "labor" by adding some stone walls around the parking area and Don Jose brought Jesus back. He is what they call an unskilled laborer. He works hard at what he is told to do but is not a skilled worker. For this reason he makes $2,000 pesos a week, or about $160. For us he worked 5 days a week, 8 to 10 hours a day so he made about $3 to $4 an hour, depending on the day. The skilled labors made between $2,200 and $3,000 pesos a week.
Now the job has ended here for all of these workers. We had a party for them and gave them an envelope with a bonus in it. The 10 guys, which we included Jesus in, that had worked here the entire time got more than the ones that worked here up until 6 to 8 weeks ago. After Jesus opened his bonus he came to our door to thank us. He had owed Maurice $500 pesos ($40) and he had this money out to pay him back. Maurice told him that he no longer owed him the money. The guy actually teared-up and I had to turn away so he did not see me cry. $40 can make a grown man cry! My word!! We are so blessed!
Strangely, all day today I kept telling Maurice to call Jesus and ask him if he could help Maurice carry all the solar panels and racking up on the roof next week. It is a two day job and Maurice cannot do it alone. Maurice said that Jesus had told him he got another job. I kept saying call him anyway....I can be a pain that way. So today in Todos Santos, we run into him. He smiles and comes to the car shaking our hands. Maurice asks him if he may be available to help him for a couple of days. He tells us that he now has a job but it is for little money. He is working 6 days a week from 7am to 3pm for $1100 pesos. OH MAN!! Can you imagine?? That is about $13 a day and about 1/2 what he made working for Don Jose! He would love to earn some extra helping Maurice but since it is far from us there is really no time.
So I start thinking of all the things we could have him do for us. We could keep him busy for at least 3 or 4 months and when we open for business maybe even longer. Yes, I know we cannot save the world but this guy has a family and is trying to make it on less that $90 a week!
We decided that we would "sleep on it" and if we still felt we could afford him and actually keep him busy we are calling Jesus tomorrow and offering to employ him for the next 3 or 4 months. We will tell him that if Don Jose can give him a job we would happily let him go back to work for him, but in the meantime he can work with us. We will pay him what he would make with Don Jose, not the $1100 pesos the person who is totally using him is paying him…or as Maurice says, “Gee some people really take advantage!”
Well since I am writing this at 1 am I guess I cannot "sleep on it". I just keep thinking of the tears in his eyes when Maurice told him his $500 peso debt was paid off....I cannot even imagine how he will react when we offer him a fair job at a wage he is used to being paid. No, we can’t "save the world" but we can try to help those in the world we live in...even if it is only one at a time.
About 6 weeks ago Jesus was told he was no longer needed on this job. He came to us and thanked us for letting him work on our project. It brought a tear to my eye. He was one of the hardest workers we had and he was THANKING US for letting him work here. The next week we created additional "labor" by adding some stone walls around the parking area and Don Jose brought Jesus back. He is what they call an unskilled laborer. He works hard at what he is told to do but is not a skilled worker. For this reason he makes $2,000 pesos a week, or about $160. For us he worked 5 days a week, 8 to 10 hours a day so he made about $3 to $4 an hour, depending on the day. The skilled labors made between $2,200 and $3,000 pesos a week.
Now the job has ended here for all of these workers. We had a party for them and gave them an envelope with a bonus in it. The 10 guys, which we included Jesus in, that had worked here the entire time got more than the ones that worked here up until 6 to 8 weeks ago. After Jesus opened his bonus he came to our door to thank us. He had owed Maurice $500 pesos ($40) and he had this money out to pay him back. Maurice told him that he no longer owed him the money. The guy actually teared-up and I had to turn away so he did not see me cry. $40 can make a grown man cry! My word!! We are so blessed!
Strangely, all day today I kept telling Maurice to call Jesus and ask him if he could help Maurice carry all the solar panels and racking up on the roof next week. It is a two day job and Maurice cannot do it alone. Maurice said that Jesus had told him he got another job. I kept saying call him anyway....I can be a pain that way. So today in Todos Santos, we run into him. He smiles and comes to the car shaking our hands. Maurice asks him if he may be available to help him for a couple of days. He tells us that he now has a job but it is for little money. He is working 6 days a week from 7am to 3pm for $1100 pesos. OH MAN!! Can you imagine?? That is about $13 a day and about 1/2 what he made working for Don Jose! He would love to earn some extra helping Maurice but since it is far from us there is really no time.
So I start thinking of all the things we could have him do for us. We could keep him busy for at least 3 or 4 months and when we open for business maybe even longer. Yes, I know we cannot save the world but this guy has a family and is trying to make it on less that $90 a week!
We decided that we would "sleep on it" and if we still felt we could afford him and actually keep him busy we are calling Jesus tomorrow and offering to employ him for the next 3 or 4 months. We will tell him that if Don Jose can give him a job we would happily let him go back to work for him, but in the meantime he can work with us. We will pay him what he would make with Don Jose, not the $1100 pesos the person who is totally using him is paying him…or as Maurice says, “Gee some people really take advantage!”
Well since I am writing this at 1 am I guess I cannot "sleep on it". I just keep thinking of the tears in his eyes when Maurice told him his $500 peso debt was paid off....I cannot even imagine how he will react when we offer him a fair job at a wage he is used to being paid. No, we can’t "save the world" but we can try to help those in the world we live in...even if it is only one at a time.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Integrity and honor
In the last few days I have had numerous discussions with other Americans or Canadians about integrity and honor. These conversations are a result of some of the issues we are dealing with now. Of course you know about the evil demon in our fairy tale world. He is still lurking in our shadows. He keeps trying to come up with ways to access what he thinks he is entitled to. Will he ever win? No, but, that does not mean we do not feel him in our sides….prodding and poking….this too, shall pass, and as of now it may have. Time will tell.
Next there is our kitchen “guy”. We were told that our installation was to begin on October 15th. This has been changed to the 23rd, then the 25th, and then yesterday. Each time the change comes with a promise they will really be here “this time“. Each time they do not show I have to call and call and call to find out they are not coming and to hear of another date they randomly pull out of their….well, out of somewhere. Now the new date is today. It is 8:50am. Our workers have been here since 7:30. No kitchen guys.
Some say “that is how it is down here”. I adamantly disagree. We have dealt with probably 40 different people in the building of our dream. To run into 2 that are lacking some integrity I think is a pretty good percentage. (I won’t even get into the story of the original guy from Oregon who wanted to do the project, but that makes three people...one from the U.S. He certainly had the least amount of integrity we have found yet.) I think if anyone, anyplace, tried to undertake what we have done here they may very well run into more people than we have that have caused them concern. The genuine work ethic and the integrity and sense of honor that all the others have, certainly outweigh these irritating few we have found.
How is it down here? It is sunny, even when there are clouds. It is fresh, even when there is no rain. It is free and easy, even when evil people prod and poke at you. It is peaceful, even when we feel anger.
We are so close to being done.
Here is a picture taken from our neighbor’s lot.
We now have railings, and doors and windows.
We have cabinets and showers with faucets.
We have water in our pool.
I have posted 24 pictures on our Arriba de la Roca Facebook page if you want to see more. And if you have not yet said you “like“ our page, please do.
We are almost done and when the process is complete we will walk away realizing how lucky we are to have built our dream here in Mexico and we will always appreciate the friends we have made here.
Next there is our kitchen “guy”. We were told that our installation was to begin on October 15th. This has been changed to the 23rd, then the 25th, and then yesterday. Each time the change comes with a promise they will really be here “this time“. Each time they do not show I have to call and call and call to find out they are not coming and to hear of another date they randomly pull out of their….well, out of somewhere. Now the new date is today. It is 8:50am. Our workers have been here since 7:30. No kitchen guys.
Some say “that is how it is down here”. I adamantly disagree. We have dealt with probably 40 different people in the building of our dream. To run into 2 that are lacking some integrity I think is a pretty good percentage. (I won’t even get into the story of the original guy from Oregon who wanted to do the project, but that makes three people...one from the U.S. He certainly had the least amount of integrity we have found yet.) I think if anyone, anyplace, tried to undertake what we have done here they may very well run into more people than we have that have caused them concern. The genuine work ethic and the integrity and sense of honor that all the others have, certainly outweigh these irritating few we have found.
How is it down here? It is sunny, even when there are clouds. It is fresh, even when there is no rain. It is free and easy, even when evil people prod and poke at you. It is peaceful, even when we feel anger.
We are so close to being done.
Here is a picture taken from our neighbor’s lot.
We now have railings, and doors and windows.
We have cabinets and showers with faucets.
We have water in our pool.
I have posted 24 pictures on our Arriba de la Roca Facebook page if you want to see more. And if you have not yet said you “like“ our page, please do.
We are almost done and when the process is complete we will walk away realizing how lucky we are to have built our dream here in Mexico and we will always appreciate the friends we have made here.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Where to begin....
First of all I now have my computer back. That is fabulous news! Gateway honored the warranty and one sister schlepped it away from to Mexico for me, and another one brought it back. Now I will try to update you on a month or so of development and activities. Do not fear I will do this gradually, and with pictures.
My mom left last week. The highlight of her trip here, other than pizza night at The Sand Bar (kidding) was the filling of our pool. Maurice hooked up long white tubes into our pila and with a powerful pump, and 5 truck load deliveries of water, he gradually filled our pool with clear, cool, fresh water.
Mom and I sat on the rim of the hot tub, where the pipe was laying and played in the rush of the water. After the hot tub was full and it began spilling into the pool we had to get inside the water. We got our suits and went into the very un-hot, hot tub. It was exhilarating and so exciting. The next day we waited patiently for there to be enough water in the pool so we could actually swim.
With our green folding chairs sitting in one end of the pool we frolicked in and out of the water. It was cold but my mom was right there with me...swimming in our dream. There is nothing like looking all around you all you see is the ocean. The whales should be starting their migration down to the Sea of Cortez soon. Now that will be a site!!
Swimming on top of Arriba de la Roca and watching nature pass right by you.
WE HAVE A POOL!! HOW COOL IS THAT!!
My mom left last week. The highlight of her trip here, other than pizza night at The Sand Bar (kidding) was the filling of our pool. Maurice hooked up long white tubes into our pila and with a powerful pump, and 5 truck load deliveries of water, he gradually filled our pool with clear, cool, fresh water.
Mom and I sat on the rim of the hot tub, where the pipe was laying and played in the rush of the water. After the hot tub was full and it began spilling into the pool we had to get inside the water. We got our suits and went into the very un-hot, hot tub. It was exhilarating and so exciting. The next day we waited patiently for there to be enough water in the pool so we could actually swim.
With our green folding chairs sitting in one end of the pool we frolicked in and out of the water. It was cold but my mom was right there with me...swimming in our dream. There is nothing like looking all around you all you see is the ocean. The whales should be starting their migration down to the Sea of Cortez soon. Now that will be a site!! Swimming on top of Arriba de la Roca and watching nature pass right by you.
WE HAVE A POOL!! HOW COOL IS THAT!!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Tick Tock (Written on October 24th)
November 1st we are scheduled to have the photographer come to shoot “Arriba de la Roca” for our web site. We should be all settled in, living on top, by the time of this photography session. Besides all the predictable fixing of the paint, cleaning up, poofing and fluffing of the place, we still have:
No solar...it missed the shipment down from San Diego on Friday so we will have to wait a week. Estimated arrival...November 1st. Estimated time to install the system is one week.
No kitchen...they were to begin installation on October 15th...no call, no show. He has now committed to Monday the 25th. BTW, if WE would not have been ready for the installation we would have had to pay a penalty. It was in the contract. They did not think to put the reverse scenario in writing.
No outside doors. All the bathroom doors are installed but we wanted mesquite entry doors and the wood got tied up in customs so they are delayed. Hopefully this week.
No glass in all the door frames around our main room. They say in two weeks they will be finished with all the window installation. Two weeks means the last few days of the week of November 1st.
No path for the Kawasaki Mule. They tore out the old one, just around the curve that hindered the Mule’s climb up the baby camino. They then figured it would still not work if they rebuilt it, so there it sits. No solution. No wall. A mess. I think we have to tear out some of our beautiful flagstone steps to make it work.
No plumbing connections. Isn’t that sh*tty!!!
Two storage units full of stuff to unpack.
THINGS TO DO NEXT WEEK…
Change the date of the photography session.
No solar...it missed the shipment down from San Diego on Friday so we will have to wait a week. Estimated arrival...November 1st. Estimated time to install the system is one week.
No kitchen...they were to begin installation on October 15th...no call, no show. He has now committed to Monday the 25th. BTW, if WE would not have been ready for the installation we would have had to pay a penalty. It was in the contract. They did not think to put the reverse scenario in writing.
No outside doors. All the bathroom doors are installed but we wanted mesquite entry doors and the wood got tied up in customs so they are delayed. Hopefully this week.
No glass in all the door frames around our main room. They say in two weeks they will be finished with all the window installation. Two weeks means the last few days of the week of November 1st.
No path for the Kawasaki Mule. They tore out the old one, just around the curve that hindered the Mule’s climb up the baby camino. They then figured it would still not work if they rebuilt it, so there it sits. No solution. No wall. A mess. I think we have to tear out some of our beautiful flagstone steps to make it work.
No plumbing connections. Isn’t that sh*tty!!!
Two storage units full of stuff to unpack.
THINGS TO DO NEXT WEEK…
Change the date of the photography session.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Here she goes again....
I have to tell you that I have not cried for a long time. It used to be that every time I went "arriba de la roca" I would cry. I could not believe we owned such a magnificent place. It did not seem right that people could own such a spectacular piece of nature. I would have to breath slowly to try and calm myself, yet the tears would come. One day you will be here and you will understand. THEN add to it that we have dreamt about this for 5 years and have been working towards this goal, and the emotions are crazy.
In the past 10 days that Maurice has been gone there has been many things accomplished. Yes, the painting continues. They are pretty much done and they will now spend their time fixing up what the electricians, carpenters and other workers have messed up...of course inadvertently, but never-the-less it needs fixing.
They have put drains on the road. When the rains came we realized that there was nowhere for the water to go so it ran down the sides of the road taking gravel with it. We now have 5 culverts, but a road that is still in need of lots of repair.
They finished our outdoor kitchen Everything needs to be installed but it is in and painted. We also have to have wood doors made.
The carpenters have started installing the closets and the bathroom doors. They look great! It is amazing how much of a difference wood doors make. They are all custom since this was the best way to get what we wanted. You can not find doors at Home Depot for a house like ours...nothing at our place is standard. Of course with me hovering over them they are not happy. "What about this mark?" "I can see a screw here." "Why is the wood splitting here?" Lucky they speak no English, and my Spanish sucks cause they may get REALLY upset with me. They keep trying to tell me it is not finished yet....I have to believe them.
Maurice wanted custom made travertine steps going up to his office and around our bathtub. They were installed this week, too. INCREDIBLE!!! They look so classy!! For a guy who "does not care what we do inside" when he comes up with an idea it is grand!!!
They have also put the black rock facing on the wall behind our bed. We waited for this rock since June! They are large, round, black polished stones, placed on sheets for easy application. WOW!! I can not wait to see our bed up against it! Our green verdigris and brass bed that I will be painting black. That bed. I also had them put some of the rock around our shower entrance since it is all the same room. I will post pictures of everything when Maurice gets back with our computer...O.K. HIS computer that I am using!!!
I have a truck load full of garbage to take to the dump and they still have lots of cleaning up to do. Two weeks...that is when I think they will be close to being done. A guy came today to check out our needs for landscaping...that is fun...
BUT THE BIG THING!!....THE THING THAT BROUGHT THOSE GOSH DARNED TEARS.....
They are now installing the windows and the sliding doors. Virtually all of our openings to the outrageous views are glass. Today two truck loads came, with 10 people and they began the installation. THE WINDOWS AND DOORS ARE PERFECT! They add such an element of completion that I lost it. I think the workers thought I was crazy. I tried to be subtle but I was hugging the woman who owns the company and thanking her SO much for listening to what we wanted and delivering on it! I did not tell Maurice. It will be his surprise when he gets home tomorrow.
Our dream is almost done.
Wait til you see it!
In the past 10 days that Maurice has been gone there has been many things accomplished. Yes, the painting continues. They are pretty much done and they will now spend their time fixing up what the electricians, carpenters and other workers have messed up...of course inadvertently, but never-the-less it needs fixing.
They have put drains on the road. When the rains came we realized that there was nowhere for the water to go so it ran down the sides of the road taking gravel with it. We now have 5 culverts, but a road that is still in need of lots of repair.
They finished our outdoor kitchen Everything needs to be installed but it is in and painted. We also have to have wood doors made.
The carpenters have started installing the closets and the bathroom doors. They look great! It is amazing how much of a difference wood doors make. They are all custom since this was the best way to get what we wanted. You can not find doors at Home Depot for a house like ours...nothing at our place is standard. Of course with me hovering over them they are not happy. "What about this mark?" "I can see a screw here." "Why is the wood splitting here?" Lucky they speak no English, and my Spanish sucks cause they may get REALLY upset with me. They keep trying to tell me it is not finished yet....I have to believe them.
Maurice wanted custom made travertine steps going up to his office and around our bathtub. They were installed this week, too. INCREDIBLE!!! They look so classy!! For a guy who "does not care what we do inside" when he comes up with an idea it is grand!!!
They have also put the black rock facing on the wall behind our bed. We waited for this rock since June! They are large, round, black polished stones, placed on sheets for easy application. WOW!! I can not wait to see our bed up against it! Our green verdigris and brass bed that I will be painting black. That bed. I also had them put some of the rock around our shower entrance since it is all the same room. I will post pictures of everything when Maurice gets back with our computer...O.K. HIS computer that I am using!!!
I have a truck load full of garbage to take to the dump and they still have lots of cleaning up to do. Two weeks...that is when I think they will be close to being done. A guy came today to check out our needs for landscaping...that is fun...
BUT THE BIG THING!!....THE THING THAT BROUGHT THOSE GOSH DARNED TEARS.....
They are now installing the windows and the sliding doors. Virtually all of our openings to the outrageous views are glass. Today two truck loads came, with 10 people and they began the installation. THE WINDOWS AND DOORS ARE PERFECT! They add such an element of completion that I lost it. I think the workers thought I was crazy. I tried to be subtle but I was hugging the woman who owns the company and thanking her SO much for listening to what we wanted and delivering on it! I did not tell Maurice. It will be his surprise when he gets home tomorrow.
Our dream is almost done.
Wait til you see it!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Sans Mauricio
It has been 6 nights since Maurice has left me. He flew to Canada last Wednesday for his neice's wedding. One of us had to stay here and for obvious reasons that person was me. Tomorrow he flies to San Diego to check on our solar shipment and the lucky guy gets to see Claus and Laurie twice in 2 months!! Not only did I miss our family and friends in Toronto, I am missing them in Calfornia,too! He is a lucky man right now!
The obvious issues. I do not speak Spanish and that is what I am forced to do all day. The issues and questions and decisions have not gone away with Maurice. That leaves me to try to figure out the questions...well me, with a few phone calls to our friend Keith. "HEY KEITH!! TALK TO THIS GUY! I DO NOT HAVE A CLUE!! WHAT IS HE SAYING??"
Keith speaks Spanish.
Next issue is having to make those decisions!! I am not sure how Mauricio (his Spanish name) has done ALL this for 7 months. Seriously! Everyone wants an answer and I can see why sometimes he says to me "TELL THEM I AM NOT HERE!!!" The crazy thing is how seldom he does that!!
I have to run the generator to charge the batteries. This has to be done for about 3 hours a day. Maurice has set it up to make it much easier for me then it is for him. The difference is it sits by our door SO IT IS LOUD!!! I try to do it when I walk and then I head up top. This still leaves an hour or two with it SCREAMING in my head. I still have to fill it with gas daily, but at least I do not have to schlep it all the way in the back. That is hard! I think I am going deaf though...
WHAT??
Of course I am here with only Retro. We are really isolated and me staying here alone frightens most people; except me. A worker offered to camp here which was sweet. One of the store owners downtown asked who was staying with me. When I said no one she was surprised. I told her if I am afraid to stay alone in my own house then I am living in the wrong place. It has been great, albeit lonely.
The last issue was that I do not have a computer. Mine is still being fixed and Maurice took his. Then yesterday the local guy who fixes computers, and discovered mine was fired, gave me his wifes. I asked if he had one for me to rent. He, and she both, gave me her personal computer. No charge. I think they were almost insulted I offered to pay. Have I told you the people here are INCREDIBLE!!??...unless they are in my fairy tales..then they are evil. Lucky there is only one evil-fairy-tale person in our world here.
So for now I say good night. I will write more tomorrow and fill you in on what is happening on Arriba de la Roca...our dream come true!
The obvious issues. I do not speak Spanish and that is what I am forced to do all day. The issues and questions and decisions have not gone away with Maurice. That leaves me to try to figure out the questions...well me, with a few phone calls to our friend Keith. "HEY KEITH!! TALK TO THIS GUY! I DO NOT HAVE A CLUE!! WHAT IS HE SAYING??"
Keith speaks Spanish.
Next issue is having to make those decisions!! I am not sure how Mauricio (his Spanish name) has done ALL this for 7 months. Seriously! Everyone wants an answer and I can see why sometimes he says to me "TELL THEM I AM NOT HERE!!!" The crazy thing is how seldom he does that!!
I have to run the generator to charge the batteries. This has to be done for about 3 hours a day. Maurice has set it up to make it much easier for me then it is for him. The difference is it sits by our door SO IT IS LOUD!!! I try to do it when I walk and then I head up top. This still leaves an hour or two with it SCREAMING in my head. I still have to fill it with gas daily, but at least I do not have to schlep it all the way in the back. That is hard! I think I am going deaf though...
WHAT??
Of course I am here with only Retro. We are really isolated and me staying here alone frightens most people; except me. A worker offered to camp here which was sweet. One of the store owners downtown asked who was staying with me. When I said no one she was surprised. I told her if I am afraid to stay alone in my own house then I am living in the wrong place. It has been great, albeit lonely.
The last issue was that I do not have a computer. Mine is still being fixed and Maurice took his. Then yesterday the local guy who fixes computers, and discovered mine was fired, gave me his wifes. I asked if he had one for me to rent. He, and she both, gave me her personal computer. No charge. I think they were almost insulted I offered to pay. Have I told you the people here are INCREDIBLE!!??...unless they are in my fairy tales..then they are evil. Lucky there is only one evil-fairy-tale person in our world here.
So for now I say good night. I will write more tomorrow and fill you in on what is happening on Arriba de la Roca...our dream come true!
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