COCINA Y JARDINERA

Trini is proud of his kitchen work.  There will be more talavera tile to complete the rectangle.

A closer view:

The cooktop:

The sink is installed in the counter:

My planter which, according to the architect, needs a layer of black plastic, a layer of stone, a layer of screen wire, and some drainage holes before the dirt goes in:

I'm thinking of planting jasmine and lavender.

PROGRESO EN LA COCINA Y EL PATIO

The old patio has been dug out and a new drain line installed:

I'm getting a planter on the right, so I can plant jasmine to climb up the wall:

There will be a semi-circular wooden countertop at the back of the island, behind the sink and dishwasher, resting on these metal bars that were part of the shipping frame for the mother of all doors:

The cooktop goes on the left-hand end of this countertop:

The wall oven goes on the right-hand end of this countertop:

Trini's hat is just for decoration.

HOODIES Y EL SENDERO NO LUMINOSO

I'd like to mention that several of the workers in the last post were wearing hoodies.  I've started wearing mine every day now in solidarity.  I have several.  Have worn them for years.   Hoodies are a common sight here and you won't get kicked out of the mall for wearing one.   And I don't think anyone will be shot and killed for wearing one.

Meanwhile, things are moving along in the kitchen area.  This wall will house the oven and microwave:

Here is the island, with space for dishwasher and sink: 

And in the back is the counter where the cooktop will reside, with the refrigerator on the far right:

One more step poured today, and the storage area beneath is almost finished:

We need a new drain and sewer line from the back of the house to the front, so the patio stones have been removed to allow a trench to be dug:

El sr J is cleaning up the stones from the patio and using them to build a path (sendero no luminoso) in the garden area:

LOS ALBAÑILES Y EL PLOMERO

El maestro Trini

Trini's son, Mario

Arturo

Sergio

Antonio

El plomero, Sergio

A hard-working and talented team.

EL ARCO CRECE

The arch has gotten higher.  Not sure I like that look.  Too late now:

Clerestory windows on the left:

And on the back:

El sr J has been enjoying working in the garden:

Two hierbabuena (mint) plants we bought at market:

ADIOS ESCOMBROS

The mountain of rubble is gone (except for what will be recycled by us or Trini).  6 dump truck loads.  We have our yard/garden space back.  We've been eating outside and designing the garden space at the same time:

There were a lot of big stones in the rubble.  I asked the guys to leave them and they were quite happy to do so.  I wanted a fire pit, and here it is:

The jacarandas are in bloom in our neighbors' yards.  The hummingbirds are fond of them.  I am, too:

ESCOMBROS, II Y ARBOLES

Trini told us Wednesday that a big truck would be coming early Thursday morning to remove the mountain of rubble in the back yard.  We set our alarms for 6 so we could put buckets full of rubble out front to reserve a parking space for the truck.  I've been doing this every morning at 7 for Trini's vehicle and it's been working fine.  There are hardly any cars parked on the street overnight.

Well, Thursday morning a car was parked right in front of our house.  What to do?  I was in a state of anxiety for a few minutes and then I just let it go.  I thought they wouldn't be able to do the job.  Silly me.  In about 15 minutes I heard horns blowing and a very big engine idling.  El sr J looked out the front door to see a giant truck blocking the street and the driver giving the finger to all the horn blowers.  Soon the neighbors began appearing at their doors to see what all the racket was about.  A woman up the street came and moved the offending car.  The finger-giver parked and got out and I guessed why she had acquiesced so quickly.  He had a shaved head, piercings in unusual places and a very menacing presentation.  He hung around the truck all day while two other guys did all the work.  Hmmmm. . . .

  This guy is using el sr J's wheelbarrow and the work crew's shovel to make many trips back and forth through the house:

A second guy packs the truck by hand, carefully separating the reusable bricks and blocks from the dirt and powder.  I didn't take a photo of the menacing guy even though my sister wanted me to:

To celebrate the removal of the escombros we went to a local nursery and bought some fruit trees.

A pomegranate:

A fig:

A juice orange:

A mandarin orange:

As a person whose psyche is generally dominated by existential dread, I am always aware when I am filled with joy.  These trees give me joy.  

Meanwhile, inside the new building, a copper pipe is installed for the gas line in the kitchen:

And the walls are chalked for the electric lines and boxes:

Installation of these lines is a loud and strenuous job.  A trough is gouged out of the concrete block by a workman using a hammer and chisel.  Whack.  Whack.  Whack.  The red plastic hose placed in the groove is a substitute for conduit, which will guide the electric cable to its destination, in this case an outlet and a light inside the pantry:

You've got to wonder what happens if you forget where the plastic hose is hidden under the stucco and inadvertently drive a nail through it.  More outlets, and a light switch above a countertop:

More lines will be installed under the floor, an easier job since it will be done before the floor is poured.  

UN TECHO TERMINADO

The final layer of stucco on the dining room ceiling:

View from the outside, through the unfinished arch:

The kitchen ceiling isn't done yet, but the guy who wears the hat will get it done soon:

One step at a time, on the way to the roof.  Trini has just one form, so he pours one step a day.  See the metal mold around the edge?  That's what creates the rounded edge on the treads: 

I think there will be 17 steps in all, which will be 17 days in the making:

The huge pile of escombros is being carted out of the yard and hauled away in a dump truck.  We are getting excited about what we can do with that space.  El sr J grabbed a shovel and dug holes for fruit trees: 

Four holes along the wall:

Next stop:  the nursery (viveros). 

¿DONDE ESTABAMOS?

Where were we last?  I'm losing track of time and progress.  On Friday we heard earth-shaking banging. El sr J went out to see what was happening.  One of the workers was standing on scaffolding pock-marking the kitchen ceiling by swinging a sledge hammer over his head.  This is so that the stucco sticks to the ceiling.  10 puntos to everyone who can come up with a better way to do this (power tools permitted):

One of the arches, unframed:

The storage space under the stairs:

The other arches:

There will be a number of clerestory windows.  This is one:

The stairway without steps:

A row of brandywine tomatoes:

A red zebra:

Lettuce ready to thin:

Herbs, etc.  All tomatoes in front: