Wednesday, January 14, 2015

This is the Reason Why I Haven’t Been Taking Too Many Pictures

On Thursday, we’ll have been in Mexico for four weeks. Four. It seems like only yesterday that we were getting ready for our 5,000 km road trip. Just this morning, Ed and I were talking about the psychology behind “how the older you get, the quicker time flies” (seriously, there is a psychology behind it). But that’s not what this post is about.

Since we’ve arrived, I’ve taken a total of three pictures. Three. Considering I usually take 30 a day, I’m a bit behind schedule. You saw two of them in yesterdays post about Max and the Ongoing Mexican School Saga (P.S. I provide an update below) and this one.

San Cristobal de las Casas House Renovations 2015-600

The reason I haven’t been taking pictures is because I’ve been moving this DUMP TRUCK load of gravel (equal to 5 cubic metres of rocks). One small bucket at a time (an example of which is lying on it’s side in the bottom left of this picture).

This pile of gravel (as well as a dump truck load of sand) has been in our dining room since 2008. Six years. Six. Since Uncle Kevin and Liz are coming for a visit next week, we figured that there was no time like the present to make some room for a table to eat, install the kitchen sink (you can see the bottom of the double sink in the top middle of the picture but it’s not installed) and a toilet. Potty’s are highly overrated.

In case you didn’t know, our house is a duplex. We live in the third floor apartment (with three bedrooms, kitchen, living room and a bathroom) and you are looking at a picture of the second floor (there is also a first floor, obviously). It will eventually have five bedrooms, three bathrooms, two chimneys a huge infinity terrace and spiral staircase to the roof that has a view of the entire city of San Cristobal de las Casas like this.

San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico

Starting tomorrow, we’ll be taking a break from renovations on the inside and heading out on the street.

Remember how they were tearing up the street last year? Well, they forgot to install one of our stairs (it was actually located ON the street) and now we can’t get into our upstairs apartment without a stool and we have to lift the dogs up and down every day. And, they lowered the street so much that they left a 45 degree slope to get in our garage and the van no longer fits. Note that these are just two of the eight things that I eluded to yesterday in my post. Unfortunately, the engineering company is long gone so we have to pay for this ourselves. Note that I will take before and after pictures of the renovations.

Update on Max. This morning, Max announced that he was not going to school. I informed him that he had to go because I’d purchased him a breakfast program for the week (that’s the only option) so he had to go. He responded with “oh” but I wasn’t convinced that this was a good enough excuse. He got dressed and walked to school. At the doors, he announced that he wasn’t going to school. I had Artemis take his hand and lead him to his classroom. All and all, he had a great day. The little crapper that wouldn’t let them use the slide yesterday was up to her old tactics but The Kids just went down the slide anyways. As for the breakfast program, Max didn’t like the look of the taco so he refused it. Good thing that I’m paying for the program… As for Artemis, she loved it. As it stands, I’ve told him that he needs to go to school this week to be a part of the breakfast program and that on Friday we’ll talk about going back to school next week. I hope that something changes over the next three days but I’m not holding my breathe. The saga continues.

Forgive me for not taking too many pictures…

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21 thoughts on “This is the Reason Why I Haven’t Been Taking Too Many Pictures”

  2. Elizabeth Matthiesen

    good luck with the renos and with Max and school. Love reading these updates of your time in Mexico 🙂

    Reply ↓
  3. Jo-Anne Pfoh

    your posts always make me laugh. Ug I hear you on the renovations hun and I feel for you. After the house fire and the renovations from the scam contractor it’s been hard to gather the money or the enthusiasm to get it all done. There is always something that pops up right? I wish you the best with you gravel (one bucket at a time is the way to go lol) I am going to fill in my holes and cracks in the wall and paint this year. I had lots of leaks so i wanted to make sure they are all fixed. (i am getting there, so tired of the outside trying to come inside lol)

    Reply ↓
  6. Mike Munroe

    Re “Gravel”
    Suck it up Princess, and get it moved!!! 😉

    Re Max and Artemis
    Give them a hug, and tell them Uncle Mike misses them!

    It’s freaking cold at home in case you were wondering.

    Reply ↓
  8. AlwaysARedhead

    I love your time span for working on the house, it is the same with our bathroom reno now going on two years. Max’s indecision about school reminds me of our son’s indecision. If he had had the choice he would have preferred home. Good luck.

    Reply ↓
    1. Sarah Post author

      Dear AlwaysARedhead,

      Isn’t their some saying about “patience” and a “virtue”. We must have it in boxcars.

      Max has just completed week three of school with no pressure on our part. It might have something to do with the “Breakfast Program” though. I’ll have to write a post about that.

      I hope that you’re enjoying Cuba and don’t get too bad a burn.

      Besos, Sarah
      Sarah recently posted…Is the Second Time a Charm When it Comes to School in Mexico?My Profile

      Reply ↓
      1. Peady @ Tempered with Kindness

        Darling Sarah,

        If I left a bum print of that approximate size, I – and maybe it’s just me – would be shouting it from the rooftops. 😉

        Thanks for the sympathy. Although something tells me you are not really all that sorry. Just a hunch.

        Today’s weather: Sunny and cold with a 100% probability of a sick Thing.

        *harumphs*

        Meanwhile, have you found the oven yet? *ducks and runs*
        Peady @ Tempered with Kindness recently posted…Fine Tuning ThursdayMy Profile

        Reply ↓
  10. jopfoh@hotmail.com

    Lol i would love to take the gravel off your hands lol oh if only i could i have many uses for it lol

    Reply ↓
  11. Paula schuck

    Oh how wonderful to read this today while stuck indoors on a very frigid last day of January in ontario! I can’t wait to see the renovation! Your view is magnificent and I can just picture you lifting your little dogs. Have a safe trip back when you come back and don’t let max take any crap from the little bully at school. What a great gift you are giving your kids doing this each year. I am in awe.

    Reply ↓

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