Sunday Morning in Chacala: Clocks Go Back One Hour

Sunday Morning in Chacala. I love Sunday mornings here. Mostly because very few of the hundreds of construction trucks that drive by this house every working-day morning come to work on Sunday. On a normal workday they start about 6:30am, driving about 70mph, and about half of them honking to get into the gate to the gated community. So Sundays starts out nice and quiet around Chacala.Lately the morning nois on weekdays includes the construction noise of the jerk who is building right below this house. For that last 10 days or so, I have been listening to the loud motor of some kind of equipment, maybe a concrete mixer, all day long. And it's really, really, an annoying sound. But, what can you do? Chacala is growing and people (not the local people, however) are making money. What's more inportant that that? That's a somewhat sarcastic remark.
The owner of this new three story, 12 foot by 10 foot concrete bunker is constructing an ugly building with loud equipment, and I hate it.

Although, it would be great if gringoes building ugly buildings in Chacala were illegal, or at least prohibited. Or maybe there could be an UGLINESS TAX imposted on ugly buildings built by people who should know better. I have three nominees for that tax right off the top of my head. One across the road from here and two on the beach.

Never mind. On to nicer construction news:
Isreal (above) and Cheeto (below) are completing the kitchen on the ocean-facing downstairs unit on Mirador rentals. I think it will be very nice. Great view and location.
Mixing concrete the Chacala way. I like it when they mix mortar this way. It's quiet, for one thing. Fortunately for me, in Chacala woman aren't considered intelligent or scientifically- minded enough to mix concrete. So, with any luck at all, I will never have to make concrete in Chacala. It must be very backbreaking work. It's a young man's job anyway, in my opinion.

Another nice thing about making concrete in small, hand-mixed batches, is the work rhythm is slower, and more human. And you can talk in a normal voice with your co-workers, rather that screaming at each other over the sound of the equipment.

The family at Mirador is also re-planting some of their garden areas. Both Isreal and Chata are serious gardeners, and it shows around Mirador. The new Villa Celeste, next door, also has lots of new plants. It looks great.This year is the first time I remember really appreciating moving back to Standard Time. Until yesterday didn't get light until about 7:10am. And was getting dark about 6:45pm. But, at least for a while, it will be light at 6:10am (when I wake up anyway), and dark at 6pm or so. I don't care for the early dark evenings, but I love waking up in the morning light.

I guess everyone knows that the closer you live to the equator, the more equal the hours of day and night are. The sunset is also changing in Chacala. Al least, where the sun appears to go down in the ocean is changing. Right now, the sun is setting in front of the Chacalilla point. And soon to will be setting further south, over Playa Chacala.

I am struggling with getting going with my preparations for moving to my new winter location. I have mentally divided the move into sections.

First, get all my stuff in one place and sort thru and get rid of as much as I can. Then divide stuff into the treasures I don't need in my everyday life for the winter, but will need next summer, of for special projects.Second, pack up that stuff, in my rolling suitcases, which are provided by my wonderful son. Each time he comes down he brings me goodies in a couple of rolling suitcases, and then leaves the suitcases for me to use. Some I have given some away, but mostly I use them to stash my stuff. They are pretty secure and bug free, and stuff doesn't usually get smelly/moldly/damp in them.Third. Once I have that sorting done, I start a pile for the first truckload. And add my "furniture" Foam mattress, three plastic tables, seven plastic chairs, a couple of plastic stools, my small refrigerator, and buckets for water. Same with my plants.

Fourth, I sort thru the stuff I want in my living space for the winter. I divide that into stuff I don't need for the next week, and pack it into suitcases or orange crates or plastic boxes. And add that to the pile for the truck. The stuff I need until I actually move stays where it is, in this, my summer house. Sometimes it's hard to decide what I can live without for a week or so. Like my pens and beads.Fifth. Then, in a week or so, I find someone with a truck to move my plants, furniture, and stuff that will stay packed down to my new place. And then about a week before the homeowner leaves to come south, I move out with the last of my stuff.

Sixth, I return to this house daily for three or four day, to make sure things in ship-shape for when the owners get back to Chacala. Particularly the area around the house. The house is always clean and tidy, but I want things to look as good as possible when they arrive.

I have to re-arrange the furniture during the summer because the rain comes in some of the windows and one area of the roof during the rainy season. And scorpions love the kind of furniture the owners like, so it's a constant battle to keep them out, or dead.

Although this is a great house, in some ways I can't wait to be moved. I have to sweeep this house twice a day, (and mop every other day) to remove bug debris and remains. And sweep the walls and ceilings of cobwebs and small creatures weekly. It's amazing how many bugs geckos, and whatever, there are here, living in close proximity to me. Hiding behind and under the furniture. Dead and alive.