5C's Que Pasa

Jan 30, 2016

An unusual day

For some reason I thought that Friday, our first day back in our site would be a normal day. Well it certainly wasn’t. Because of the bedroom slide glitch I had sent Erik, our wonderful RV tech guy the info about it Thursday evening. No sooner had we come back from our Friday morning beach walk, made coffee ( well our kind of coffee ) and cut up the fruit, placed it outside onto our tables, than Erick drives in. We never had a bite nor a sip. First thing he did was check the slide and source the cause of the problem and in no time had it repaired. We then had a few other to do’s for him to deal with such as a broken cabinet latch and a broken front door latch and so on.

Erick certainly puts his all into the job.

Erik certainly puts his all into the job.

Just as we were about to resume our late breakfast, two couples approached asking questions about the park. They were RVers from B.C. staying in Cerritos and were so happy to see what Tres Amigos had to offer as well as Stone Island/Isla de la Piedra. They very well might be our neighbors next year.

We finally managed a meeting between us to discuss our time over the next several weeks. We have many couples in Mazatlan that we wish to meet up with. A mix of blog readers and a few other bloggers and some very good friends. Sadly we have missed the time to meet with Nancy and Doug but they did have a great time in Mazatlan if you want to check their blog. Somehow time seems to get away from us year after year so we wanted to make an effort this year to connect with all our friends hence the meeting between us to organize our free time. You all know who you are, so send us an email and let us set some dates to get together.

Between Spanish lessons, computer updates and just trying to figure out my computer in general, special friends arriving for a few days, plus Carnival, the guitar festival in Culiacan early in March and Semana Santa the end of March, we are seriously running out of time. Love our time here but there never ever seems to be enough of it.

Friday afternoon was a mix of setting things up in our yard yet again, some guitar for Colin and online time for me to source some needed RV supplies re some newly needed RV part replacements. Anyone driving here in the next 4 weeks and having some space please let me know.

Finally I decided that it was time to walk down/up the beach for dinner as I needed a break. We ate about 5:30PM which was pretty good for Isla times as things often shut up just before 5PM. Fabulous coconut shrimp at El Velero and of course a perfect margarita, well maybe two for me. Heck, we were celebrating the end of 9 full days of invasion into our private space. The food was fabulous as was our table facing the ocean.

As we walked back back home we saw the most spectacular sunset. Sadly we had no camera with us. I was sure that I had asked Colin to pick it up as we left and bring it with us ( that is why we have no photos of our meal ) and he claims he never heard my request 😕 Of course the sunset was beyond amazing but we just took it in and tried to commit it to a wonderful Isla memory.

Once home, Colin took the camera back to the beach and got this shot for my post. Not bad for after the main show, eh!

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Jan 29, 2016

Not convinced that project #4 is going to work

Lupe told us that he would be here at 7AM Wednesday. So we were up and getting our site back to normal bit by bit. The guys finally showed up at 8:30AM.

Lupe told us that he would be here at 7AM Thursday. So we were up and getting our site back to normal bit by bit. The guys finally showed up at 8:30AM. No explanation. You have to remember that this is T.I.M. This Is Mexico.

You see two sets of hands. Lupe and Jose were stabilizing the cement post, their first task of the day.

As we set up for the third time this winter Colin added gravel as needed. So glad we decieded to keep the entire truck load as we will certainly use it all.

As we set up for the third time this winter Colin added gravel as needed. So glad we decided to keep the entire truck load of grava as we will certainly use it all.

I nthis photo you can see that the small palapa is now completed. Weel...not quite, I want a few more palmas strategicly placed here and there

In this photo you can see that the small palapa is now completed. Well…not quite, I want a few more palmas strategically placed here and there re sun control on the RV front window. Meanwhile project #4 was underway. It took Colin and Lupe several minutes to establish were to place the water drain. Factors such as tires and jack placements needed to be considered as well as how to reach the drain when the RV was in place. The digging of the trench was not easy and much stress and pain was involved…none of it mine, thankfully.

My job was to sweep, move what I could and clean and clean and clean more stuff including all of our patio furniture. Needless to say everything was covered in a fine layer of construction dust. I also took the time to first wet this new bloom with water and then sprinkle it with cayenne pepper. I can say that 24 hours later the monster iguana has not struck 🙂

My powers of observation read the words on the soon to be drainage tube. Made in Mexico Dec. 29/15 at 5:14 AM.

At the end of the tube is was stamped with the same date and a time of 5:16AM. In the middle of the tube the time 5:15AM had been stamped. I am impressed with the precision.

The first half of the trench has been dug. The plan is for the tube to slope down at an anlge to drain all the excess water we get on our site during rain storms.

The first half of the trench has been dug. The plan is for the tube to slope down at an angle to drain all the excess water we get on our site during rain storms. Jose on the right has a bucket of cement ready to secure the drain in the perfect location at the perfect depth, etc, etc. Carmeh is the patrona on the job site.

This is it!! It was my idea to place a cap on the drain. I figured that it wouldn’t be long before a lot of pea gravel was going to go down the pipe and stop it up. Colin came up with the idea of at least placing some bricks around it to try and create a dam of sorts. The first part of the tube was completed but we were asked not to move ahead until they came back from lunch. Not sure why but we complied.

The guys went for a one hour lunch break while we washed the RV. Soap and brush per Colin and I followed with the rinse. This might be a good time to mention that I never left our site all day and yet I did over 10,000 steps this day. No beach walk for the 5C’s today.

You could peel off of the cardboard that the cement was poured into but we choose to leave it on and paint it. The bunch of posts from Nov. 2011 are still covered in cardboard.

Next Colin finished painting the new post. You could peel off of the cardboard from the tube that the cement was poured into it a day ago but we chose to leave it on and paint it. It gives the cement more strength. The first bunch of cement posts from Nov. 2011 are still covered in cardboard and remain in great shape.

Just as we were preparing the RV to pullin the slides and move forward, the fellows showed up from their almost 2 hours lunch. Remember this is TIM.

Just as we were preparing to move the RV, pull in the slides and pull forward, the fellows showed up from their almost 2 hour lunch. Remember this is TIM. So they continued to work to put in the second tube ( you can see the white end of the first tube ) as we did what we had to do to move back into our proper site.

A bit of a glitch, the bedroom slide came in high off the carpet and was sticking out a few inches at the top on the outside. We decided to proceed with the move forward but of course we could not drive this way. It took us about 45 minutes to bring the slides in, raise the jacks and build the air and move forward and do it all in reverse. Fabulous that we were totally level due to all our grava.

The original plan was to have the end of the tube drain out of the middle of the K. Turns out that the cement there was over 6 inches thick. The guys were done asn wanted to go home so they decided to move the end of the tube much higher up.

The original plan was to have the end of the tube drain out of the middle of the K ( where the black is gone ). Turns out that the cement there was over 6 inches thick. The guys were done and wanted to go home so they decided to move the end of the tube much higher up where the cement was thinner. They simply cut down from the top of our wall.

The thing is, there is barely any slope from where the top of the drain is in the middle of our gravel under the RV to the exit point. So will it work? We have no idea and can only hope that it will but we are skeptical. We certainly hope that it will work. One of my many questions is that who will open the drain cap when the waves are coming over the wall and flooding our site? Is there more chance that we will lose our gravel to waves washing over the wall or to the water draining ( from the tropical rains ) the gravel down the tube and eventually blocking it with all the gravel? Who knows? Fortunately project #4 was not our idea nor our expense but that of the RV Park.

No sunset last night but nontheless we so very happy to be back where we belonged.

No sunset last night, but nonetheless we were so very happy to be back where we belonged.

As soon as we put out the dog ramp the girls were up and down, in and out. Of course they were confused as to the start up and moving of the RV, Carmeh even more so as she could not hear the engine but I am certain that she felt the vibration. So they were ecstatic that we were still at our Mexico home. Thankfully we have two more full months here 😆

Thanks to all of you for your supportive comments, always an inspiration. We had no idea that this would be such a long stretch of time to complete these projects but they are almost over. Just details to deal with. Time to get on with reading books and playing the guitar and other great things. We only missed two beach walks over the last 8 days but I still was able to provide dinner each evening. Not bad if I say so myself.

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Jan 28, 2016

…and so it continues

Wednesday morning was mostly about putting the palmas in place. Every so many rows a heavy plastic is added between the layers of palmas to create a rain free area.

Colin’s job was to paint the new cement pole. Of course he had two supervisors with him.

Jose’s job was to hand up the fronds to Lupe.

Lupe then threaded each palm fond to the palapa structure. This is one of the things that he is noted for on the Isla. He told us that this new palapa should last us ten more years. While we still be here then?

Yet another mess when it was complete. I do have to say that these two were great at cleaning up as best they could between tasks. Of course we did the deep clean in between.

The ends are all neatly trimmed.

The cement tube is treated with loving care. I should have done a close up, but in essence a steel rod is being driven between the cement post and the wood beam securing it even more. Built to last for a very very long time.

…and so ended Wednesday. Not much time to enjoy the visitors to the Isla today. Bon voyage.

So ended yet another day of chaos in the midst of paradise. We love where we are and when all the renos are complete we will be so very very happy. Almost there 😀 Almost ready for visitors 😛

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Jan 27, 2016

Tuesday update

Poco a poco/little by little. Things are moving along…..slowly 🙄 But they are moving and they are being done well.

Late Tuesday morning all the new wood was in place.

While on our noonish ( late for us ) beach walk we saw this huge jhelicopter fly overhead, It was traveling along the beach line.

While on our noonish ( late for us ) beach walk we saw this huge helicopter fly overhead, It was traveling along the beach line. I have never seen a helicopter with all those windows in front.

Meanwhile back at our site it was time to star mixing the cement...the old fashion way.

Meanwhile back at our site it was time to start mixing the cement…the old fashion way.

A lot of mixing by hang of the gravel sand and cement. Thanks to Brian, my neighbor for this photo.

A lot of mixing by hand of the gravel, sand and cement. Thanks to Brian, my neighbor for this photo.

We were adding a cement post to our small front palapa. The one we use to keep the sun off the front of the RV.

We are adding a cement post to our small front palapa, the one we use to keep the sun off the front of the RV. The hole was over three feet deep and it was secured with lots of cement. Certain to withstand any storm. Again thank you Brian for the photo.

Meanwhile Colin was touching up our other cement posts with left over paint from 5 years ago.

Once the base of the tube was secure in concrete the rest of the post was ready to be filled with cement. From the hand created cement at the back of our site, a wheelbarrow full was brought to the post.

Lupe then used a small plastic container to pour the concrete down the tube. every now and then he would tap the cardborad tube with a screwdriver in an effort to get the concrete to move down the tube.

Lupe then used a small plastic container to pour the concrete down the tube. Every now and then he would tap the cardboard tube with a large screwdriver in an effort to get the concrete to move down to the base of the tube.

So Colin painted and Lupe kept pouring cement, you can see him in the background.

Eventually it was my turn to add something to the project.

The post to the right of this also has the 5C’s written in the cement but not the date of 2011.

We actually did go and sit out front to enjoy the sunset.

As did the girls. Caeli, on the right, is not as fat as she looks in the photo.

So ended Tuesday.

I am writing this as the end of day Wednesday and just so you know…..we are still in the back of our site, we still have not begun project #4, never mind end the palapa project, and the happy vibes are not so happy. Even you readers are getting tired of all of this…..fewer comments. I agree with Cheap Chick, I hate having my home in a mess, and no Sandy I not exactly rolling with the events but what else can I do 😕 Steve, my dear friend, I would love to head out onto the beach for a picnic but we really need to stay close and keep an eye on the que pasa of the new palapa. We all want to be back into the place we belong and long to be.

It is now 8:00PM local time and I need to end this and get on with our dinner. We did insist today that they be completed everything by 3PM Thursday so that we could move back to our site. I had heard ‘them’ talking earlier about being done Saturday. No way !!! Stayed tuned for the next segment.

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Jan 26, 2016

Making progress in the renovations

About 8:30AM Monday Lupe pulls in and starts to take the old palapa apart. We was supposed to start on the little one so we were not ready.

About 8:30AM Monday Lupe pulls in and starts to take the old palapa apart. He was supposed to start on the little one so we were not ready.

We quickly moved everything from under the palapa to the back corner of the garden. We also got out tarps and borrowed a few. the dust and disintigrating palm fronds was worse then I expected. A huge dirty mess.

We quickly moved everything from under the palapa to the back corner of the garden. We also got out tarps and borrowed a few. The dust and disintegrating palm fronds was worse then I expected. A huge dirty mess.

Almost done. Before the next step Colin helped them doa clean up and then when they went to lunch he did a more thorough cleaning. Of course we ill have a massive clean to do as we move back, whenever that might be : - (

Almost done. Before the next step Colin helped them do a clean up and then when they went to lunch he did a more thorough cleaning. Of course we will have a massive clean to do as we move back, whenever that might be.

Next step was to take off all of the top lumber as we were replacing all the wood on top. The pinky poles are made of cement and will stay.

Next step was to take off all of the top lumber as we were replacing all the wood on top. The burgundy colored poles are made of cement and will stay as our main support.

Meanwhile back in the RV, Erik was installing the new piece and working on the new slide out rubber install.

Meanwhile back in the RV, Erik was installing the new piece and working on the living room slide out rubber install.

So basically we had no place to sit inside the RV nor outside the RV, we were homeless. We were able to sit under the palapa next door to us which is now to become the social gathering site for RV1 or a site for those in the back row to bring their chairs and enjoy being on the ocean. The bright spot of the day was my weekly Monday massage and even better was that Colin chose not to have a massage as there was too much going on. That meant that I got a two hour massage, pure bliss. Of course I arranged to start the massage very early so that we were done before Erik arrived.

The girls have been so good during this process. In fact they have seldom escaped despite this huge breach in our fencing. I just happened to look over and there they were sitting surveying everything.

In order to take the larger old pieces of wood off a hacksaw was needed. None of the nails had heads so a lot of hard work was involved.

Very late in the afternoon the first of the new beams were put in place. If you look carefully, you can see a fellow in white standing on the RV roof. That was Gustavo, Erik’s assistant. Everyone was working hard.