Week 36
Home Construction
Morelia, Michoacan

We are finally moving in tomorrow, Feb. 12. This is our last night in the apartment and we are very excited to be sleeping in the new house tomorrow. The house isn't finished, but the bedroom will be ready (we hope). We may have to eat out for a few days while the kitchen counter tops and appliances are put in. We may also have a few inconviences while the carpenters are finishing up, but we are ready, more than ready to move. We will have to find a new routine, because for the past 8 months our life has centered on the house. Now we should have some time for doing things we enjoy. Anyway, here are the latest photos.

You can see that the tile is on the roof over the garage and the wall with the future fountain has been painted. We drove to the town of Patzcuaro Friday afternoon and purchased 3 vases that will sit inside the arch. Water will fall out of the center vase making the fountain complete. These vases will really change the look of the front of the house and were one of the things we really liked in the house design.

The two photos above show some of the wood work in the kitchen. The corian counter tops and appliances still need to be installed, so it looks like we will be eating out for a while.
The photo above shows the living room and the entry. Covered in a white tarp is our piano that we brought from California. Hardwood flooring has been laid down. Monday the workers will finish up staining and polishing the floors. We spent Sunday moving our belonging to the house. Everything is stored in the service room for now, since the painter has to finish painting our bedroom, bathroom and closet, then we can move things in.
The photo above is another shot of the master bath. The hardware in the shower is in place. The white poles in the picture are the support for the glass shower enclosure. The gray concrete to the left of the picture will be the mirror.
This photo is some samples of different textures and colors we are looking at for different areas of the house. We chose the dark red on the upper left for one wall of the master bedroom. Since we are moving Monday, I will be out of internet reach until we can get service installed. I will continue the blog as soon as I have internet again. Bye and adios for now.

Home Construction/ Week 35
Tres Marias Residential Golf
Morelia, Michoacan
January 29- Feb. 4, 2007

The very dramatic front entry to the house.

We decided in the early stages of planning that we wanted a dramatic entry to match the even more dramatic views from our lot. We especially like the idea of having four front doors that opened into a wide entry way. The views from the front door are spectular. In the photos above one door has not had the crystal installed yet.

The two photos above show some of the cabinet work in the kitchen. The photo below shows the marble counter top in the master bathroom.

The photo below shows some of the wood work in the master bedroom closet.

The three photos below show exterior views of the house. You are able to see the colors we decided to paint the exterior. There are 2 contrasting colors along with the marble column. In the last photo, the front of the house, to the left of the marble column, has not been painted yet. In the second photo, notice that the glass enclosing the bathroom garden has been completed. Next week the gas and water hook-ups will be completed and tested. The carpenter should be completed and the house will be ready to live in. The upper level will be 90% completed and the lower level will be completed little by little after we move in. We bought a refrigerator and a mattress Friday so we are anxiously ready for the move. Fortunately, we have very litttle to move, mostly the clothes on our backs.

Home Construction
Week 34 Update
January 22-28, 2007

Just a quick update on the progress last week. These are photos I wasn't able to include before. We are down to 6 workers, not including the carpenters, the plumbers and the electrician. During most of the construction there were 25 workers, so things are definitely coming to a close. The first photo is the house painter and his technique on painting the tall walls. He starts at the top, on the roof, and then goes to the ground to finish the bottom. The painter has an assistant who moves the ladder or carries the paint bucket. The exterior of the house will be two tones. The majority is a light cream color, contrasting highlights are a capaccino brown and the gold marble column. Next posting will show the finished exterior colors.

This photo shows the workers cleaning up the grouting on the marble column. The ladder is resting on the roof of the garage. This will be covered with tile. There will also be a tile roof in the back of the house providing protection to one of the terraces, as well as to a tile roof on the gazebo.

This photo shows the workers laying down the red porphory stone (pigeon blood) on the sidewalk. The strips of concrete (drive way) will also be covered with this stone, as well as the garage floor and the walkway to the front door.

The final picture shows the carpenters hanging the front doors. The two doors to the left will open, while the other two doors are to provide attractiveness. When Sandra and I were working with architect Arturo to design the house we specially wanted a dramatic entry to the house. These doors frame a picture perfect view out the back of the house. The view is the golf course and the canyons and mountains in the distance. Still looking to move into the house on Feb. 12th.