Cuenca Updates: Tuesday Dec 17/12

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Tuesday Dec 17/12 update

Today Bella needed me to go get money from the bank and make the rounds to the stores to get things paid for and arrange delivery for the stove, fridge, beds, dining room set and her vanity table. She had everything neatly arranged for me in envelopes. I had hoped to get most things delivered today or tomorrow as Thursday should be busy with the screen installations and hopefully the island and pantry installation. Then there will only be a few trim items until we get set to tackle the terrace roof. We hope to be able to move in on the weekend.

My first stop was the bank and that was quick and as I left there was this fellow juggling machetes for the waiting traffic. They are very entrepreneurial here! Then I zoomed for the stairs to the place with the stove. They could deliver today around 1:30.

Next was almost next door to pay for the beds and headboards. They could deliver the twin beds and my headboard around 3:00.

I got a call from Michael to see if we had got the official go ahead from the lawyers regarding the title search because Jorge had called him to say they would like to get paid as they need the money for another project. Since we hadn’t heard yet I decided to make the lawyer’s office the next stop because I had the check in my pocket as well as this year’s taxes ($70). Grace said she had been away for a few days so wasn’t up to speed but, when she got the file, the title search was there showing that the place was free and clear. I left her the cheque and got a receipt for the $70 and was on my way again. Yolanda was only a few blocks away so she could come and pick it up, which she did later.

Bella had another loom class today from 10 until 1 and she finished her initial scarf, an excellent job.

Then I was off to pay for the Bosch fridge which they said they will deliver Thursday around 3:00.

Next was the Rotary Market to pay for the pine dining room suite but by now it is lunchtime so I stopped at this little hot dog shop and had two hamburguesas with two drinks for a total of $2.70. This is no McDonald’s kiddee burger, this was a whopper with ham and onions and lettuce and tomato. See the photo.

Then I came across this kid doing his homework all by himself next to a large Mercado. It dawned on me later that his folks were probably nearby vendors.

The Rotary folks said they could deliver it in 20 minutes and I said I could barely make it there in 20 minutes so they agreed to send it for 1:30 as well.

A couple of doors down I saw this canvas and wood folding lounge chair like we have had for years but this one even has a leg rest for $18. My offer of $30 for 2 fell on deaf ears so I only bought one! That’ll show her! It turns out that Bella loves it so I should have bought two….

So I cab to the new house instead of going home and getting into work clothes. To while away some of the time I reversed the hardware on the main door so it will swing in the opposite direction. It took me 3 separate attempts before I figured it all out, but it works!

The stove guy showed up close to 1:30. This is a six-burner propane stove with dual gas+electric broiler and rotisserie and plate warming tray below. This thing does everything but wash dishes. It was promised to come with a shiny new gas tank and regulator, which it did, but they didn’t say that the tank was empty. Luckily one of the roving gas salesmen was cruising the neighborhood so I flagged him down, They exchange tanks, empty for full, for $2.50, and that lasts a month for hot water and about 2 months for cooking. We keep a spare just in case the gas runs out in the middle of cooking the Thanksgiving turkey or something.

Then the heavens opened and we had our own Rio Popayan flowing inches from our door. See the photo. Naturally this is when the fellow with the dining room suite and vanity shows up, no helper, and no tarp over our stuff. Luckily the furniture is well varnished and the chair seats are still covered in plastic. In the midst of unloading a lady from up the street asks if we can help her get into her house. She says she is turning the key and so on but it won’t open. So off I go to be the Good Samaritan only to get soaked and find out that I couldn’t do any better. So I get back to unloading the stuff and I am some miffed that everything is soaked and then the guy asks for $10 for delivering it this way. If looks could kill, I just murdered my first Ecuadorian.

The rain took a 2 minute break then opened up just as the guys with the bedroom furniture arrive, again untarped, etc. This is the brother-in-law of Jorge so I cut him some slack as the mattresses are in plastic and the rest is wiped down easily. They come in to assemble the twin beds and I have to laugh at the rudimentary tools they use. Once they realize the bolts they have are too long to hold properly they have to make a trip to the hardware store before resuming. I get out my cordless drill that I brought all the way from Canada and shortened their workday.

Around 5:30 Vicente and his brother come to work on the wall. I can’t wait to see this done. Then the carpenter can move that beautiful heavy wooden door for installing in this wall. Jorge and Vicente have discussions about the configuration of the glass blocks and decide that four across and 5 high would give the best results so I agreed. Jorge will have to pick up 5 more blocks now.

I am starving so I go to the corner for a skewer of meat and French fries for $1.50. I am pretty sure it was guinea pig, which is a real delicacy here, and it really was tasty. No hate mail please. They were assuredly organically raised and nobody’s pets.

We had two blackouts in the neighborhood from unknown causes, one around 6:55 then again about 8:00, lasting about 15 and 5 minutes respectively. Oh well, it was Miller time anyway. It make you feel a little insignificant when this happens at night and you are not prepared…. No flashlight, candles, matches, bic,.. nothing at all. I had two rocks but no kindling wood. Thank God for beer to help pass the time with two fellas that don’t speak a word of English. I tried the fancy new stove for heat and light but of course the igniter is electric, so don’t I feel like a real Boy Scout now…

About 9:00 we call it a day and Jorge is kind enough to drive me home.

That was today’s excitement. Enjoy the pics. Hugs to all.