A Clean Slate

We haven't yet received the revised blueprints but we did get a surprise today.

Karen - one of the transplanted Torontonians in Ojochal - sent an email to let us know the site work was done - a nice large level space, great for building.  She even sent photos.

Well - What a shock!  Talk about a clean slate.  Not that there was anything but razor grass and a couple of scrawny trees, but it was more than I was expecting.

BEFORE

AFTER

Round 2

The revised blueprints are on the way.  Unlikely they will arrive before the weekend, which means a mad scramble to review them before Lisle heads to Ojochal next Saturday.

And of course next week is already busy with everything else - should be fun!  Maybe they got most of it right so it won't be as time consuming this time.

A View of Ojochal

5 years ago we took photos and video of the town, the site, the surrounding area and the drive in.

The internet cafe is gone, and there are actually houses along the way, but the video gives you a feel for the place.

Oh ya - you don't need to look for the palm tree as the marker for the right turn - they actually have named the roads and put up signs!

You can check out the video on the blog or direct on Youtube

I also connected to videos on Costa Rican bridges - these horror shows are quickly becoming a thing of the past - Thank God!

The News from Robert

The engineer is working on revised blueprints and we should have the new documents by April 20.

They are going to level the lot by April 15, which means it will be ready for staking the house when Lisle is there on May 3.

Probably means we are behind schedule by 90 days since they can't make permit application until the drawings are complete and that won't be until Lisle returns them at the beginning of May.

Oh well - what would a project be without delays - just need to maintain the forward momentum!

April Already

The time continues to fly!

It has been 2 months since we signed the contract.  Blueprint review is done and we now wait for permits.  At this point - mid to late May construction start, although they will be levelling the site before the end of April.

Lisle has a ticket to head to Ojochal on May 1 for a week.  The right time to see that they have levelled things and placed the house correctly - the urban legend is that the staked one of their early projects backwards (not much you can do once the wall start going up!).

There is time with Robert booked for the site stuff and Lisle is looking to meet with Sheila to start discussions about the other end of the project - I know it is early, but if there are decisions that need to be made now, or ones that with some conversation we can pass off to her to make as needed - all the better.

Lisle has asked our son James to go with him.  James has never been on our vacations so we thought it might be a good chance for him to get to know the place.  He is a bit fussed as he has just started a new part time job and doesn't want to rock the boat.  We'll see what happens there.

Have yet to receive any feedback on our notations on the blueprints - they are not great about communications.  Will need to send an email asking for confirmation on the process.

Spring seems to have become summer here - at least for today, so I think it is time to venture outside and enjoy the warmth.