Swallows: Love them and hate them

Sometimes I feel like the first painting about them but yesterday they were a pure pain in the ass. I don't mind when they sit on my light sconces to get out of the weather or just rest even thought they poop a lot. When they want to build a nest is where my appreciation stops. Even my neighbors who let them build in the house thinking it is good luck had enough a few weeks ago. 

I have an outdoor bathroom (not in the house) next to the bodega and when I saw them flying in and out of the bodega I closed the door. A couple hours later in the bath a towel and swim trucks on the rack and the toilet paper were covered in mud. Nest building material I assume unless they were just pissed I closed the other door. Now I just have to remember do open the bodega because my dog likes to sleep there ..... especially like last night when Tropical Storm Carlos dumped 5-6 inches of rain on our area.

The ideal swallow

My real Golondrinas

Fotos of the Digs

A couple other bloggers have been posting fotos of their houses and suggesting we do the same. Well why not. Don't know if it reveals much about that blogger unless it's how organized they are or if they cleaned up just for the fotos which I did not.   I took some fotos of the bedrooms and "living" but I need to figure out low light and this camera without a flash.

First is the kitchen which some may have seen on my house building blog Kitchen Cabinets.  I said those cabinets would keep things off the counter but it doesn't seem to work that way here. I plan to build shelves under the counters and hang colorful curtains in front but the logistics of  how to do it has escaped me.  I'm definitely not going to have custom cabinets built. Could also use a larger fridge - some day!

The other is the bodega which happens to be full of my Canadian neighbors stuff.   Their house was broken into while they are up north and neighbors and I filled a pickup and bought it over here after we found the broken door lock.   Also kiddie pool, lots of lumber, beach toys ... and all the stuff I've accumulated from construction and maintenance. Also a favorite hiding place for my dog when the fireworks are going off.

Finishing up this week

At least I hope so. I filled up one planter to make someone in the family happy. Moved the palm from behind the star fruit, colorful plant from the far corner and a fern that was root bound in a pot. Still haven't been to the nursery.

The palapa step and tile floor are finished and the dog seems to prefer laying on the tile than than on damp ground. Hopefully this means less digging in the yard to make a cool place. You can see bricks in the planter and plants to discourage the dog. Made more space for the bananas and star fruit. One of the bananas has babies already

The long needed large garage-shed area now has the roof on and is about to get a cement floor. It's 5x5 meters so will cover my car if I choose to use it. It's main use to to cover the well and pump and be a protected wash area. Longer life for the washing machine and a place for a covered closeline when it's raining.

First planter

Palapa floor and step

Bananas and star fruit

Almost finished garage and bodega

Want a shelf, these guys can build it

They are finishing up the bodega/workshop and I wanted a storage shelf around the room. This will also be the safe storage room for valuable stuff when I'm away. I put up a second layer of bricks on the outside walls up to the 2 meter level and this shelf sits on top of the second wall.

Then the re-bar to hold the cement together and the wood supports to hold it up for a day. They used 2" PVC cut in half as a mold for the front cap on the shelf. Very nice work, I'm really impressed

Hugo (Jugo) finishing the cement support

Oscar filling it

Finished shelf