putting it together

I am constantly re-learning life's little lessons.

Here is one.  Setting up house is like solving a jig-saw puzzle where the top of the box is missing.  You are not quite certain what the outcome will be.  But you know it is challenging.

Monday was a puzzle day.  The day started and ended with a new propane tank.Lou met me at one of our local hardware stores.  After two stops, we had wrestled a 180 liter tank into his Pilot -- along with the necessary gear to assemble it.  Jaime showed up in the evening to put it together.

Now, I just need to get the gas company to stop by to fill the tank and to relieve me of a fistful of pesos.  Jaime will then return to ensure gas is flowing to my cooktop, the oven, and the two outside grills.  The Cotton boys can then cook up their hearts starting on Saturday evening.

My realtor and I then stopped by the regional CFE office -- our electric company -- to switch names on the account.  After about a half hour of shuffling forms, my name was substituted for the former owner's.  The clerk told me to stiop by a Banamex to pay a $570 (Mx) deposit.  As far as CFE is concerned, I am a brand new (and untrustworthy) customer.

Interestingly, when I tried to pay the deposit at the bank, the clerk would not accept it because the computer still shows a $1,757 (Mx) balance due on the account.  I will need to check with my realtor and CFE today to see how this will be resolved.  I certainly know one way it is not going be fixed.

I tried setting up my internet yesterday -- to no avail.  And for good reason.  While my realtor and I were looking at the hydra-like internet and telephone connections, the woman, who formerly held the position Dora now holds, showed up with the missing modem and several attached cables. 

They were the missing link that allowed the realtor to get the internet working.  Unfortunately, by the afternoon, half of the system had stopped operating.  That may turn out to be Darrel's first project.

When the former maid handed over the modem, I told her her services were no longer required.  The former pool guy showed up later.  He got the same speech.  I almost felt like Carl Icahn.

The day's next project consumed what was left of the day.  The house locks (all eight of them) needed changing.  The town locksmith (and two assistants) showed up to replace the old locks and carve new keys.  They must have been at the house for at least three hours.  But I now have a re-keyed house.

It is now time for my stuff to start making the two or three mile trek to The House.  My goods are stacked primarily in the living room at the old place -- just waiting for an opportunity to prove that Steve has held true to the Escape Rule: I own nothing that cannot be fully packed in the Escape within one hour.

Of course, sometime between now and Saturday, I need to drive down to Manzanillo to buy padlocks for the garage door, mattress pads, sheets, more towels, more pillows, a toilet brush, fertilizer, pruning tools, more toilet accessories, LED lights, and a case or two of light bulbs.  (The house has more light sockets than a Las Vegas casino sign.  That is one of its attractions.)

The best thing?  It is all coming together.  Just as I have been showing you photographs that show the house bit by bit, I am starting to see the big picture of my puzzle.

And my wallet is starting to feel the big squeeze.