One of our mini reno projects

Lulu and the Moon Soundtrack

My husband Ken just produced this demo of his original song “Lulu and the Moon”. Every blog needs a soundtrack and this is mine. A little happy, a little sad, filled with longing and a just a touch of whimsy. I am thrilled with it. Ken on piano, vocal and harmony, Miles Littman on upright bass, Matt Moskalyk on drums and Darrell Sandmoen acoustic guitar. Brilliant!

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A Really Bad Decision

We seriously considered taking a quick trip down to Mexico to check on Casa Lulu in late April. I had some vacation days to use up and a long stretch off in  my rotation which would have given us almost two weeks free. We ended up deciding not to go. Because the work had not begun on the house we would have had to pay to stay in a hotel, bed and breakfast or the hostel which would have made for a more expensive trip than if we just waited until the basic repairs were finished and we could stay in our own home. Also, late April is traditionally a lovely time of year in Winnipeg. A time for shedding winter clothing, donning shorts, getting the bikes out, preparing the gardens and just enjoying the longer, sunny days. Progreso, on the other hand we were told, would be really, really hot. It would be exhausting to head in to Merida in the heat to shop for  the casa or meet with architects. So we decided not to go. That was a really bad choice. With record cold temperatures by mid-April the snow was only just beginning to melt when I took a few pictures on the 15th.

There were some signs of life. A brave clump of thyme peeked out from under the snow

and several tulips even emerged in the warmth of the brick school wall.

But hopes of Spring were dashed the very next day when Winnipeg got dumped with over a foot of snow. Other parts of the Province were completely snowed in.

And with the snow came the threat of flooding as the Assiniboine river rose up out our back door.

Then, having survived the coldest April on record, when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, it snowed again on May 1st!

And when I checked the temperatures in Progreso it was a moderate 25 degrees C and sunny. Day after day.

I could have gone to see this

strolled along the beach

and hung out with the pelicans.

So

all in all

a really bad decision

But there is hope yet. The first sweet silla is in bud.

Ground Breaking News!

Work has commenced at Casa Lulu. First up is getting rid of  the poured concrete all around the house. This will allow us to improve the drainage and will also open up all kinds of landscape possibilities. Here are a few pictures of the work in progress.

Ken asked his buddy Andy to wander over to the house to take a few pictures. He was particularly interested in seeing this corner at the front. He is really hoping to find a way to get up to the roof and thought there might be room here for a spiral staircase. I’m not as keen on the idea because I have a wicked fear of heights and it is certainly not high on my priority list but it would be fabulous one day. Imagine, sitting up there in the evening, drink in hand, cool breeze coming off the ocean, nothing but stars blocking your view.

Looks like really hard work and Andy said it was 40 degrees Celsius today. Glad they had a big jug of water on hand. The water is sitting on the steps that lead down from the covered terrace to the pool which is just to the right of the picture.

These steps lead up to the pool area bathroom and change room. On the right is the outdoor shower. I have big plans for this!

It really wouldn’t take much to create a gorgeous space here.With a little imagination anything is possible at Casa Lulu!

So, where is Progreso?

When we tell people we have bought a house in Progreso, Mexico we usually get enthusiastic but somewhat confused congratulations. This is primarily because they are not quite sure where it is. Is it on the Atlantic side, the Caribbean or near the Texas border? Even when we describe its location in the Yucatan people still seem to have only a vague conception of Mexican geography. So for all those who want to really know where we will be heading here is a map of the region. Progreso is on the Northwest tip of the Yucatan Peninsula about 25 minutes by car north of the city of Merida.

Over the next several posts I will highlight of some of the many wondrous places to see and visit in the area. It is a land rich in culture, history and nature. So stay with me.

Meanwhile, on the home front, after a few tense weeks we have finally managed to close on the sale of the property. We really do now own a house in Mexico. How amazing is that? Work commences on some necessary plumbing, electrical and structural repairs on Wednesday. Though not particularly exciting changes from a design perspective they will make our lives a lot better. We are, for example, getting a water softener installed and also upgrading to a solar hot water system. We are also getting the roof resealed and a protective coating applied which will make it nicer to sit up there and enjoy the evening ocean breezes. Ladder anyone? A lot of concrete also has to be dug up around the house to improve drainage so that will open up all kinds of landscaping possibilities. The gardener in me is very excited about that! And there is a crack in the swimming pool which is a number one priority fix! Got to have that pool ready to go when we arrive. So all in all we feel things are headed in the right direction.

Who is Lulu?

Lulu is not a person, she’s a boat. When Ken sent me a picture of the beach taken at sunset with the moon just risen and Lulu in the foreground I was smitten. To me this image was the perfect representation of who we are right now in our lives. Like Lulu we are a little battered and bruised but if you give us a beach to rest on we’ll be happy and the moon will light our path down Mexican way. Lulu and the moon are our inspiration.