We’re sitting in Cabo San Lucas airport waiting for our flight back to Vancouver for Christmas. 

Looking forward to seeing family and friends, but not the weather! It has been absolutely beautiful apart from Monday this week, when it clouded over a bit!

We left the house this morning with Santos and Jesus working on the ‘media wall’ (where the TV will sit) - I just put something down on paper with a few measurements and they build it! Earlier in the week they did a concrete bedhead with built in tables and lights, plus some concrete shelves in the bedroom… everything’s in concrete! They will continue to work while we’re away and we think that will be the end of all the dusty, messy projects.

We finally moved out of the casita, and spent last night in the casa guest room. After 5 years of vacationing and living over the last year, we will miss it (even though it’s only next door!) We have it rented out next week and for 10 days in mid January… AirBnB is working well, and we need to put it on VRBO too.

On Monday there was an end-of-year party for the Big Band. Terry and Valerie did a great job organising it, with carne asada and free beer all night, payed for by donations from our last few gigs! There was even an eight piece mariachi band!

Thanks to all the people who have told us they like to read our blog… we will continue next year. Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year to all our readers!

Still looking for the right hat - this is close, but too small

The wheelbarrow BBQ - great idea, and easy to move around too!

big band party!

Stu is in good hands - we like Filberto

We are again cautiously optimistic... 

Our first post delivery was the electric bill. The postman wouldn't leave until he got his Christmas tip!

Jesus keeps bringing us more cardons(cactus) for the new garden

Molly is staying here for Christmas. They weren't happy to find that were are feeding her cheese and hot dogs!

Another busy week. How does that happen?  We still have a lot to do with the house, and workers are here ever day doing finishing work. We have to make a few last design choices and choose some tiles. These things seem to take forever! 

Our car is an ongoing challenge. We went again to see it yesterday only to find out the Mechanic had done nothing - nothing!  We went to his work today and had a very hard word with him (all in Spanish!). We told him we were going to find another mechanic and we wanted our labour deposit back. We thought he was going to cry, he apologised, and said he would work night and day on it to get the motor started this week. We called tonight twice and he is there working. Paul said - no time to even sleep now  Edgar- just work on the car.  We will drive in again tomorrow to check. Exhausting, and time consuming but we need the car to be fixed.

Great gig on Sat night at La Morante Art Bar. Paul, Terry and guitarist Alex (who by day is an anaethesiologist !! )

I must admit, I am a little worried now about our lack of Christmas shopping - which is pretty much none! Challenging when you can’t ship from here, and we will be travelling with only carry-on bags.  Will have to do it all in the 2 days after we arrive in Vancouver on the 21st.

Short but sweet this week - oh and we only found out right now that we have no water until tomorrow because they are cleaning the tank. Oh well, we have tequila and no snow… (sorry about that… couldn’t resist it!)

Take your kid to work day at Casa Pithaya

The foundation of the pizza oven

This guy is an expert

Now we have to wait a week or more for it to fully dry out.

Canny marketing next to a speed bump - mexican 'bonsai'

paying our property taxes with 30% discount ( a lot less painful than in BC)

Paul's happy place on the roof

new remote control gate going in!

Very festive

Keep calm and eat chicken. Porque no?

All recycled stuff...

Amazing painted interior at a back street hotel

Saturday gig at La Morante Bar. Thanks Terry & Alex

Santa costume anyone?(while you wait for the light to change)

It's been a week of ups and downs. Leanne has had a mild sinus infection that has kept her low for the last few days. She swept the entire house last week, and the cement dust attacked her nose. She feels like she has 'wine flu', but actually hasn't touched a drop for 4 days!

Our laptop has broken too, I spent most of the weekend trying to get it to start up, but we have to drive into town this morning and see the Apple experts. Hopefully we can salvage the files (because I forgot to back it up… oops!)

Saturday was the first (annual?) La Paz Jazz Festival. It started on the beach at 4pm and things were going well. We weren't scheduled to play until 10, and I was just about to leave the house to drive the 40 mins, when a huge hail, thunder and lightening storm happened. It sounded like someone was throwing buckets of pebbles at the house, with very heavy rain and lots of flashes. The storm finally moved away about 8:30, but by this time the event was seriously compromised, so I was told not to come. I was very disappointed.

On a brighter note - Philipe the local upholsterer outdid himself by recovering our casita couch in a record time of 24 hrs! On time, on budget and free pick up/delivery.

Sunday night we did a concert with the Community Big Band at a local art gallery. It was great - everyone played really well, and we are looking forward to the next concert on Dec 15.

And, on a cautiously optimistic note - we drove past 'Stu' the Subaru this weekend and he has been moved into Filiberto's driveway and jacked up - so they are working on it!  Fingers are crossed here.

The big band at Galeria Tonantzin. What a great gig.

Amusing Facebook auto translation!

HAIL! Which ruined my Jazz Festival appearance.

Making piñadas at the Casa de Cultura

The Aramburo bull is getting in the festive spirit

This is where we will get the planters and pots for the casa

We're thinking of getting a couple of these for outside the front door. Thoughts?

Nice door in El Centro

Lulu's famous chicken is now motorized!

Firepit in progress

Philipe and son.

There has been some progress on the car. Seven months later, we have seen the car parts and spoken to both mechanics (Edgar and Filiberto) and they have told us that the car will 'listo' (ready) in 25 - 30 days (in other words the end of March next year). Hope not! Anyway, things are finally moving apparently.
We said goodbye to Helga last Friday, and enjoyed a few days with Jill & Naveen until they left on Saturday morning to go to spend a week in San Jose del Cabo.
Other than that - the house is still coming together, we got a door on the upstairs bathroom and the stove installed in the kitchen - and a bunch of other small things. Slowly we are coming together.
That's it for words this week... lots of photos though.
Thanks for looking - we really enjoy doing this and it will be great to look back on in future years.

"Buen Fin" booty

The view from the bar at Mezquite (Jorge at speed in the background)

Big band rehearsal - we have a gig next Sunday!

Helga creating her famous desserts in the new cocina

Chilis!

The first dinner on the patio. Raul asked "what can I bring" we said "a table!"

Master bathroom

New sliding door in the master bathroom

Guest bedroom

Guest bedroom

Looking from the front door

Fire pit - seems to be a natural gathering place 

This is how fridge should look.

Molly being "Mexican"

Jill & Naveen are definitely ready for their boat trip!

"This really sucks" relaxing on the beach - Islas Espiritos Santos

great view from the 7 Crowns Hotel roof top

Inside a small hotel in the Centro - eclectic is the word that comes to mind.

One of the hotel guests

Spot the English guy...