New casa roof

We like to try to do one fun project a year on our casa, but this year the weather dictated what that would be......
Last year we had some wet spots in the corner of our guest room during heavy rain, and this year the downpour that came with the un-hurricane Rina created even more and water running down the wall..........yikes!







So we called in the pros and it was a noisy 5 day process.....starting with chipping and scraping all the old roof cement and surfacing material off. Here is the sum total of 6 hours of work on the first day..............






The house was built 7 years ago, and the roofing material is only supposed to last 5, so I guess it did pretty well. Here you can see the strips of material that have been scraped off.














It was hot sunny weather, and the one guy who worked the first day was joined by 2 more for the other days, scraping, chipping, sweeping and bagging the old material.










Finally getting to the front of the house..........













Helio and crew work long hot days so here they are finally taking a break in the afternoon heat.











Once the old material is off, they fill all holes and cracks, and resurface the entire roof with a very hard, baby bottom smooth cement........











the roof after the new cement is all applied........










a small cement wall is built front and back between our roof and the next one......and then thick white goop called Impac is rolled on. It is like a rubberized stuff that also has fibreglass in it for strength and to withstand the blazing sun........













Lovely shiny new white roof........!!!
























There was a little of the goop left over, so Helio painted the palapa roof as well, as it is leaking every time it rains as well.











Second coat of the palapa roof and today we even had some rain - with NO leaks, so it is doing its job!! Great work, Helio and his crew!!!!

life in the hood.....

How do you tell which fish boat has the best catch........?????.......watch for the one with all the birds trailing it, just waiting for the cleaning of fish.......





Guadalupe kids......singing and collecting coins for the poor..............

































































and of course our favourite kittens, cuddled up together on the wall.....................

Happy Birthday Murielle!!! Saturday was her birthday, so Miki, Jill, Steve and Robin went first to watch a wonderful flamenco dance performance at the Cultural Centre.....

Seating was outside.....just at sunset.......

The dancers were wonderful, I am told....I was working at the bookstore....

Dancers from both Playa del Carmen and Cancun were part of the troup....

accompanied by live musicians..................

All the dancers on stage...................

for the finale.....just amazing.....! Pictures courtesy of the birthday girl herself!!

Then it was on to Cantina Habarnero's for supper and the Blues Boyz.....

the food was good, the company fun, and the music fabulous......

even a pic of your trusty bloggers........

The Girlz......what a fun night and celebration for Murielle's special day!

Murielle and Miki jiving on the street - where most of the fun dancing ends up....

and once again, a shot of the Blues Boyz with that fabulous sax player....!!!! Happy Birthday Murielle!

the bookstore....

busy night at the bookstore and in the square......

all the wee kids are circulating singing their Guadalupe songs and collecting money for the church which is then distributed to the poor families of PM..most of whom are the same kids....!

I can't say no to any of them, either here or at home, as they go through our subdivision in the evenings.......

last night there was music all evening and at 6:30 pm all the Christmas lights were turned on .....this is the nativity in the gazebo....

the main big tree, which they decorate on it's side and then turn upright!!!

a seniors choir with a few kids sang carols in both languages.....

it is a fine tree again this year...

the little ruin, which is actually a fountain, is also decorated.....

Daf got her Nana hit too, while she babysat this 5 month old beauty while her Mom shopped...

the scene across the square from the bookstore - thanks to Jill for taking the lights shots....!

More Victoria friends

Louise arrived from Victoria last Sunday and stayed with us one night before moving to the Now Jade all inclusive, where John was meeting her to shoot the wedding of other dear friends from Victoria.

We had a great lunch on the beach next day.......

at Pelicanos...........

Daf and Louise have a dip in the pool................

At the end of the week we met them at the resort, which is lovely...and got to meet a number of the friends and family (58 of them!!!) and the bride and groom, who are just sweet.

Their room was very nice.....but we all agreed it could have been anywhere...no Mayan or Mexican architecture or design touches anywhere.....

But the bathroom was glorious, overlooking the ocean........

and the sunset just as we reached their room was beautiful..

we came to our casa for drinks and then out for dinner at one of our favourite haunts, Papas y Cafe. Louise and I used to work together at the Legislature in Victoria, and John is the Ledge photographer for all the MLAs and special events. 

Had a great dinner - they make these fabulous potatoe casseroles and make the best chaya drink in town!!!

and since we are getting close to Guadalupe day on Dec. 12, the kids are all over town singing their song and collecting money for poor families in town.