Hello everyone! This is Mora in the mountains of Mexico.

I thought I’d bring you along today, for a winter update on the casita, the garden projects and what’s happening. 

Winter here is quiet and beautiful. Cold mornings, warm afternoons, and this sense that everything has slowed down just enough.

Temo’s been working hard painting the interior of the casita, and it’s looking really good. Brighter. Cleaner. It finally feels fresh and bright in there.

I’ve borrowed this power washer from a friend (Hi Jess!) to clean up the outside of both houses, and then we’ll paint the exterior of the casita as well.

I’ve been letting Temo do most of the heavy lifting while I’m doing smaller projects like continuing to clear and weed the garden beds. Everything was so overgrown we didn’t even know what was underneath it all, and we uncovered some little treasures like this little burro and this ceramic pig planter. I love it!

I still have to buy some more tools like a drill and drill bits. The wooden fence needs to be shored up and I’m planning to clamp the wood together and reinforce it with wood screws. That will be a big project and very necessary.

I also want to repair or rebuild this walkway railing. It’s not strictly necessary but when I get a neighbor in the casita it would be nice for them. Seems not good to make things out of wood here outside. The rainy season just rots the wood and I’m thinking maybe metal would be better, at least on top of these posts.

All of these projects are in good timing because with the start of the dry season in October almost everything has gone into some hibernation and stopped growing so fast (except the bamboo!) and so there is less to do out in the gardens. Temo wants to work a lot so the casita renovation it is. 

Unfortunately for me, but good for them, the other good tradesmen and workers I know are all booked up right now and I’m having a hard time finding help for some of these projects. I did have an electrician come out and basically rewire the casita. Everything was working but it seemed pretty… well let’s just say it needed an update for reliability and safety. They also fixed the lights by the fountain and at the big gate. They will be coming back to restore the internet connection at the casita.

During initial renovations of the house there were sooo many wires everywhere and I assumed most were for the cameras hanging in every room and outside so we removed them. But one at least was a router to the casita to extend the internet connection so we have to repair that.

So, once the interior casita is painted and cleaned up, I need to assess what more furniture is needed there. I figure most people wanting to rent it might not have their own furniture and I’ll rent it furnished, or mostly furnished. 

Another trip to the furniture town of Cuanajo is coming! I also need to figure out curtains and kitchenware in there. I think I should have the gas guy come back to update the casita’s gas line and take a look at the plumbing. Everything is working, I just want to make sure it stays that way.

If you’ve contacted me about renting the casita I appreciate your interest! I don’t know when it will be ready. To be honest, living in Michoacan is not for everybody. Some people seem to expect that it would be like living in a resort town or somewhere people speak a lot of English, and that’s not the case here.

Another looming project is the “greenhouse”. It’s not a very good design. There was no way the pressure of the expanding dirt and plants in this planter would not pressure this plastic outward, and it’s coming apart. Might have to redesign the whole thing with cement blocks or something like that. If anyone has suggestions they are welcome in the comments!

Yesterday I heard crying outside the gate and went to see. It was an abandoned little puppy! Maybe 7 weeks? No neighbors had ever seen him before so I took him home and slowly introduced him to Viggo and Olive. Everyone was very excited at this new visitor!

Then I put him in a box with a blanket for a nap and went to work finding him a new home. I got on every local message board I could find and put his cute picture.

Yes, I really wanted to keep him, and I might have but for a young family in the neighborhood who wanted a new pet! I couldn’t believe he got a new home so fast! So I gave him to the family with a promise to help with vax and fixing later when he’s old enough.

 I would like another dog, it’s true. But the timing isn’t right and to be honest I’m a little worried about upsetting our happy home. A new dog might change the dynamics here and I don’t know if we are ready for that. Olive is a sensitive girl with some emotional issues so she might not accept a new puppy. So I let the little angel go.

Sometimes the day gives you something small and fragile, and then… just as quietly, it takes care of it.  This is one of the things I love about living in Mexico. Hard moments, beautiful moments, ordinary moments… it’s all here.

So that was today’s little miracle.

And then… we went out for dinner.

 I’ll leave you here with some video of the lovely Christmas lights. 

Thanks for coming along.