LIGHTS???

I am disappointed to not be writing more, continuing to tell the story of creating this house as it unfolds.

I really am. Throughout each day, I "write in my mind" and want to record this little moment, and that little moment. But I leave my cabin each morning and come home late afternoon dirty, hot and with little left.

I will say this: we are getting there. There are realizations, twists and turns, and each day a request to be 100% true and to stay focused on the goals, not the ego. The goals being: finishing the house beautifully and happily - for all involved.

So this means pivoting, not hanging on things like "but you told me that _____," It means Declaring the Essence of Joy over and over again. And Gratitude.

We are getting there.

Most of the house is stuccoed. We painted the big two outside walls early this week (18-year old Osvaldo doing a heck of a job and so sweet at refilling my paint tray when it was my turn) and I was so glad we started with those. These are the ones with no windows, the ones that lead to the two neighboring lots, one of which is sold. Even though I may rarely see them, I wanted to paint them to protect the walls (they are plastered but not stuccoed). The orange-ish yellow is pretty - and pretty bright - and the plan was to do a version of this for the inside-outside walls, meaning the outside walls that are inside the yard. Know what I mean?

While Osvaldo and I were doing this, the rest of the crew was applying stucco to these walls. Which is a work of love.

Well, as I walked around the house to get some water, I was stopped in my path seeing the BEAUTY of the white stucco covering the blocks. WOA. SO BEAUTIFUL. And so right there I knew that the house had to be white. The blue sky wants white, the jungle wants white and my heart wants white.

So Casa Sama will be white-with-a-hint-of-cream. With two orange walls out into the world, for now. Maybe it's a creamsicle?

Later that day, I asked if I could try my hand at the stucco. I can only watch other people play with mud for so long, you know. So I was shown. Jokes were made about me doing the whole house by myself, next time. I don't think so, dear god, but I sure am learning a lot.

(Be sure to click on the photo with the paint roller I was holding and see the bull)

And today. TODAY IS A HUGE DAY.

Today, it is very possible that we will turn on a lightbulb in the house.

Tyler and his team in coming at 10 and depending on how much really got down on the roof (I did not climb up there last night), we may be ready for them to do the magic.

The idea of Casa Sama getting electricity from the sun gives me all kinds of feelings and somewhere I still don't fully believe it is possible. Will we really be able to use an electric polisher? Get water to the tenaco with the pump? Make the fridge (which I am yet to get) hum?

So off we go. I will report on the miracle.
And keep writing in my head  - and taking photos.

SOLAR BATTERIES!

Oh. Also. I had been wondering for weeks now HOW the electric wires were going to work. Wow... what a trick.

PS: three months and one day today since we broke ground. With everything that happened (A LOT) I think we are doing pretty darn well,