Casa Mascotas: INTRODUCTION & Staking and excavation

INTRODUCTION

February 2015,

I met Oscar on the Internet. We clicked immediately.

Oscar Chavez Orozco- architect/developer/builder had a home under construction and he did not hesitate to try to work with us to see if we can adapt/change elements already built to see if we can make the house work for us. His remarkable professionalism and competence made it an easy decision for us: we will have Oscar build our new home for us in Ajijic.

March 2015,

Jim and I flew to Mexico for a week, looked at a lot of homes in the Ajijic area, but nothing could accommodate our four pets needs and our requirements for living.

Towards the end of the stay, on a Friday, we had the day reserved for meeting Oscar.

Oscar shows up at our hotel on time and … with his mother, Lourdes.

I had no idea Oscar is 28 years old. I had no idea that his Mom is an accomplished architect, I had no idea his father is an accomplished engineer.

He is showing us some of his work. Magnificent, solid, classy, impressive…

On Sunday, we went to see a lot in upper Riberas. Lourdes, in boots and tape measure in hand, walks the lot every which way and comes back to me: “This lot is not good.”

Hopes to buy a lot before we leave (Monday afternoon) shattered… I say: “Lourdes if this lot is not good enough for you, it is not good enough for me either”.

Oscar, fully understanding the implications of the moment: “Ilana, for the last week, as I ride my bicycle to the gym, I saw in Lower Riberas a lot being cleared, I think it is for sale by owner.” Let’s go see it.

Love at first sight. All four of us liked it, Lourdes calls the owner, makes the deal.

She also makes the arrangements with a Notario, and on Monday morning, in Jocotopec we signed the purchase papers.

The bond and new friendship with Oscar and Lourdes was absolutely thrilling. We knew that moment we will be coming to Ajijic to “family”, not to a foreign and scary land.

We went back to Texas, and we had a lot on Avenida de la Riberas.

I work out an “American layout” and Oscar sends me his schematic for his layout.

I LOVED the concept of his layout immediately. His layout took into consideration ALL the elements of our previous conversation. It was just an easy task for me to finesse the layout…we had a winner!

Oscar Sr., the father, whom we didn’t meet in March, turns out to be total “soul mate” material for my husband Jim and I. He is into photography like Jim and into dogs, like me. A sophisticated gentleman, well read and fluently reading in English, Oscar Sr. is, a dog show judge and training his working Pointers (Perrasi and Holand) at the lake 3-4 times a week, then takes his Kayak out on the lake.

This soulful gentleman, without knowing us personally, offered to rent out to us, for the year of construction, one of his homes, right next to their house in La Floresta.

Mexico is waiting for us with wide-open arms!

In October 2015 we came to Mexico to be with our new Mexican family.

January 23, 2016
It is Saturday, but Oscar went to the lot and staked/chalked the house.
I just finished the last revisions to the plans on Autocad. I will give them to Oscar tomorrow on a USB.

January 24, 2016
Oscar came to the La Floresta house. We reviewed all the changes on the screen and I gave him the USB with the revisions for his "working drawings". Jim, myself, and Oscar, we all went to the site to see the plans laid out on the ground. Looks really nice.

The layout of the house —looks soooo small...

January 25, 2016

Monday. At 2 pm today Oscar started the excavation for the foundations. Jim and I went to the job site to see Earth being moved. Oscar is happy he found a lot or rock in the soil and did NOT hit any water. The soil is nice and black and smells delicious.