tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69421786166046489452011-12-23T23:58:07.482-05:00J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.comBlogger891100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-41350317248884642332011-12-23T23:58:00.000-05:002011-12-23T23:58:07.492-05:00

Phew! We pulled off another Annual Holiday Boat Parade party. The night was cool (by Florida standards), and the chili was hot.  But mostly, we were warmed by having so many friends and neighbors join us at our home.  As usual, we cheered on the neighborhood boats as they cruised past our seawall.. We are always in awe and wonder of this event.  On nights like the those, we can't help feeling

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-11006497684098444122011-07-05T22:25:00.001-04:002011-07-06T10:35:37.242-04:00

"There's dolphins in the backyaaard!" is what I heard M. yelling, just as I started rolling down the driveway.  Say what?! I dropped my bike and sprinted around the house in time to see a two smooth silver dorsal fins breaking the surface just a few feet from our seawall.  Since one fin was mucho tinier that the other, we think it was a mom/baby pair.  Aww. In three years living at PMH we hadn't

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-39086747596905059502011-06-19T18:00:00.001-04:002011-07-06T17:08:56.221-04:00

Here's how our terrazo floors went from terrible to TERRIFIC in two days.  [Too rushed to read our harrowing tale? scroll down for before & after pics]  When we first saw our house, we were initially horrified that the freshly laid travertine tile floors only covered the main living areas, leaving the back 2 bedrooms with severly damaged terrazzo.  Perhaps the previous owner was gonna put carpet

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-80554638196122231202011-01-19T00:31:00.000-05:002011-01-19T00:31:57.938-05:00

And the award goes to...well, apparently us?!  Aww, shucks. We were smitten as a kitten to be awarded a place of honor on this list of Top 50 Green Construction blogs.  Thanks for thinking of us, and we hope to live up to that honor.  We have spent the past 3 years working hard to make our home a lil' greener, and it hasn't exactly been a glamourous process.   Exhibit A: Many weekends spent

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-26585138961675455062010-12-29T00:36:00.001-05:002010-12-29T00:42:23.228-05:00

1st day back to work realization: Christmas 2010 was a blur.  Maybe it was that we didn't manage to get days off before Christmas Eve, or maybe it was just that life moves so quickly.   We managed to put up some holiday cheer at the last minute, both inside... and out... On the day of our 3rd annual backyard holiday boat parade party (say that ten times fast!), the neighborhood association

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-14338812421897861892010-12-23T00:28:00.002-05:002010-12-23T10:25:13.372-05:00

On December 20, 2010, we lost a four-legged family member: Elmo.  He lived here at Pacha Mama House for many months, impishly eating our socks and fervently protecting us from the FedEx guy.  He is already very much missed."Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored, Each step of the way." About a year ago, Elmo and I ran a 1-mile charity race known as The Jingle Run; it's a fundraiser for

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-19635686200380377282010-11-23T00:05:00.000-05:002010-11-23T00:05:44.897-05:00

We are sew lazy.  Long, long ago, we picked up the IKEA Trolig (a simple tension rod) and placed it in our kitchen window like this...   For many weeks, it sat awaiting the completion of House Project #852: hand-sewn custom curtains to frame the sun-streaked kitchen window.  The bare window just taunted me, daring me to cover it up. One day, when I could no longer stand my own procrastination, I

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-78113281001835803872010-11-03T00:53:00.002-04:002010-11-03T22:15:28.347-04:00

Is it possible to fall in love with a beach one weekend and then another beach the next? Sure is.  Not long after visiting Ft. DeSoto, we traveled to another breathtaking Florida State Park: Caladesi Island.  Off the coast of Dunedin, FL, this park is accessed only by marine vessel.  Packing up our nephew C. and a picnic cooler bursting with  peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, we waited

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-18413432998686711162010-10-18T23:00:00.005-04:002010-10-19T12:33:26.196-04:00

Today, I felt the slightest chill in a tank top - a sign of Autumn in Florida. It's hard to believe that just over a month ago, we were sweating bullets at Ft. DeSoto Beach. If you haven't been there, locals will *gasp* in shock that you haven't discovered this Florida gem. It's true, there is much to do: campsites, biking trails, bird watching, kayaking, paddle-boarding, reef snorkeling, and the

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-15279036596023316842010-10-13T00:28:00.006-04:002010-10-13T09:46:21.723-04:00

"Adirondack" has many meanings: it's a mountain range, it's a park, it's even a canoe race (thanks, Wikipedia). But around here, adirondack means just one thing : the best lil' chair we could hope for. Here's a pair that recently followed us home from Home Depot.Without much coaxing, they made themselves right at home on the canal. They like it here so much, they may never leave our dock. And

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-54492687070020816592010-09-13T23:18:00.008-04:002010-09-14T11:04:13.868-04:00

As many mornings as possible, I try to enjoy a mini-moment of life on the bay. Sometimes, it's just a peek out the back window to catch a glimpse of the high tide. But on leisurely mornings, it's a slow stroll - coffee cup in hand - all the way down to the end of our dock. The experience is always the same and always different. This morning, I discovered someone had fresh crab for breakfast. It

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-90178963286223525652010-09-01T22:38:00.010-04:002010-09-01T23:46:48.558-04:00

On a recent trip to Indian Rocks Beach, M. and I intended only to swim, play, and soak up some Vitamin D. Under a bright Florida sun, we walked hand-in-hand appreciating the natural wonder of a less-touristy beach. There, amidst the usual seashells and shrieking children, we came across a reminder that life finds a way... From May 1st through October 31st, Sea Turtles make homes out of the sand

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-71513153890480512682010-07-26T23:34:00.005-04:002010-07-26T23:50:38.160-04:00

We're in hot water. Or warm water. Or cool water. Our new outdoor solar shower gives us the choice of all three. With my encouragement, (okay...whining), M. agreed to finally hook up this bad boy pool-side for quick rinses. So far, it works great before our swims and after beach trips. The relentless Florida sun heats up water directly from the hose and voila!A temperature control knob keeps

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-37002251941549378192010-06-21T23:48:00.004-04:002010-06-22T00:03:05.708-04:00

Welcome back Summer! We've missed you... Your long days of sun and fun.Guess M. couldn't wait to dive-in.Here he is startling our local fish.

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-73010075912295197402010-06-02T00:28:00.010-04:002010-06-02T01:16:07.388-04:00

On this long holiday weekend, we hopped down to a destination wedding for our good friends P. & N. The Ritz-Carlton in Montego Bay, Jamaica was wedding central. The happy couple chose the perfect setting -- sunset on the beach.A beach wedding has the best views...AND. Since it was our 1st time in Jamaica, we decided to make have a little fun in the sun: with some beach volleyball (that's M. on

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-30592734801431058462010-04-19T00:17:00.009-04:002010-04-19T01:06:09.013-04:00

Nestled in the Upper Tampa Bay Park, is a kayaking treasure: Double Branch Creek. We recently explored their 6.5 mile water trail spanning fresh, brackish and saltwater. By joining up with Osprey Bay Outdoors, a local kayak company, we were able to navigate deep into the mangrove trails with no worrys about getting lost. The Hillsborough County-run park even has a nature center adjacent to the

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-78632155172062731342010-03-20T23:39:00.016-04:002010-03-21T00:22:56.668-04:00

The first day of Spring 2010 lived up to its expectation - warm, sunny weather under a cloudless sky. It was too beautiful to stay inside. After a few hours of house-projects, we rewarded ourselves with a lil' boat ride to Old Tampa Bay. On the way, we met these two crazy characters... One decided to grab food while we were watching. Gulp-gulp. Turns out we have something in common with

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-32031483779500185062010-03-11T10:42:00.018-05:002010-03-14T22:11:26.892-04:00

Life on the water means we have a never ending supply of wet swimsuits and soggy towels floating around. The greenest solution is a good old "air dry." But finicky Florida weather has too much surprise sprinkling (aka. monsoon-like rain that comes outta nowhere). We scratched our heads for a solution that would prevent endlessly running our dryer, while avoiding the not-so-elegant look of wet

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-48666612438501909802010-03-07T23:07:00.007-05:002010-03-11T10:41:54.469-05:00

We'd like to think we were THIS close to being on the TV show Yard Crashers that airs on DIY Network. Last week, the local paper announced a casting call for this amazing makeover show that gives homeowners a team of landscapers and a big budget. Even hardcore DIYers like us aren't usually at the hardware store by 8:30am. But this Sunday, we got up early, packed up the netbook with pics of our

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-73543130090442282422010-02-21T21:55:00.009-05:002010-02-22T00:31:44.631-05:00

Another project about 97.2%(*) done! We painted, we improvised...oh, and we created an entry/hall closet where none existed. From start to finish, it took many steps: HVAC installed in the hall closetinstalled white bifold door to hide energy star air conditioning unit covered up the hole in the ceiling with a return register repaired and painted the broken triminstalled/painted 3 solid core

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-31716920711108923492010-01-25T22:44:00.011-05:002010-01-26T00:51:27.694-05:00

This past Sunday, with much of the dead fish washed away, we decided to venture into new waters. We purchased a new kayak saddle that mounts onto the bike rack, and up went Paxi & Inti to the roof for their first real car ride. Uff!After about 35 minutes, we arrived at the small peninsular War Veteran's Memorial Park in St. Petersburg, FL. It boasts a small seashell crusted kayak/canoe launch

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-72002431852859983682010-01-17T18:28:00.008-05:002010-01-18T16:21:28.680-05:00

It's back. The warm and sunny weather that makes this place Paradise. Some people rejoiced in the reprieve of cool weather. But for local marine life, the temporary frost meant a major hit to its population. The Tampa Bay waters so infrequently reach these low temps, that many fish were frozen in a stupor, swimming erratically, or ultimately killed. The thaw finally came this weekend, and so many

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-30373196105055352282010-01-03T21:39:00.012-05:002010-01-04T20:36:19.588-05:00

We (along with a couple guests) waved buh-bye to 2009 from the bubbling warmth of our hot tub. It was a year of demos and renos -- and we don't just mean the house. We put so many things aside to help family and friends in need. A couple months later, we did the same thing again. All the while, our jobs, our house projects and all of life's other obligations took more of our energy and attention

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-61603376948845159022009-12-25T15:25:00.011-05:002009-12-25T22:07:03.622-05:00

Somewhere amidst the rush-rush-rush of the Holidaze, we try to have a little bit of chill time, so we can reflect on how Christmas snuck up on us (again)...like it does every year. In Tampa, there is no "nip" in the air to give us a hint, nor morning ice to scrape off our cars. Today's 70-ish degree weather couldn't be more different than the snow-covered winters of our childhoods. Yet Christmas

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-85983887329095906922009-12-13T21:57:00.014-05:002009-12-13T23:10:35.160-05:00

Nutin' says Florida Christmas like a holiday boat parade. Our 'hood hosts an annual one, and we're lucky enough to be on the last canal of the parade route. This year, we decided to mark the occasion by having a lil' viewing party (as if we needed an excuse to host dear friends & neighbors. ha!) Saturday night, just before 9pm, we all scooted down to the seawall to watch in wonder and awe. Our

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-83105117710695000202009-11-27T01:13:00.008-05:002009-11-27T02:01:48.099-05:00

It's our first time hosting T-day at Pacha Mama House. We had so much to be thankful for.Gracias for a kitchen with family and friends... Gracias for warm & sunny Florida weather...Gracias for happy moments... Gracias for a delicious meal...

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-37402132573892203742009-11-16T21:36:00.005-05:002009-11-16T22:25:32.373-05:00

Many months ago, our neighbors told us a tale of a canoe trip where they discovered a lagoon hidden in the nearby mangrove preserve. We never forgot this story. After bringing home Inti & Paxi (our new yaks), we knew we would seek out this lagoon. This weekend, we packed up the yaks and set out on that quest... M. had a rough start getting into his kayak. He lost his balance and SpLoOsH!

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-17617285536062331462009-11-09T22:28:00.010-05:002009-11-09T23:15:04.148-05:00

Welcome home kayaks. We hemmed. We hawed. We won't ever look back. Our local kayak retailer Wind-n-Watersports made our 1st kayak purchase ez-peazy. We have simple needs, but we love all the little details we got: self-bailing, sit-on-top style, with a bungeed cargo area for storage, paddle rests on both sides, fold-down seat backs, and cup holders -- we luv us sum cup holders. They nest for ez

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-91602456612521333982009-11-06T00:30:00.011-05:002009-11-06T01:31:04.465-05:00

1st time making a metal sculpture...ok, 1st time making ANY sculpture. In the process, I gained aching hands and mucho respect for anyone who works with metal. It all started when M. decided to finally remove a mud-covered rope that was tied onto our seawall (yup, it's been there all this time). At the other end of that rope, we found a flat crushed derelict crabtrap that had been abandoned for

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-61520705342151223782009-10-26T00:08:00.009-04:002009-10-26T00:34:39.017-04:00

We got a dock! Thanks to the miracle of Craigslist, we are the proud owners of a 8 x 12 floating dock with catwalk. Although it happened sooner than originally planned, we are now wondering how we went so long without one. Does this happen to others too? Like we needed something else to encourage more procrastination (from our house to-do projects)…the dock bobs in the water, chairs at the ready,

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-13809973332328911302009-10-19T00:03:00.011-04:002009-10-19T12:06:54.273-04:00

After moving to Tampa, one of M.'s 1st purchases was a copy of One Tank Trips, a book based on the local news series of daytrips that could be reached with one tank (or less) of gas. Inspired by the idea that living in Florida meant we could vacation here too, we've spent some time exploring off-the-beaten-path Florida. This past weekend, we hit the road w/a half tank o’ gas. Destination: Anna

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-57310947679431166112009-10-15T22:43:00.006-04:002009-10-15T23:23:54.686-04:00

Tampa isn't known as the greenest city. Actually, it's ranked pretty low compared to other cities. But there's hope! Last weekend Tampa held the Going Green Tampa Bay Expo 2009. On the first day of the expo, author/actor/environmental activist Ed Begley, Jr. was signing copies of his two latest green publications. We made it to the Expo on its 2nd day and perused a variety of eco-vendors ranging

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-86013694924314570012009-10-09T23:33:00.007-04:002009-10-10T00:19:07.656-04:00

Where one road ends, another one begins. In one day, I went from the height of the Andes mountains in Bolivia...... to the sandy horizon of the Gulf Coast. Beyond the extreme topographical contrast, I felt a huge mental shift as I traded my wool socks for flip flops. To celebrate my return, M. took me to Honeymoon Island - a gem among Florida's state parks that features a 4-mile beach, protected

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-58148343389872168382009-10-06T22:17:00.007-04:002009-10-06T22:36:55.713-04:00

We need your help and we need your votes! A few months ago, our big patio makeover landed us the honor of being the 1st winners in the summer-long DIY contest over at One Project Closer. Now, all of the weekly winners (including us) are in the running to win an even bigger prize: a $150 gift card to a home improvement store. We’re not usually so competitive, but a gift card is at stake here -- a

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-79598790154936006552009-10-02T20:45:00.004-04:002009-10-02T21:03:01.459-04:00

I came to my mother's to help with her own health, not her cat's. So when the veterinarian looked at me to make an irreversible decision, I deferred to her. Despite the tears streaking her face, she gave her consent, rather than live with the knowledge of Nowy's suffering. He was named Snowy for his all-white fur, but we all knew him as Nowy. He lived a long and exciting life, scampering from the

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-69161824843312404182009-09-25T19:46:00.004-04:002009-09-25T20:03:39.411-04:00

Urmiri, BO - Despite the un-paved bumpy mountain path and the occasional delay of llamas crossing the road, I found the trip to aguas calientes (hot springs) at Urmiri to be well worth the effort. I spent a day in these hot waters and my muscles continue to thank me. Bolivians from all over the country travel to the resort at Hotel Gloria to enjoy this natural swimming hole and thermal pools,

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-35894191546252007752009-09-20T19:26:00.005-04:002009-09-21T19:36:53.010-04:00

Mallasa, BO - A bird pooped on me today. I was grumpy as I looked up to face my offender. When I realized it was a bird's nest, I softened my scowl. The nest reminded me that tomorrow (September 21st) is the 1st day of Spring in Bolivia. Of course it's also the 1st day of Autumn back home in Tampa, FL. Oddly, Autumn in Tampa is warmer than Spring in La Paz. I took my mom and aunt to the annual

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-56119691706464177272009-09-18T19:06:00.005-04:002009-09-21T19:38:12.796-04:00

Jupapina, BO - Hello, exhaustion; I was wondering when you would show up. Even though my trip is wrapping up, so many weeks of climbing scary steep hills, gasping at cold oxygen-thin air, and the troubles on my mind... it finally caught up to me. In the way of requiring some serious resting in bed and letting my physical and emotional batteries recharge. At least I have this view to enjoy: the

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-1394181047678286112009-09-11T20:34:00.004-04:002009-09-11T21:08:56.929-04:00

La Paz, BO - Around 11am, a magical thing happens in La Paz: people of all ages spill into Salteñerias to enjoy hot salteñas (kinda like a small bolivian meat pie with sweet dough). I like to refer to this as 2nd brekky. Most salteñas have either beef or chicken filling, but this Bolivian girl hunted down a vegetarian option (yippee!). I also discovered that "El Hornito" [translation: The

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-26699342461625883912009-09-09T19:11:00.007-04:002009-09-10T01:34:02.251-04:00

Lake Titicaca, BO - Nestled within the mountain range that makes up the Bolivia-Peru border is the world´s highest navigable lake. A 3 hr bus ride from La Paz brings tourists, vendors, and devout believers to Copacabana, a small town at the mouth of Lake Titicaca. Copacabana´s main attraction is the enormous white-washed Church that was created after a local indigenous man sighted a dark-skinned

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-60505197212214946362009-09-07T19:16:00.005-04:002009-09-09T23:57:27.988-04:00

Mallasa, BO - Just outside the city limits of La Paz, is the quaint town of Mallasa. It´s uninterrupted mountain views and sunny outdoor restaurants make it a popular weekend haunt for locals and a respite for chilled tourists. As for me, I can be often be found at the Hotel Oberland. As if the yummy restaurant and bubbling hot tub weren´t enough, the biggest draw for me are the sprawling gardens

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-50407981842570340912009-09-05T19:41:00.008-04:002009-09-05T21:31:41.057-04:00

La Paz,BO – Saturday is the big ¨market¨ or shopping day for most Bolivians. The tall downtown buildings couldnt block out all of the strong Andean sun today. I was grateful for the break from several days of wind & cold. As usual, the cobblestone streets of Mercado Rodriguez were crowded and noisy. Amidst the constant buzz of shoppers bargaining, I wound my way to what has become one of my

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-88567515312717379982009-09-02T14:59:00.005-04:002009-09-02T15:15:01.342-04:00

M. recently completed one of the most important tasks to date: a Pacha Mama offering (a house blessing). August is the official month of Pacha Mama (Mother Earth). During this time Bolivians from all walks of life celebrate a very old ritual: to ask Pacha Mama to bless their home and in return they give a modest offering to the Earth. Bolivians wait patiently in long lines outside of vendor

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-24206169088556711712009-08-30T16:05:00.004-04:002009-08-30T16:28:50.694-04:00

La Paz, BO – I was as suprised as anyone to learn that Bolivia will become the key to increasing production of electric and hybrid cars. Bolivia = “The Saudi Arabia of lithium?” As it turns out, Bolivia holds the world’s largest reserve of lithium – a metal that is essential for the batteries that power electric/hybrid vehicles. So, what's the hold up? Well, the lack of production plants and

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-90898966282398532992009-08-26T17:19:00.004-04:002009-08-26T20:38:36.093-04:00

La Paz, BO – It’s 5 o’clock somewhere…actually in La Paz, Bolivia. Happy hour here translates to everyone cramming into the nearest café for a ritual caffeine fix of tea or coffee. Why did it take me so long to discover a “cappuccino light” – they are made with soymilk. Ahh, soymilk, my long lost friend. How I missed you! Oh, and a warm croissant with chocolate filling (a specialty at Alexander

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-29984803178589488322009-08-23T15:35:00.007-04:002009-08-26T20:40:40.133-04:00

La Paz, BO: Since I'm temporarily based overseas to help my mom w/ her health, here's the 1st of some short (travel) blog posts I'm writing in a postcard format.I couldn’t pass up a Pacha Mama movie! Pacha mama’s gift, known by it’s Spanish title El Regalo de Pachamama is an indie film that recently premiered here in La Paz, Bolivia. Japanse director Toshifumi Matsushita tells the story of a

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-47405688805675739332009-08-07T22:47:00.008-04:002009-08-12T23:29:35.383-04:00

Just over the 1-yr mark of house ownership, we are proud of what's been accomplished. As for what’s left to do...our feelings change from "it's so daunting" to "it’s so exciting." Do other homeowners have these mixed feeling too? Meanwhile, J. has recently left for Bolivia to take care of her mom for a bit, leaving M. to face an ever-growing honey-do list. DECISIONS: to hold-off on further

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-11021970517223108412009-08-01T15:54:00.012-04:002009-08-12T23:19:27.855-04:00

Have you seen PMH around? We’re not paparrazi-dodgin-famous, but Pacha Mama House has been havin’ her 15 seconds o’ fame. She’s recently been featured here and there:Young House Love (July 2009). Since J. is notorious for drooling over the “Reader Redesigns” submissions over at the very popular blog Young House Love blog, she sent in our patio pics to Sherry & John and crossed her fingers.One

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-67168971167101665712009-07-21T20:15:00.004-04:002009-07-21T21:04:48.739-04:00

Pacha Mama House is our baby…and she just turned one! J. and I celebrated by having a first birthday party and challenging our neighbors to a quiz game about some “firsts” at PMH. Let’s see how many questions y’all can get right…the answers at the end of this post:1. Who was the FIRST to accidentally fall off the Pacha Mama House seawall and into the canal? J. or M.?2. Who was the FIRST to need

M - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03106161224844142859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-61199814408543574312009-07-06T23:32:00.006-04:002009-07-07T23:48:16.283-04:00

Pacha Mama House is quickly approaching her first birthday! We are scrambling to finish renovation projects we hoped would have been done months ago. But then life happened. Oh, and delays. MANY unforeseen delays. Oh well. At least now we are now the proud owners of …wait for it… TWO fully functional bathrooms and a beautiful new planter bed (no plants in it yet, but that is coming – really it is

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-60593772746379640252009-06-23T00:08:00.014-04:002009-07-03T18:51:30.278-04:00

Our little boat completed it's maiden voyage to Bahama Breeze, one of our fave waterfront restaurants in Tampa. We were nervous to go out on the open bay in our electric-pedal boat. First, we super-charged J's cell phone, placed it in a water-tight case and packed a cooler with emergency rations (sunblock and gatorade). Next, we threw the solar-panel on the back of the boat to supplement the

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-47159844083087947862009-06-08T23:26:00.006-04:002009-06-08T23:52:17.734-04:00

The past few weeks have been busy around Pacha Mama House, but you might not know it to look at all the house projects still left to do. Ha! J. went on a 4-day road trip from Plattsmouth, Nebraska to Tampa Florida and came back with her sister, and canine-nephew (Elmo) and canine-niece (Zoe). The arrival of houseguests was a definite motivator to get a few more things checked off the big ol’

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-74883449358512671412009-06-01T00:49:00.004-04:002009-06-01T01:12:36.886-04:00

We saw manatees! Although some neighbors had mentioned past manatee sightings, after 8 months we had almost lost hope of spotting one…until Saturday. While M. was working in the backyard, he heard a giant SPLOOSHING noise behind him. He turned in time to see a full size gray marine mammal swimming about 20 feet from our yard and began yelling “MANATEES! MANATEES!” My sister and I ran to the

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-5482769196911983212009-05-17T21:38:00.015-04:002009-06-04T16:46:35.944-04:00

We did it: da patio redo! When we moved in, our backyard patio was an unappealing mix of concrete slab, bricks, and mismatched stepping-stones. After the brick layer was removed, we discovered more concrete slab underneath. In order to fit our 14 ft long swimspa, our contractor had to extend the patio by pouring yet another four feet of concrete. Yech! We hated the idea of our backyard turning

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-61461735065118789152009-05-13T00:15:00.015-04:002009-05-13T00:50:05.905-04:00

We got a boat! Since the day we closed on our house nearly 10 months ago, we dared to dream of someday owning a small, uncomplicated boat that would fulfill our coastal dreams… The big gas-guzzling vessels were never an option, as we didn’t think they would go with our environmentally-friendly house. We Googled, researched, and Googled some more until finally agreeing on the Pelican Energy DLX

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-73833746767305525442009-05-04T23:31:00.003-04:002009-05-05T00:04:32.655-04:00

Yipee! In 3 days, the IKEA Tampa store will have it's official grand opening. Last friday IKEA opened its doors for local media folk, then Saturday it opened for "friends & family" of IKEA staff -- yours truly was drooling at these friends/family preview passes being hawked on Craigslist ($35 ea!), although one of my lucky co-workers had a legitimate pass to go :) And finally...FINALLY on

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-13653012617071116522009-04-26T23:26:00.007-04:002009-04-26T23:45:31.454-04:00

As it turns out, me and the Cyprus trees don’t get along so well. The past couple weekends have been busy with allergies, social outings, imprompto trip to IKEA-Orlando and belated travel plans to South Beach. Home renovations returned to the back burner, so this is admittedly a skimpy post. DECISIONS: changed our mind about patio pad paint color…is now a sandy color; decided to create a

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-70451548396146846582009-04-08T23:44:00.009-04:002009-04-09T21:29:08.680-04:00

DA HOUSE IS GREEN! We admit it. We've long been been itching to own a house we could paint any color we pleased. In fact, while house hunting, we made ran in the opposite direction of "deed-restricted" abodes and home-owners associations that might restrict our God-given right to paint our house purple and orange polka dots. Okay, we never intended to be so dramatic, but we did dream of a house

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-28698543349380328152009-04-06T22:45:00.004-04:002009-04-06T23:08:02.700-04:00

Tempting, eh? With interest rates dropping lower and lower, we suddenly find ourselves with the option of refinancing our mortgage and dropping our monthly payment. The catch is that our many projects-in-progress need to be 100% complete. In particular the two bathrooms need to be done. This has us scrambling to finish things up so we can schedule an appraisal to facilitate our

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-73361426767770112262009-03-17T00:10:00.002-04:002009-03-17T00:17:30.152-04:00

Upon arriving home from our South American travels, M. got sick with a lung infection and I got back to back sick with a bacterial infection and then a sinus infection. It’s so frustrating to realize that when you are sick, all house renovations come to a screeching halt. After two weeks of antibiotics, cough suppressants and trying to make up missed hours at work, we are sick and tired of

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-24511806777833579972009-03-16T23:54:00.006-04:002009-03-17T00:09:24.344-04:00

Back from CARNAVAL! As many of you know my family is from Bolivia…and my mom moved back there years ago during her retirement. On our 2nd trip to Bolivia together, M and I wanted to spend quality time with mom … oh and also to dance a little bit. We spent most of our time around the bustling city of La Paz, enjoying vibrant streetmarkets, Bolivian bakeries (yum!), pre-Inca ruin sites, and of

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-41425139351097447032009-02-11T00:29:00.006-05:002009-02-11T01:15:51.651-05:00

As some of our friends have pointed out, this is our longest gap between blogposts...whoops. Although Tampa has been a hotspot lately with the Superbowl and Gasparilla festival going on, we have been avoiding the tourist-trap excitement and instead hunkered down at Pacha Mama house. Each weekend I have attempted to sit down and write a blog post and then I get sucked into reading all the other

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-42848206881627018512009-01-12T22:51:00.005-05:002009-01-12T23:06:11.937-05:00

We have started the new year with projects new and old...After saying goodbye to 2008, we also said goodbye to the end of an era: Permitting! At my insistence (and loving reminders), M. arranged for our final electrical inspection and we passed! Yay for Pacha Mama House! The next most urgent thing to do was to get rid of the awful permit box that was bolted to a window shutter - yuck. Total

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-52496952610065030342009-01-04T17:34:00.008-05:002009-01-04T23:01:32.015-05:00

Our first Holiday season at Pacha Mama House was quite eventful. We hosted a small party at our home and since we do not yet have any interior doors, we had to direct people to “the first curtain on the left” when they needed a restroom! Ha! Amazingly, nobody seemed to mind and the biggest surprise of the party was the neighborhood holiday boat parade that coincided on the same night. We spent

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-16437107510308155622008-12-22T00:31:00.003-05:002008-12-22T00:39:16.421-05:00

It’s gone. It’s really gone! When we purchased Pacha Mama House, she was the biggest eyesore on the block – everyone knows that. What is less known is that Pacha Mama had a secret on her seawall – the late 70s derelict vessel. At nearly 22 feet long, you could not miss this boat. Although large and outfitted with a cutty cabin, the boat was abandoned and neglected for many harsh years. With much

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-9642628429963989362008-12-10T00:08:00.003-05:002008-12-10T00:20:38.252-05:00

Although we were home visiting DC over the Thanksgiving weekend, we nevertheless have thrown ourselves back into house renovations to get Pacha Mama all gussied for 2009! On a cheery note, Pacha Mama House received a surprised visitor – no, not the TV producers at HGTV (I won’t give up though!), rather it was one of our neighbors. She gifted us with grapefruits and avocados as big as your head!

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-41210517288650625622008-12-01T10:09:00.005-05:002008-12-01T12:32:41.628-05:00

Today was supposed to be the day..the day we would bid a bon voyage to our derelict vessel. But it was not to be. It was, however, the day that I fell in the canal. There were no injuries, but I did have to say goodbye to an old pair of shoes and socks, and a bit of my pride. The mud next to the sea-wall is deep, and gunked up the socks & shoes beyond saving. I was already laughing by the

M - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03106161224844142859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-21653826579355147562008-11-19T23:55:00.007-05:002008-11-20T10:35:59.283-05:00

CRUNCH. That was the sound of J's car being totalled. Recovery from a motor vehicle collision and the ensuing hunt for a (nu)sed car have kept us very busy lately. Life doesn't stop just because you're renovating your house. There is no courtesy pause in the universe's plan that allows you time to work on priming baseboards until you are done and then let you rejoin your destiny. Grr. In addition

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-49673927125212932992008-10-26T23:17:00.005-04:002008-10-27T00:04:03.077-04:00

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a swimspa in the sky! Our swimspa was delivered and installed and is so much more than we imagined. We first spotted a swimspa about a year ago at a local homeshow and have been obsessed with owning one ever since. It is an 8ft x 15 ft hot tub/pool hybrid. If you can’t decide between a pool for fitness or a hot tub for relaxation, then you are just as indecisive as

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-57327266398721845362008-10-09T23:24:00.002-04:002008-10-10T00:10:02.193-04:00

Weeks 12&13 have been a blur of unfinished projects and preparing to for da big move out and move-in. We rushed to paint the ginormous Master suite, since we planned to make that the first “livable room” and first completed project. On this past weekend (moving weekend), M. and I each took some time off from work. M. cleaned up the power tools, construction materials and other random things and

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-65429586424767994452008-09-24T23:34:00.003-04:002008-09-25T00:09:16.357-04:00

These 2 weeks are rolled together since we were starting to fall behind on postings. Lately, our time has been occupied with lots of travel, work and another IKEA Orlando trip…phew! Our move-in date is looming closer so we are going to have to pick up the pace on pre-move in tasks. DECISIONS: We found a local countertop and installer! After comparing several green countertop options, we decided

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-65126826559741419522008-09-14T14:49:00.006-04:002008-09-14T22:46:19.783-04:00

Sorry, for the belated postings! But we've been busy renovating a house! In week 9, M. dragged me out of bed at 8 AM on a Saturday morning to three local workshops: "Compost Happens" "Water-wise" and "Rainbarrels." The workshops were each one hour long and completely free for Hillsborough County residents, including materials and goodies. The composting workshop covered how to use your yard and

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-49447172836809236172008-09-03T00:28:00.003-04:002008-09-03T01:16:35.379-04:00

Everyone has one. For J., it was 7th grade...lanky limbs and metal braces and a futile desire for "cool clothes"... For M. it was the flat hair and oversized glasses that plagued him throughout the 9th grade. For Pacha Mama House, it is this current phase. This past week, half of the house's front face was ripped off as we attempt to restore an unattractive and questionably enclosed front porch

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-81717737012787381312008-08-25T11:58:00.011-04:002008-08-26T23:45:49.058-04:00

Week 7! Phew...we are creeping up on the two month mark! EEK! We spent a ridiculous amount of time stressing about a mistake on our new Home Depot credit card when we were charged twice for one door. Grr! M. and I marched in to the customer service desk ready for battle and were pleasantly surprised that the mistake was quickly and easily corrected. Yay! Meanwhile, an even greater victory is that

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-65764572087978492612008-08-14T08:54:00.005-04:002008-08-18T13:25:11.498-04:00

Week 6 seemed monumentous in progress. Our greatest acheivement was passing our electrical inspection (props to our electrican from Diamond Electric for getting us there!). Meanwhile, the electric-meter fairy dropped off a power meter and M. had the honor of hitting the switch and TA-DAH...lights came on! A ceiling fan started swirling and we were in complete awe! Five weeks without power will do

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-71628170137143831522008-08-13T21:09:00.005-04:002008-08-13T22:59:44.838-04:00

It's been just over a month now and progress slogs on. The lack of power has delayed our contractor from doing much more than installing a few windows. Given that several windows were previously just a tacked-up piece of plywood, we are actually quite excited about the availability of natural light! This was the last weekend that I had to help with the house for a while. Next weekend, I'll be

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-89357514102832910102008-08-11T15:12:00.007-04:002008-08-12T00:34:55.342-04:00

WE HIT A WATER PIPE! Late Sunday night, M. is working on installing my IKEA kitchen. One minute, he was trying to nail the cabinet railings into the wall stud and the next minute...WHAM-O! Water is spouting like Old Faithful! Meanwhile, I'm oblivious and back at our nice, clean and DRY apartment when the phone rings. It is M. yellin something about hitting a water pipe and tellin me to call an

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-6373618494120369162008-08-08T08:30:00.004-04:002008-08-08T12:29:26.107-04:00

The results are in! Country Home magazine just published a "green" ranking of the 379 metropolitan areas in the U.S. The order was calculated on data in several areas, including air and watershed quality, mass transit usage, power usage, farmers markets, organic producers, and number of green-certified buildings. Where do Florida's metro areas stand? Not as high as I would like, but here is how

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-35480111654430910472008-08-03T17:57:00.008-04:002008-08-04T11:36:06.665-04:00

This week M. discovered a small squirrel family taking up residence in the eaves of our roof. There are several entry points under the eaves where the original wood is missing planks. Apparently, summertime is a "peak" time for squirrel baby-making and so now we have a nest...ay! Meanwhile the bee's honeyfarm continues to thrive...Pacha Mama is turning into quite the animal house and we haven't

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-56918794058997443862008-07-31T22:41:00.018-04:002008-12-09T02:52:57.986-05:00

Our appliances arrived! Since Pacha Mama house was mid-renovation when we bought her, the old appliances were long gone and we never knew them. M. and I are proud to say we were able to meet our goal: all new energy-star kitchen and laundry appliances on a tight budget. How did we do it? Careful research, planning, and smart shopping…we were even able to splurge on nicer models and extra features

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-15192052042952900442008-07-27T22:14:00.012-04:002008-12-09T02:52:58.314-05:00

Week 3: "Permit" was the buzzword o' da week. M. made a grand total of 3 trips to the local permitting office in vain attempts to restore an electrical meter to our house. The house flipper who previously owned our house (prior to the bank owning it of course), had pulled an electrical permit, done 90% of the electrical work, never got a final inspection and thus the permit expired. Now we come

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-77044354349019859162008-07-22T09:10:00.008-04:002008-12-09T02:52:58.437-05:00

Week 2 was even harder than week 1 (and I'm just putting up this post on TUE instead of Sun since I went to my hometown DC to party). But we are learning...always learning...yup, going to keep telling myself that! Week 2 Progress:DECISIONS: Picked a local contractor (rated "A" on Angie's list) to help us with some of the major projects; researched and picked a "Bee Removal Specialist" who does a

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-57860375312160165682008-07-21T22:08:00.014-04:002008-12-09T02:52:58.816-05:00

While reading through Houseblogs.net, we just found out about a contest (Story Here) to win a TrueValue Hardware store (http://www.startrightstarthere.com/) gift card for $300! Yippee! I love winning stuff and I love bragging about my hubby M., so here goes... Our fave DIY project is part of our first home - an 830 sq ft 2BR/2BA condo in Austin, TX which we loving renovated from 2005-2007. The

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-74781600269451022822008-07-19T21:35:00.012-04:002008-12-09T02:52:59.187-05:00

With J out of town for the weekend, I was left to deal with solo yardwork. After last weekend, I was definitely not looking forward to this. I bought a trimmer/edger. Still no power at the house, so I got a cordless trimmer - a Black and Decker 18V Grasshog. My tool set uses the same batteries so it was the best fit. After trimming the edges and some rogue weeds, I pulled the reel mower out and

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-42206806122097892822008-07-18T15:10:00.016-04:002008-12-09T02:52:59.502-05:00

As we approached closing, the bank stopped maintaining the lawn. Not that I really blame them, as it's an extra expense on a house they are already losing money on, but it posed a problem for J. & I. By closing day, the lawn that had been neglected for several weeks (see pic), and the house was starting look abandoned (again!). Decision time, we've got a lawn...now what? We figured our options

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-43397838454173922142008-07-13T22:19:00.008-04:002008-12-09T02:52:59.846-05:00

It has been a loooong week! We are both so proud of what we accomplished and yet there is still more we wanted to get done by the end of this first week. Week 1 accomplishments:DECISIONS: signed contract with roofers for Energy Star white shingle roof and an Energy Star "Solatube" (tubular skylight)LABOR: M. mowed our front lawn (which featured 3 ft tall blades of grass)MAJOR PURCHASES: kitchen

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-48847022786557249832008-07-08T09:48:00.012-04:002008-12-09T02:52:59.978-05:00

Today we woke up and our first thought was: WE OWN A HOUSE! YAY! Our second thought was: WE OWN A FIXER- UPPER! YIKES! What did we get ourselves into? Has 5 years of watching HGTV given us the delusion that we actually know what we are doing?! Last night, M. bought a celebratory bouquet of flowers for J. and had romantic thoughts of picniking in our new house, except that there is no electrical

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-58131438624807833412008-06-20T11:04:00.008-04:002008-07-24T14:00:36.075-04:00

A lil' background for the curious folk: While house-hunting, our offer on Casa #1 was outright rejected. Ouch. Not too surprising since it was a low-ball offer on our part and a well-laid out waterfront house on their part. We then decided to contact the realtor on our fridge-magnet. Realtor showed us all the houses on our must-see list except one that had just gone under contract (we’ll call it

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6942178616604648945.post-3832717169200544432008-06-17T17:31:00.004-04:002008-06-24T10:15:12.207-04:00

Hooray! We are well into the process of buying our first actual house. Three years of wedded bliss has led us to the point where we have to think of extra bedrooms for "lil' ones" and long family visits. There are many reasons to buy a house: for M. it was a desire to have a customized home, a reason to dust off power tools, and ultimately to justify his frequent pilgrimages to Home Depot. For J.

J - Pacha Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288212737845422624noreply@blogger.com0