Dear Frank, Señoras y Señores,

Off I go to the Querétaro airport after many double kisses and handshakes in the courtyard of Casa Alfaro. Those dedicated and kind folks had gathered there for my departure, as is their tradition. Mexican hellos and goodbyes are charmingly deliberate, important, and thoughtful, and they always warm my heart. Such lovely ceremonies of life they have. 

Architect, Contractor, Assistant, Property Manager, Cook, and Gardener – I think about the work they each do, their God-given talents, their hard-earned expertise, as we go to hug. They each bring so much to this project of Bess and Lee’s, and it’s obvious that they love to create and accomplish.

Kind words were exchanged with Armando, our excellent architect who gives such fine attention to keeping the integrity of this historic structure during the remodeling. Next came the Contractor, Angél, who greets me every morning with a new set of various samples to view. “Buenos Días, Señora Juanita!”  Next was Güero, the assistant and driver for the crew, who runs for any materials or finishes needed. Then came Modesta, the excellent cook, who uses secret ingredients and who treats it as a mission to make me healthier than I was when I arrived. I believe she succeeds. 
 

Beside her was Martín, the young, always smiling gardener who quietly goes through his day tending, and knowing so well how to plant, transplant, prune, and keep things green. Then Antonio, our property manager, (consistently a step ahead) had loaded the van to take me to the airport. He’s a seasoned professional and Bess and Lee are so fortunate, as am I, that he is knowledgeable about all things regarding property management and keeps it all running smoothly. 

Much had been done since our last visit and more was done while there these past almost two weeks. Here’s the update! 

The exterior walls surrounding the central courtyard are receiving a pigmented slurry of cement putty that will seal the repairs made and prepare it for paint. The exterior shade being applied now is not the final tone it will be. All a process!
The two twin bathrooms, sparkling blue and white, now have running water!  Boveda Baño Lavatory
Vanities, tub, showers, toilets and lighting are in place, and the floors have received their chapapote finish (a mixture that contains tar, to both stain which seals the porous brick floor, giving it a gleaming, translucent finish, somewhat the color of Coca-Cola!) The combo of Talavera tile, chapapote floors, stone walls, hammered metal, and stained glass is a sight to behold. Boveda Baño, Shower
 
The two bedrooms flanking those bathrooms are now ready to go, with rich wood doors, window frames, and closets. Just decided on the pulls: They are bronze finished with a hint of gleaming brass along the edges, which will wear beautifully, showing even more patina as time goes on.
 
Bess’s smooth and simple, soaring fireplace idea is now a reality and is stunning in the garden bedroom. Chandelier and sconces are being installed now – lovely traditional punched tin lanterns
 
Bess found a grand painting of a horse by well-known local San Miguel de Allende artist, Margarette Dawit. For now, Antonio and Angél have hung it high up on the wall in the sala, out of the way of demolition and construction, until it is eventually placed in the finished family room or master bedroom located across the courtyard. Hanging the Painting!
 
The original stone walls of the children’s bedroom and bath have been repaired and refined for use as interior walls. Plumbing and electricity has been installed in those floors and walls. Floors have been leveled, ready for terracotta flooring. The skylight has been completed and bathes the room with sunlight beaming right over the tub. The hand-formed cement bathtub is a grand size, fit for a bubble bath for four!  The tub’s surrounding area will be full of gleaming Talavera tie but the tub itself is being smoothed and prepped. The finished look will be polished white cement. Baño de Niños
 
The adjacent bedroom is a cozy, yet dramatic  one and perhaps will be my favorite for those reasons. There’s space for just one (grand) queen bed, a bedside table, and an inset stone fireplace. The original stone walls soar upwards to the skylights situated 2-stories high! 
 
The master bedroom’s historic horse troughs are being repaired and fortified for use as a long indoor planter. The other trough, in the adjacent open-air garden bathroom, is prepped for use as a slender fishpond filling one wall, and it will be fed by a fountain. The sunlit master bath will hold a shower and rustic, carved stone sink for two. Glass doors lead to the exterior garden bath, which will hold a carved stone tub, shower, and sitting area with fireplace.  
 
The stairway going to the upper terrace bedrooms now has its series of little lit “mouse holes”, those sweet little inset cavities that will hold lighting to illuminate the steps upward.  Large niches were also formed in the walls up the stairway, illuminated, ready to hold an imagen or other form of artwork.  
Mouse Holes
 
Upstairs, the tower bedroom’s domed brick ceiling (bóveda) is finished!  Notice the opening in the top to let in the sun. If you aren’t familiar with bóveda ceilings, you’ll enjoy finding explanation for how this feat of physics is accomplished. Think it’d be fun to dedicate a blog post strictly to describing the manner in which these ceilings are formed. 
The tower bathroom now has its large circular opening in the ceiling to bathe the room in light. Walls are being prepped for our chocolate, green, cream, and cobalt tiles. The chocolate brown wall color has been mixed to perfection with pigment and cement.
 
The passage leading to both the tower suite and the señora’s suite has been walled in, openings for double French doors, and it’s ceiling now holds many small skylights all in a row to beam forth light into that passage. The French doors will flow out onto the upper terrace by the cupola. There are connected terraces that wind ‘round, covering the rooftop level, overlooking the town and the glorious Santuario, just one block away.   
 
June’s visit holds lots of great surprises. Much, if not all of the next zone will be completed and I’ll have many photos to show. That’s the scoop. Hasta luego! 
 
 
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