What goes around, comes around, and around, and around

When Noel and I first moved to Harmon Cove, we were among the first residents or really pioneers in that community. It was a great experience … everything new, including all the people. Both of us were active in the community … serving on Boards, organizing parties, etc. It was a great time.

We are about to repeat that experience at Ponderosa Leisure Farms in Silang, Cavite. It’s a new community – some 500 housing lots and with maybe 30 or so houses built so far; not sure how many are occupied (fulltime?).

Of course, we will be active. Noel started it by running for the Board of Directors and getting elected at the April 2008 annual meeting. Just prior to the annual meeting, I got a hold of an e-mail list of lot owners and sent them all a “campaign message.” As you can see from the “vote count” shown in the election picture, my campaigning helped out. The other photo shows the candidate inspecting his property in Silang and in the other he is busy composing his campaign speech.

He heads up the Building and Grounds Committee and recruited me to help him out. Will it never end???

When in Rome, do as the ...........

Following that sage advice, we decided to follow local traditions in terms of building our house.

One custom is to sprinkle chicken blood around where each house pillar will go up. Our contractor arranged for some chickens, however, being more experienced with construction rather than with chickens, we soon ran out of blood and had to send out for some more chickens.

Another tradition is to sprinkle coins around the foundations, prior to the concrete being poured. Noel performed this task. Not all concrete got poured the first day and when we returned a few days later to inspect progress, we noticed that, where the concrete had not yet been poured, the coins were missing. At least we had the right intentions.

We didn't see what happened to the chickens but later heard that the construction crew appreciated this addition to their simple meals.

Walls going up and construction on target

My apologies for the long gap in updates. Had problems with both computers [desktop and laptop] and finally got the desktop back so I once again have ready access to the internet.

We seem to be going to Silang about three times per week so check on progress with the new home. As far as we can tell, everything is moving along smoothly and on schedule. Once a week we meet with the architects and contractors to review progress and resolve problems; this system seems to work.

It's summer now here in Manila, rather warm, and it's nice to go Silang where things are a bit cooler. Here are some updated pictures.