The last couple of days have resulted in another visual jump in progress. Workers poured the cement for the upper beams around the dining room and living room. Other workers began working on the ceiling of the piano room; putting a final coat of cement on it. They also poured the footings for the bathrooms that go under the terrace between the two main buildings.

They also poured the floor for the studio. At this point, all of the walls in the master suite are finished as are most of the outside walls and beams. Doug will be installing the cabinets in the master bath in the next day or so.

Both buildings are ready for the rest of the roof. The floors in the kitchen/dining room, master suite and studio are all ready for tiles; which are supposed to arrive any time. Koki was busy today buying the toilets and fixtures.

Pepe, the one pictured here pouring cement, left the project today. He received a phone call and is needed back home. He lives another 6 hours beyond Chiclayo, up in the mountains. The travel to Chiclayo will take six to seven hours, so he has a long journey before he gets home. Pepe has been with us since the beginning of the project so it was sad to see him leave. I'm hoping he will be able to return before we finish up. He asked us for S./50 to help him out. We gladly gave it to him, even though we've been warned that this isn't a good practice. We both have talked about giving the workers a bonus at the end of the job, as they have put in so much work and most have been very loyal and steady.

This afternoon, Doug some of the workers into Los Organos. Some just want an afternoon in town, but some were returning to Chiclayo to see family and friends. Sure enough, another worker asked us for money; S/.10 this time. Both of us wondered what we had started.... I think we may just keep track of what we give out, and subtract from the bonuses we give later. It is so hard to not be generous with these guys; they earn about S/.40 a day.

Doug and I made plans to return to the US for a couple weeks starting in the middle of May. Our visas expire on the 12th and we needed to leave Peru to get them renewed. We'd planned an overnight to Guayaquil in Ecuador, but decided it was time to visit family and friends. We'll arrive in Oregon on the 12th and spend a week there. I want to travel to eastern Oregon to visit with Blaine and Holly. Then Doug and I will split up and go separate ways. I'll go to Chicago to see Mandy, and Doug will travel to Texas, Arizona and California to visit his family. I'll meet him in LA the night before we return to Peru. What we really need is a month to travel stateside to see more people! We didn't think we could leave the construction for that long..... or the dog....