Life in Guanajuato

We arrived in Guanajuato on October 15 and have been busy every day since. We moved into the same apartment as last year and resumed our lifestyle here that is completely different from Garden Bay.

The Cervantino festival was in full swing. Blair and Jennifer arrived a week later. The four of us attended many musical performances together and ate out every night. Another couple then arrived from Montreal, friends of B&J, and our group of six were mostly inseparable for another four weeks of eating out and attending cultural events. Now that the Canadian friends have left, Aimeé and I will eat out less but still frequently.

Most important for me is the weather: warmer temperatures, longer days, lots of sun, and little rain. I compare this daily to Garden Bay to fully appreciate where I am. It has been warmer than usual but surely cold days are coming in December, lasting through January. I take advantage of the weather to run almost every day.

After the first month we moved into a different apartment right next door. The new place has an independent entrance and constant hot water, both big improvements. It is also larger and warmer. I really hope we will be able to rent it again next winter. We are a five-minute walk to El Jardín.

In Guanajuato I am on vacation and it’s really great (but not HOME). We mostly walk everywhere, or take a bus or taxi when necessary. Every week there are numerous cultural activities up until around mid-December. Unfortunately there is hiatus in January that can make the month with its weather dreary. Maybe we’ll go to the beach for relief.

Plumbing Project

My house has a single bathroom and at times that is inconvenient, especially when there are visitors. The utility room is the only space available for another toilet but it is already packed with washer, dryer, and hot water heater. In order to create space I had been thinking about stacking the washer and dryer, and one day this summer I started moving things around.

After convincing myself that stacking was a good idea and fairly easy, I dove right in without a plan, although I did think it through but one step at a time. The project suffered from classic scope creep which was kind of stressful but it all worked out well.

I then started thinking about the next step, i.e., adding a sink and toilet. I do not have a lot of plumbing experience and this is out of my comfort zone. I contacted three plumbers to obtain a quote; two did not respond and one said no thanks. I was reminded of how difficult it is to engage tradespeople here in Garden Bay.

I was also worried about whether I’d have to make other changes to satisfy the building inspector so I called him and he visited to review my situation. He was encouraging and so I decided to take on this renovation project in 2020. Since the building inspector’s visit, I have been researching and planning.

The more I educate myself, the more confident I become and the plan gets better. I had another meeting with the building inspector to find out what’s required for a permit and he has corrected my course as required. I’ve started buying things: a plumbing book, a laundry sink unit, a toilet, Pex installation tools and supplies, etc. Although we leave for Mexico soon, I like the feeling of making progress and being well prepared to continue when I return in March.