It is looking great Jonna. I know you will enjoy it when it is finished. Regarding the pond and chipping it out for wiring and pipes, sometimes I have noticed a brand new road is completed and the next thing you see is a trench in it to place pipes or whatever....couldn't they do that first?????

Sometimes hard to keep in mind... but it will definitely be worth the wait and inconvenience!!

I'm waiting now for the architect to show up and give us an update, he said he would contact the head plumber and find out about the gas.

It has rained all night and morning, not hard but steadily. I think this is a tropical depression that I read about last week. It's been cool and fresh, really a nice break in the heat and humidity of late August. Down here we call it 'good sleeping weather' and make jokes about oversleeping because it is cool.

As to how the outside of the pond is going to be finished, I think lots of tile would be too much and of course it would cost more. I have a lot of polished concrete in the house, both floors and counters and I think that will be the way we go. I can always tile it later if needed or if I just want to spend more money They did talk to me about the edges and I agreed that they should be rounded and not sharp corners so they will be more comfortable to sit on or run into, which I will no doubt do.

I like the look of the brightly colored tiles you often see in Mexican houses but truthfully they are not normal in this part of Mexico, they are from the highlands. My architect was quite clear about that when we renovated the house and I kept away from the talavera look of the big homes in Puebla and Mexico City. Here the style was more restrained even when they tiled everything, so you would be more likely to see lots of off white tile or local stone with a geometric pattern in a muted color.

Stone would be the obvious choice for the pond but it is significantly more money and I am trying to keep costs down on this. If it were a pond in the public part of the house I would go with the native canterra. What I like about polished concrete is that it ages well, it develops patterns and swirls that resemble stone and I like the look. Also, when we did the pool we were told that if you use natural grey concrete for the finish the water will take on an aqua tone and if you use white cement in the finish it will be a clear blue. I like the aqua tone, it looks like a natural pond. As with the other pond downstairs, the inside walls will quickly become covered with green and the color of the water will get a bit darker. It is the outside and the top that will remain a swirly grey. I'm not going to tile the counters either so I think it will all blend together.

Polished concrete sounds like the way to go...and I agree with the sensibility of having rounded corners.

wow I just saw this thread for some reason. Your project REALLY looks great! I know I would be really excited to have all that being done. Having it come off of your bedroom is even more neat, very private up there I assume... kinda of like a secret garden? A moon garden would be nice... Lots of possibilities.

Yes, my secret garden. I love it for that reason alone. hmmm, moon garden, lots of white flowers. However, I am stuck with it being the only place with full sun so I need to put some veggies up there too. In fact, it is time to start my tomato seeds so when they are big enough the planters will be ready for them. It's kind of hard to do with all the mess but I need to figure out a place to do it.

I think it is so clandestine and personal.

A private paradise.

Originally, when we moved into the house and I took a look at that space, I knew I wanted someplace to experiment and to start plants or to put them when they needed some R&R. Someplace that was not on display, that could be a little messy or disorganized and that no one but me would ever see. That was what I did for a couple of years and then I got the pond, just to have a place to start new lilies of course and then I got interested in hydroponics and set up some growing beds. I've always shared it with the dogs and the gas tank, the water softener and pressure system, the hot water heater, the AC condenser, and the clothes line. Little by little I disguised or moved what I could and put plants in front of what I couldn't move.

It's still just me and the dogs that spend any time up there only now I want it to be a little less raw and a little more finished. It will still be the place I try things and also the spot I grow some veggies in the winter. Summers are just too hot and the rain is too hard for most edibles. I can't fill up too much of the space because the dogs need somewhere to run and play and that is the largest outdoor open space we have. Most of the plants need to be up and out of their way as well or they will get knocked over and stepped on. It's a larger space than it appears to be in pictures, it is over 1000 sq ft. I think there is room for everything I want and I know that I will get a lot of use out of it. It took me 6 years to decide it was worth putting the money into to make it safer for me and easier to use.

The original plans for the house renovation had an elaborate patio on the upper roof, above this one. That plan had a wet bar and seating and would have had an incredible view of the city and the cathedral. Still, I had major doubts about how often we would entertain up there when you have to walk up so many steps to get there. So, we cut it and saved a big chunk on the renovation. I think I was right as we have friends with similar roof terraces and they have admitted that over time they use them less and less. Because ceilings are so high here, for every floor that you go up, it means 25' of steps and that gets tiring particularly as you get older.

The views are pretty good from this level, the breeze is great and because it is right off my bedroom it is easy to get to and there are pluses as well in not considering it a place to entertain. That means I can do whatever I want with it. I'm thinking of it as a true luxury, a wonderful spot that is just for me... and the dogs.

Sounds great, Jonna.

Jonna - I think you have the right idea about that space. I'd probably be using it the same way. Just a private space for me to start seedlings, grow a few plants, have a pond, and let the pets have a little area to wander in. Just a relaxing and private outdoor space.

Everyone needs their private space to do whatever pleases them.

Jean I wish my cats would believe that.

It needs a hammock ;)

Yes, it may need a hammock This is the land of hammocks, the Yucatán. They are made here and most of the locals sleep in them. They are a lot cooler than a bed and I've spent a few nights in one myself when it was really hot. I nap in them most every day, I even have one hanging over my swimming pool.

There are only 2 workers here now, they are doing the finishing work on the pond. All the tile is in, and the pond filter/waterfall is on. I hope I was able to explain it well enough to them, how I want the water to pull from one end and return at the other. We will see when I can get a better look at the plumbing.



I didn't get a picture but the aluminum floor grid just outside the door is installed. It is designed so we can lift it easily to clean out the drains if needed. I had thought it would be black but it is a silver color which I now think I like better with the tiles. The aluminum guys (or someone anyway) broke the part that holds the mosquito screen on the door to the roof and the aluminum guys took that away to repair or replace it.

The main architect, and my friend, is coming on Monday to see everything and so we can decide on the planters for the shelves. He is thinking they should be fiberglass which sounds great to me, light and strong and sun resistant, although I am afraid they are really expensive. I'm starting to get excited about being able to move my plants back out and decide what goes where. I might even have to get a few more plants eh?

You just might.

Looking awesome, Jonna! I can see a hammock up there with lots of plants and that wonderful pond. Boy! Do I ever like that tile floor! It's all looking so nice! I'd be excited, too, if it were on my roof!

When getting more plants, just be sure to leave enough room for the hammock and the dogs.

Actually, I have been doing some browsing for patio furniture for that area. Just a couple of chairs I think, to enjoy the breeze and the view. This place has some really interesting stuff and it is guaranteed to survive our tropical sun and salt breezes. http://www.solysombra.mx/#gall... I particularly like the Miguelito Butaque chair. I do lay in the sun up there and I've always used a zero gravity lounge chair but all of them have fallen to pieces from corrosion. I may get another one as they are so comfortable or I might see if they would make a footstool for the Miguelito chair that would make it a lounger.

I don't want a hammock stand, they take up too much room. There are rules for hanging a hammock, especially here where they are taken so seriously. I don't know that there are walls for the hooks that are the proper distance apart. The other thing is that there are hammocks in almost every room of my house, on several terraces, and across the pool. I'm not sure I would use one in full sun. I don't want a hammock pattern tan