Wednesday, December 17th, 2014

6 days remaining on my visa.

I got up 3 times during the night, finally waking/getting up at 8:15, having slept very well.

Teresa called Ramiro and asked him to bring some eggs because we were out.

My camera wouldn’t turn on so I removed and reinserted the batteries and then it worked but I knew it would be for only a short while.  When I downloaded the photos they were unrecognizable, probably becaused of the flash and the close proximity of the document.  I used my iPad and the pictures were much better.  One concern I have is that it is only my annual letter stating my benefit amount not an actual Benefits Statement.

I emailed my checking account information and attached a photo of my Social Security card and my annual letter.

They had given me two email addresses but the second one failed.  Maybe that’s why they gave me two but I had Teresa call Martha to make sure that was okay.  It was.

Romero arrived at 10am right when we were in the middle of making calls to Martha to discuss the email problem.  Today he brought a young man with him to assist.  

I was hoping to be able to mount the television above the first step but now I can see that won’t be possible.  I can also see that the support against the wall will just cross the edge of the electric outlet.

I finally checked last week’s new movie releases and I would like to see Exodus: Gods and Kings (6.4) which I see is playing here at Los Molinos, Oviedo, Santafé and Unicentro.

I noticed Ramiro fastening the steps to the stringers using wood dowels.  Hey, it worked for the Amish in Witness when they assembled the barn.

They took a break for lunch from about 12:45 to 1:30.

They finished the assembly at 2:20 and then he measured the width of the stairs and the width of the opening and I understood something wasn’t quite right.  He used a chisel a little on the top of the stairs.

The four of us, minus Laura, tried to set up the stairs but the bottom was too small for the first step.  Then I understood he wanted to put the stairs on each side of the first step.  That thing was really heavy and I’m not very strong.  We set it back down and he did a little more chiseling and the next time it was better but it still didn’t fit quite right.

He nailed the bottom to the step and walked slowly up the stairs but one end suddenly came down.  He did some more adjustments and then walked up again this time all the way to the top.  He pounded on something at the top and the one side slid down again.  

I’m confident that he’s enough of a professional that he won’t leave it until it’s perfect.

It’s now attached at the top but it’s my opinion he needs to build a larger base so it will be attached at the bottom also and the wall it will be against will also hold a lot of the support.

Teresa went up the stairs almost like on her hands and knees and I followed her more normally.  The problem was coming down as their isn’t much step because the previous step limits how much inwards your leg can reach.  I turned around and came down backwards.  Teresa asked for him to put in a railing.

I think the problem might be that the steps are too wide.

Ramiro left at 5:30.  I understand he is coming back Monday to install a railing and a bottom step.

Teresa found the eggs that Ramiro brought for us and she realized she didn’t pay him for them – 6-8 mil.

We started watching Gladiator but right away Teresa said she has seen it with Laura so I put on Good Will Hunting.

I took my sleeping pill at 9:15 and we went to bed at 10:30.