Small update on the new Puzzle Palace

 We are thrilled!  The first of the month Alex and Chris finished our puzzle bed and the built in furniture for the main room!  It looks amazing.  And yes, you heard that right.  It is a puzzle bed.  Even better, all of the furniture was made using reclaimed wood.  By that I mean, when the guys in Florida crated the puzzles, they used 2x4's and pressed wood.  We had so much of this left over, it has built 4 benches so far, 1 for the pantry, and 3 in George's workshops.  And now, our bedroom.  The bed itself is a take on the lost day puzzle.  Each of the 8 corner joints are an OCC burr.  It can be disassembled and put together elsewhere, but I have said many times, I am not moving again!  The built in cabinetry along the back wall use the same materials, but also some of the extra shelving for the faceplates of the drawers.  The bedside tables have puzzle opening drawers inside and are also made using 2x4's and shelving.  It truly is a wonderful job they did.  I am so happy that Chris was able to take my ideas from inside my head, add more to them and make them come to life.  He's very gifted.  And Alex was a wizard with that chisel.  

We can't thank them enough for the amazing work they did for us.  

I took the summer off from school as I mentioned in the last email and boy has it paid off.  Boxes are being unboxed, rooms are being completed. It's amazing how much happens quickly when I'm home and go on the rampage with the contractors.  We had a bit of a hick-up with the plumber installing a sink tap in the bidet and the designer ordering a pot filler with a 6 inch arm.  Apparently he doesn't understand the concept even though he drew it into the design.  I sent it back and ordered a new one to be installed by the 20th.  

Antonio and Claudio have completely installed the screens in the palace so there will (hopefully) be no mosquitoes getting in.  I am still waiting on some cabinets to cover up this god awful plastic orange exhaust pipe that no one wants to take credit for.  Daniel has almost finished my pantry shelving and countertop.  I think he only has the resin to do and that room will also be finished.  

Our good news!  We are moving in on the 20th come hell or high water.  We may have to shower in the room next door as the contractors have pushed the finish date back time and time again.  I think they realize this time I mean it.  I've terminated all additional work and will find new people to get the job done.  One and a half years is too long for a three room project!

We have received the Harold Razier collection and have distributed the boxes accordingly.  Next step is to open them and the rest of the boxes we have in the lower level of the Palace.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel as the saying goes.

Yes, we will be moving into a construction zone, but I will be able to cook in the kitchen I (mostly) designed and we will finally be able to sleep in our own bed.  I feel like I have been waiting for this day forever.  

The new marble sign has been delivered and we are waiting to install it.  

There was a guy who was supposed to do it for us, but we wanted him to gently chisel out the old piece rather than destroy the wall we just had finished.  Sadly, he commented that we had money enough to do it again so he would do as he wished.  Guess how long he remained on the property👿.  Sadly, one of our painters left in much the same manner after screwing up a wall and wanting to be compensated to redo it.  I don't suffer fools, and I don't throw money out the window (on anything but puzzles that is😂)  I'm sure we will find someone soon to finish the job.

George's workshops are finished!  He gave Hardy (Bambu A1Mini) to Stefano at the bar to use with his son; and Laurel (Hardy's partner) to our friend Rudolph who promptly ordered a larger version.  Have no fear, the Marx Brothers and the Three Stooges are still in the workshop and printing as I sit here and type this.  

In the mean time, George and I have gone on another glamping trip.  This time to a naturalist camp along the west coast.  It is a beautiful area and just the kind of peace and quiet we need after these past few months.  

One thing about this kind of holiday:  There are bugs and birds and things that go bump in the night.  Here are just two examples of what I mean.  I spider that lives underground and centipedes!  EEK! 

The birds woke us up every morning and the bump in the night? Well according to the owner of the resort, it was a fox that hit the side of the tent.  

It truly was a wonderful week.  I was fortunate enough to get not one but two massages.  We swam a few times in the infinity pool here and the stars at night!  Amazing.  Sadly though, we didn't see the meteor shower.  

I have taken this time to catch up on my blog (obviously), and to do a bit of cataloguing of puzzles.  I have now completed our Berrocal list (348 puzzles, art, and books), the Hanayama cast puzzles (294), and the crystal puzzles (1198).  My next up is finishing the list of single player games (562) that I have purchased over the years.  One step at a time.  George continues to design puzzles in his sleep and then put them in his computer when he wakes up.  

This was a long overdue break.  I hadn't realized how tense I had gotten until I calmed down here.  Next week I promise to give an update on the work that has been completed so far.  While it may not seem like it, it really is a lot!