**Original Title:**

Original Title:

LITTLE HOUSE IN GUATEMALA, WEEK 6

Rephrased Title:
A Cozy Abode in Guatemala: Week Six Adventures

I’ve just completed the fifth part of my journey transforming the land I purchased in Guatemala and adjusting to my new life here.

This week was more relaxed compared to last. I decided to take a break from working because living in dust and dealing with the burning effect of lime from painting had worn me out. My hands were in bad shape, so I mostly tried to avoid my hyperactive boyfriend, who always wants me to keep working. One major task we completed was a big grocery run to town, aiming to stock up enough supplies to last through Christmas. We still have a whole lamb in the freezer and might get a turkey for the holidays. Fortunately, the freezer is now repaired, but we’re still waiting to hear from the company about replacing the faulty equipment.

The excavation work is finally done, so now you can see the layout of what will be our room, along with a separate space for a bathroom and walk-in closet. We’re planning to make the bathroom partly open to an interior garden, to give it an outdoor shower feel.

The new room, which offers a lake view, will have stone walls. The workers spent a few days sourcing stones from a neighboring piece of land. Although not entirely ethical or proper, the land is vacant, and the workers didn’t want to haul stones from farther away. If the landowner complains, the issue will be directed at our contractor, who charges us as if he’s bringing legitimate stones by truck. This whole situation is annoying both financially and ethically.

With the excess soil from the excavation being dumped towards the beach, the Petanque field (a French bowls game) is shaping up nicely. We’re careful not to let the soil get into the lake to avoid making the beach muddy. Although using the soil to fill the holes on the neighbor’s land where stones were taken could be a solution, it feels like crossing another line.

We’ve now painted our house entirely white with a lime coat, both inside and out, turning it into a “White House.” Lime is an ancient material used by the Mayans, but overuse may have led to their downfall due to deforestation.

From behind the house, one can see the lake through the roof, adding to the charm. We also painted the kitchen white, making it less colorful but easier to spot and eliminate insects.

The bathroom is now functional, with a new door allowing access from both the main rooms. We have also set up a new guest room, equipped with two single beds, a door, and mosquito nets, making it ready to host visitors. My own bedroom now has a door and a wall, adding much-needed privacy from the workers.

Once our room is complete, the main room will be available for rent as a Bed and Breakfast. Alternatively, the whole house could be rented to a family of four or just the rooms with kitchen access, depending on how we set it up.

This week, I’m home alone with the handyman. That might sound odd, but I mean that he has finished the excavation and will now help prepare a garden where I can plant seeds at the back of the house. Afterwards, I’ll assign him one final deep cleaning task—a job we’ve repeatedly called “the last deep cleaning.” I prefer to pay him to do another thorough cleaning session.

We need to keep the handyman occupied so we don’t have to let him go. He’s paying off a motorcycle we bought him through his work. While we’ve tried giving him extra, better-paying tasks like the excavation, he now prefers the stability of a monthly salary and is refusing the more challenging assignments. His story deserves a full post of its own.

Hope your week is going well and that you’re enjoying the holiday season!