Timetable - how fast things go.

Thursday, July 20, 2006 to Saturday, July 22. During our holiday in the USA, we stay with Gusta's brother-in-law Albert who, with his wife Letitia, owns a beautiful 'retirement home' in central Florida, and we experience the peaceful silence and rest. In the evening we see the wild animals. A swimming pool at the house. Especially the seating near the pool is a real 'feel-good place'.
In the street we see several signs 'lot for sale'. We hear that prices of land have risen drastically throughout the years. The idea is born. We say to each other: we should begin with buying some land - now - and build later. It's still affordable now and the dollar is cheap. Gusta thinks that's is a wonderful idea - she always dreamed of a retirement home abroad.
We discuss it with Albert and with a brother of Gusta and his wife, who also have a home in the village.
Monday, July 24. Returning to Albert's home from a two-day trip to Miami Beach, in the car, our idea turns into a decision.
Wednesday, July 26. We write down phone numbers, draw maps and take pictures of the lots for sale.
Monday, July 31. Back in Holland, we call the phone numbers we wrote down. That brings us to one realtor, MC 2000 who takes the trouble to invest time in us. Mrs. Carol Heausler finds a whole bunch of lots available at a reasonable price, much cheaper than the ones we saw. It's at the end of the street, in an area yet undeveloped, close, but not too close, to a small power plant.
Wednesday, August, 9. We sign a contract, on a price that mrs. Heausler advices, for one of these lots. In America this is the usual way to do an offer on a property. If the seller signs too, we have a deal.
Monday, August, 14. The offer is countered by the owner to a price nearby the original one. Our helpful realtor writes in an e-mail: 'Friday I took a ride out to see you lot. My opinion is that you should spend a little more money and buy another lot (...) This is what I saw: the road ends before your lot begins and the power plant is very close.(...) The unknown is whether or not there will ever be a road in front of your lot.(...) So most of the weekend I have been calling for sale by owner lots and checking on the other real estate agency signs'.
Deeply in doubt, we call our family there and subsequently mrs. Heausler. We thank her for taking all the trouble. 'But you do make us doubt now.'
'Yes', she answers, 'but the good news is...' and she tells me that she has one of the finest lots in the street for the same price as the counter offer of the lots near the power plant. We immediately decide to reject the counter offer and take the other lot.
The lot appears to be one that was in portfolio of MC 2000 and was offered us before for a much higher price. The realtor already negociated a good price for us!
Tuesday, August, 15. We sign a new contract on the new lot, scan it and mail it back.
Thursday, August, 17. The excitement reaches a new high, with good news: the seller has signed. The land is sold to us! Gusta and I open a bottle of champagne. The same evening I wire the first $1,000 to the escrow agent (the attorney that holds the money until closing) as is required in the contract.
Monday, August 21. The surveyor has come to demarcate the land. As soon as he's gone, Letitia calls me, Albert has taken his mower and went to mow the land! In sheer excitement we talk nearly for an hour only on the subject. They are so happy with the idea: now a brother and a sister in the village!
Sunday, August 27. Albert and Letitia have returned from Florida. They brought pictures of the land and a few leaflets of builders - to dream away. Just now we find out we have a mini forest in our back yard - what a precious thing to have.
Tuesday, August 29. We are dreaming away with the leaflets of builders. One particular model looks most attractive to us. Not too big and definitely affordable. We do want to put a nice home there, but not necessarily an abundant villa. I calculate all the measures of the 'star' model of local builder Jack Miller to find out that it's indeed just what we want.
Wednesday, August 30. To build or not to build - that's the question. If we wait another ten or fifteen years, will we be able to enjoy our property in health? And: the dollar is cheap. 'Our' little model would become unaffordable if the inflation gets to 5% and the dollar:euro will be 1:1 instead of 1:1.28. I call for an appointment with a mortgage advisor to find out whether remortgaging our home in Holland is a good option.
Thursday, August 31. Waiting is no fun. The closing attorney apparently needs his time to contact me for a few details of the payment. I know, the land won't walk away. And then, yesterday Florida was closed as hurricane Ernesto passed by.
In school, Erik tells about it and the teacher can't hide her astonishment.
Friday, September 1. I mail my oldest sister in Los Angeles about our giant step. Got a nice reply.
Sunday, September 3. At my father's home, we toast with a glass of champagne on our Florida project. This day we definitively decide to go and build soon. I also tell my younger sister.
Monday, Septeber 4. Another sister already heard. Like everyone, unselfishly she offers to go and keep an eye on our new home every now and then...
Tuesday, September 5. A talk with the mortgage advisor brings me what I already suspected about the possibilities to get a loan and the monthly costs. We'll also have savings: going on holiday will never be as expensive as it was before. I make a list of the main monthly costs. We can do this and we even don't have to save that much on our lifestyle. We also calclulate our one-time costs: building of course, but also furnishing. We'll have to buy everything again - from table cloth to TV set.
Wednesday, September 6. I mail and call local builder Jack Miller about their Star model home. Unlike other builders the leaflet doesn't come with extensive specifications on what's included and what isn't. We have a talk over more than half an hour which makes clear to me that nearly everything is included from termite treatment of the soil and septic tank to carpeting and home appliances - like with other building companies.
And finally the closing attorney comes with the specification of the remaining amount to be paid and a lot of paperwork to be signed. The instructions to whom I have to wire the money, do not match with the contract and what the realtor told me. So I send an email where I ask to correct that.
Thursday, September 7. After an email of the closing attorney I wire the money. A small fortune, gone from my bank account, after filling in a single internet banking form...
Monday, September 11. The attorney confirms that she received the signed documents and the our realtor tells me the money has been received by the escrow agent. The paperwork is sent to the seller by Federal Express. She expects closing on Thursday or friday.
Tuesday, September 12. Google earth upgraded their maps and pictures of the area. I can see all details of the homes of Letitia and Albert and of Naldo and Johanna - and of our lot of course. The village seen from above
Wednesday, September 13. The seller has rejected the tax proration of the attorney for a difference of... 15 dollars and one cent. This means a further delay on closing. We sign a new closing statement. The attorney is so kind to cover the difference. How irrational people can be, considering that our realtor negociated over 25% off the price...
Friday, September 15. We get an e-mail from Jack Miller. They haven't got the pictures to send yet. They also advise me to get the contract and building permit arranged before the end of the year, because next year the county will charge 'impact fees'. These fees are a sort of tax to cover for the inspections and so. I call Jack Miller's office to ask how much that will be. 'Somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000 dollars', is the answer.
I call our ever helpful realtor who confirms that. She can tell me that the fee will be, in our case, $5,200. And that it will take some two months to get the building permit at least. 'That means that I'll have to come to Florida straightaway', I conclude.
Gusta and I talk it over. For the amount of taxes we can about furnish the house. She won't be able to take a week off work that fast. I will have to go alone. What did I put as a title on this web page... how fast things go...
I call Jack Millers secretary again. She promises me to take a few pictures of a recently built Star home, and to write down the measures on a copy of the leaflet of the house, and send that by e-mail.
Saturday, September 16. The turmoil of yesterday evening made me sleep awfully bad. It seems I can't get things out of my head anymore. In the nightly hours when I should sleep, I find out I'll probably will be able to take off work as early as next Thursday, I'll have to get flight, an appointment with the builder on Friday, this and that and all the odds and ends that I should ask or discuss with him - half of them are forgotten in the morning so I can't judge whether they were real or phantoms of my half-sleep.
Although it's Saturday, I manage to get my days off work, an appointment with the builder, a flight and a rental car. I'll be going next Thursday!
Monday, September 18. The closing attorney tells us that closing has been done today. We now are officially proud owners of a tiny little piece of Florida.
The builder confirms our meeting on Friday.
Thursday, September 21. It appears to be a long journey to Florida. We wake up at 3 in the morning. Gusta brings me to the airport. At 7:10 I take off for Frankfurt, where I have a stopover. The time between landing and my connecting flight is short with all these security checks. But the plane takes off with delay. Immigration in the US takes their time, so do Customs and Agriculture - I have a vacuum packed cheese in my bag. Another delayer is Alamo, with a shuttle bus that doesn't show up, way too little personel to serve the long lines of customers. Finally I get a eye-aching yellow coupé car with a huge spoiler - as if I'd ever have wanted such a car - to get on the long and boring U.S. 27 North, with two long detours in it. At 8.30 I arrive at Naldo's home where I call Gusta. It's 2:30 in Holland. Some 24 hours after I woke up I can get to bed again.
Friday, September 22. I begin the day visiting my lot. It is huge! I'm having a look at the mini-forest in the back and what grows on the buffer zone of the air strip.
At 10:30 I have my appointment with Jack Miller. His office is in a shed in a small industrial area. Jack appears to be a friendly man. In his office I see a real picture of the house for the first time. We discuss the features, options, the contract and how payment is being done. For the first time I see the real sizes of the home.
In the afternoon an employee of Jack Miller brings me to a recently built home. It's so much bigger seen from the outside that at first I don't recognise. Inside, some rooms seen larger and others seem smaller that I thought. The size of the nook and the porch are a little disappointing. The living is just like I thought it would be. The garage is huge. The bedrooms are larger than I thought. The second bathroom is nicer than the master one, that doesn't have a bath tub.
Next visit is the supplier of the kitchen cabinets. It appears the allowance leaves us no space for much luxury. But even then there's so much choice that it must be possible to get a nice kitchen.
Saturday, September 23. Time to go to the home appliances supplier and to the Home Depot. The latter for the light fixtures and fans. They come in the tastes ugly, uglier and ugliest. The supplier of the home appliances shows me that the allowance only will get me the stove with oven, the microwave and the dishwasher. Fridge, washer and dryer are on own expense as they don't fit in the allowance.
With Gusta I have an long and extensive MSN chat. Gusta gets to see the pictures of the house I visited. Also we go through the options for the kitchen and bathroom cabinets.
That evening I buy a palm to be the first tree on our lot.
Sunday, September 24. It's supposed to be a rest day but it appears not to be. I visit some people in the village including our neighbours. Then have a 2 1/2 hour call with my sister Maartje and her husband Jim who live in California. I'd sent them the text of the contract and Jim, who's in building business, has quite some remarks on the contract and the specifications. It appears to have a deadly clause on settlement of the house that I'll need to get rid of, and some other important loose ends that must be set. I'm working until late on amendment proposals on the contract and the specifications. I have a real bad night sleep.
Monday, September 25. Already early in the morning I get up and rework the some of the amendments that came up in the hours that I couldn't get sleep. I meet Jack Miller and have a good talk. For the most important amendments of the contract I get it as I want it. Also they promise to do their homework on the specifications document. To keep the process going and to ensure that text will be like I want them, I suggest to do some work for Jack Miller's secretary by working out wat we discussed. At noon the revised contract and specifications document go by e-mail to Jack Miller's office.
Next thing to do is to get to the roofer to find out more about roof shingles, colours and qualities. I'm being provided with good and useful information.
Then I go to the carpet and tile provider, downtown Sebring. It appears that the allowance for these are extremely poor. This minimises my choice possibilities.
While I'm downtown, I visit the county's office and learn some more about the impact fees. They will not be imposed to anyone who applies for a building permit before December, 31 instead of getting the permit before that date. It turns out I hadn't had to hurry to florida that fast, but then, now I'm definitely on the safe side.
Back at Naldo's home, I call Gusta and I put all information on roof shingles, tiles and carpet in an email to her.
Finally, together with Naldo's son Edson, I plant my palm tree on the right front corner of my lot, next to the surveyor's mark. What a day!
Tuesday, September 26. Finally, a day for some other things. Like opening a bank account with the Bank of America, shoe shopping for Gusta and Debbie, and visiting our realtor. I promised her to get her a present 'the way we do that in Holland', and so I come up with flowers. I leave the office, hours later, with the knowledge that we've found a good friend in her, a little souvenir from Sebring and... a tupperware box with Louisiana gumbo.
Wednesday, September 27. We get the final version of the contract and we sign. We sign. We've ordered a house for us in Florida. It's just two months and a week ago that we for the first time got to this place.
Thursday, September 28. We get our contract copy signed by Jack Miller and Gusta does the first payment. This day, I also go to the Spring Lake homeowners association and the provider of the kitchen.
Friday, September 29. The end of the week and the end of my stay in florida is in sight. I'm getting the blues that I haven't seen Gusta for so long. It feels like waiting for my return flight. On the other hand I do realise that the village and the area is starting to feel familiar, it's feeling 'ours'.
At Jack Miller's office my name is on the list of their jobs. As the 'Koen-job', as my last name is completely impossible for Americans.
Sunday, October 1. A good flight back. Tired (I can't sleep in planes) but satisfied. Mission accomplished!
Tuesday, October 10. It's good to see that things are happening, even when it's still in the paperwork stage. We can save the builder the costs of a survey, as this has been done just recently. We get some things to sign.
Friday, October 13. Building a house brings you to unexpected places. A notary's office - OK. Gusta yesterday went there to sign a paper of the county that required a legalised signature. But today I went to the courthouse in the Hague. For a so-called apostille, telling the county that the notary indeed is a notary.
Thursday, October 19. We went there for have a couch here to be upholstered, in our favourite design furniture shop. They tell us that buying here and shipping may be an option: a sea container would cost some 800 euros. They offer to find out the other costs involved for us. The VAT will be refunded. While we look around in the shop, the design furniture smiles at us and the prices (they sell second choice, showroom leftovers and occasionally used furniture) seem reasonable.
Monday, October 23. Albert is back in Florida and tells us that on our lot they placed a sign that Jack Miller is going to build there. And some sort of small box that I don't understand what it's for.
Sunday, October 29. A few hours of anticipatory-pleasure-shopping at Ikea teaches us that they do have nice furniture for significantly lower prices. Gusta is fond of a cupboard in our favourite colour red. On a copy of a plan of the house we draw in what we already have seen. This summer a new Ikea store will open in Sunrise, Fl, north of Fort Lauderdale.
An issue that we have no idea of what to choose, is the colours. I draw the front of the house from a scan and with the drawing program we experiment with colour combinations of shingles, the colour of the wall and the trim (the white(?) strip over the length of the house).
Monday, November 6. Early in the morning Letitia calls us. 'If you want to hear exciting news, call to Albert now'. (He is in Florida, she's still here). We call and hear that they've put sticks all over the lot in the shape of the house. I mail Jack Miller and hear from his secretary that they're still waiting for the permit but already are doing some preparing work.
Less exciting, but important as well: we get our first bill for American real estate taxes.
Wednesday, November 8. While I was in Florida I opened a bank account with the Bank of America to be able to pay some smaller bills without the costs of wiring money from my account here. So in order to pay my property taxes I try to do that from my Bank of America account. Their online interface has two options: pay a bill or tranfer funds. Two hours and several calls to their support department later gives me a bewildering view on how old-fashioned and outdated the American banking system is. If I pay the bill online, somewhere in America at the bank, a check is being printed and mailed by U.S. snail mail to the tax collector and I cannot put any description in the order, while the tax collector requires me to do so. Wiring money is not possible to a business account, even not while the tax collector's account is at the same Bank of America. What I can do is write a check and together with a slip of the tax letter, put it in an envelope and mail it to the tax collector. This is repulsive! Well maybe I'm not American enough and I have to get used to this... Are we really living in the 21st century? Finally I end up wiring the money from my Dutch bank account - now that simply works. As far as I know they invented the money transfer in the fifties of the previous century.
Monday, November 13. Again we hear that some work is done on our lot. They pulled off the grass for the area that the house is going to be built.
Sunday, November 19. Albert tells us that probably on Saturday morning, they put a few truck loads on sand on our lot.
Saturday, December 2. While checking my mail I find an e-mail from the builder that they have the permit. It's getting started! I email back to ask when to expect the first two draws.
Monday, December 4. Reply from Jack Miller. The first draw (as in the contract, 'when slab poured') will be within two weeks, the second ('structure completed') in five. I feel surprised for how soon the first two draws will be. It makes me wonder when the rest will be - there are only five. I ask Jack Miller and also I tell them I'll do my best to get the money together that fast. For the second draw I must have my mortgage arranged.
Wednesday, December 6. We have a talk with the mortgage advisor of the Rabobank (the #1 mortgage bank in Holland) and get an offer.
Thursday, December 7. I talk to an independent mortgage advisor (Gusta unfortunately can't attend that one) who can offer me a mortgage from the Postbank on 1/2 percent lower interest rate and similar conditions. He advises me to await an expected reduction of another 0.1% next Tuesday for a final offer.
Funny thing with both talks is that though the advisors are professionals who deal with mortgages every day, they both watch our little project with a mix of admiration and positive jealousy. That's the way it goes with everyone. Each day we are celebrating our decision.
Jack Miller's secretary mails that we can expect the house to be ready in mid-summer, without guarantee. I write her that most likely we'll have the money for the first and second draw somewhat in time.
Saturday, December 9. Albert calls us to tell that yesterday the work has started: trucks, shovels and rollers have entered the scene. The loads of sand have been egalised.
Friday, December 22. Every now and then we hear about some work been done on our house: formwork, piping and plumbing. But they won't make it within the two weeks that it would take to pour the slab - not even close. What was that fuss about?
Sunday, December 31/Monday, January 1. At twelve we toast on what feels like one of the best years we had - and so much more is to come.
Thursday, January 4. Albert calls to tell us that a dozen of Mexicans have been working today on our lot on the slab. All concrete is poured, you can easily see where the bedrooms, the bathroms, living and garage will be. If only we could jump in my car and drive to there...
Friday, January 5. The first invoice comes with a few thousand less costs for inproving the lot than expected. I wire the money the same day.
'For convenience', the mails from Jack Miller appear not to come in on my mail program anymore; I have to rescue them from my provider's spam box.
Wednesday, January 10. At Jack Miller's office they apparently get a little nervous that the money is not in yet. They ask me to inquire at the bank.
Thursday, January 11. It appears that though I made the order for the wire on Friday evening, it can't have been processed before Monday at the end of the day. Then it's not that strange that they haven't got the money yet...
This afternoon I finally get the offer from the mortgage bank. We sign the same evening but I can't bring it back the next day: the employee of the mortgage advisor isn't in. It's good that the construction work has been delayed a little: we can expect the second draw bill in the fist week of February.
Albert and Letitia tell us that the walls have been built to roof height. Building with these concrete blocks is extremely fast. Saturday they'll be back in Holland with stories and pictures!
That day I also try to call after an offer for the irrigation. The specifications are so brief that I can't make anything useful of it. The supplier appears to be unreachable, also in the next days.
Saturday, January 13. Albert and Letitia brought pictures of the construction.
Sunday, January 14. Again, I'm bouncing through the house for excitement. These construction pictures - i've gone to see them ten, twenty times. Yesterday Albert said: "Koen! If you're going to the airport tomorrow for a last-minute to Orlando - call me, I'll go with you". It's wonderful how they understand our excitement.
Monday, January 15. The next steps in building begin to come in sight. The builder asks us for the shingles colours - they must order them. We already had selected a colour - terracotta red.
Tuesday, January 16. Finally I manage to e-mail with the supplier of the irrigation. I get the answers I hoped for: yes, it indeed covers the full half acre, yes it includes the electrical part, yes it has a switchboard that enables it to work unattendedly. You may wonder why they don't put it in the specifications.
Monday, January 22. Still no sign of the mortgager. I send them an email: I do need my money when the second bill arrives.
Wednesday, January 24. As it remains deafening silent from them, I go visit the mortgater, slightly irritated, at lunchtime. Next week, February 1, I need the moeny. It appears that the Postbank had better change their mascotte from the blue lion to a purple crocodile *). The mortgage department is waiting for the accounts department. Accounts department is waiting for a copy of my passport that is with the mortgage department... and thus everyone is waiting. The mortgager arranges it while I'm there.
That evening I find a mail from the builder in my mailbox - can we give them all our preferences and what are we going to do with the ligting fixtures. Until late in the evening I'm typing all our wishes, the lighting is for tomorrow. The kitchen cabinet choice (red doors, black marble-like countertop!), bathroom cabinets (one dark red, the other blue, and white marble for the sink); outdoor painting (cream white outside, a colour well matching the terracotta red shingles, trim white; the tiles; the carpet (master bedroom dark red, other bedrooms blue, well-matching the bathroom colours); the garage door; the door handles.
Thursday, January 25. Another mail about the light fixtures. I decide to call the builder to find out. It appears that they must have them when the electrician comes. For inspection, the fixtures must be dome by the electrician. I first thought that I could hang them myself when I'm there, but that won't work. As we know that Ikea won't open before fall, we'll have to shop online. When Albert is back in Florida, they can deliver it at his place. Fortunaty, a Google search on 'lighting fixtures' gets me several online shops, one of them with a collection of thousands.
Sunday, January 28. Johanna tells us that they've put the roof on the house.
Tuesday, January 30. Again, no sign of the mortgager. When I went there in the second week of December, it would be no problem to have the money in the middle of January. On February, 1 I'll get the bill for the second draw so I need to have it by then. It turns out that the purple crocodiles still rule at the Postbank. The accounts department have disapproved of the copy of my passport even though the mortgages dept. had approved. They complain about the hand-written, signed and stamped statement that tells them that the copy is similar to the original... it has been put in the wrong words. Though I have the flu and should be in bed, by 4 pm I go to the mortgager's office and arrange that they'll refund possble costs for overdue payment.
I mail Jack Miller to notify them and ask what costs will be involved. The answer is disappointing: there is no way paying overdue.
Wednesday, January 31. How do you get 30% of the total amount of building a house, in one day? Our savings accounts don't even come near. I'll talk with the mortgager tomorrow about an emergency loan - which I think won't work. I call my father who promises to find out whether he can help me out and free some meney from his savings account for the time being.
Thursday, February 1. Though the flu and cold haven't really left my body, I return to work, bouncing for stress. I hardly slept last night. All kind of paperwork in my pocket in case I have to go to the bank to beg for an emergency loan. Does that exist - for private persons, now, immediately?
The mortgage advisor calls, he gives me few chance that this will work. At 10.30 my father calls. In the afternoon the money I asked him for will be on my account. Together with our savings it will do. It feels like a lot of water that piled up in my body, flows out through my feet. What a relief...
Later Gusta calls - she has arranged that our savings are transferred to my bank account. At 5:30 pm I wire the money to America.
I mail Jack Miller to tell the money is on its way - but also that, though he is not the one who caused this thriller, it's been complicating that there's been no arrangement at all for overdue payment. Like the contract is weak in all aspects. If I hadn't been able to arrange things, they would have had no means at all to enforce immediate payment or to charge me costs for being overdue. Jack would have no means to make me pay for his damage - he would have missed a supplier's discount. Overlooking it all, it's been merely that I feel obliged to pay. Altogether not a very good situation from business viewpoint. Some later I get mail from Jack where he apologises for his part of the situation and for possible misunderstandings. Misunderstandings - were there? Altogether I don't get much wiser from that - well I've made my point anyway.
Tuesday February 6. I'm glad we've arranged for our things ourselves. It now appears that the notary can't pass the mortgage before February, 22. The old mortgage appears to have a term of notice of two weeks. Has that mortgage advisor only been sleeping then?
Saturday, February 11. I call Johanna. They are building the interior walls - all rooms are there. So every now and then we get a strong urge to go and see...
Thursday, Februari 22. Finally... finally we go to the notary for the mortgage. Within 20 minutes we're ready.
Friday, February 23. We're financially back to normal again. I pay back my father and wire money back to our emptied savings accounts.
Tuesday, February 27. Carol Heausler - our realtor and friend - mails us with a bunch of new pictures. They are a-ma-zing!
Wednesday, February 28. All good things come at once - Naldo sends us an envelope with more pictures.
Wednesday, March 7. We call Albert once every two days. Today they cleaned up all the mess of building the wood structure and they delivered the drywall. And also the well has been drilled - 60 feet deep - for irrigating the lot.
Friday, March 16. This time no fuss about paying the bill. With the current exchange rate - $1.34 - we decide to pay our third draw a few days early.
Monday, March 27. Last Saturday they delivered a truck load of cement bags - today they've stucco'd the exterior walls.
Thursday, April 5. Yee-Hah! More pictures - after I've helped Albert over the phone, he has copied them directly to my website.
Today they started digging in the septic tank, he tells me.
Wednesday, April 11. The mysterious megatubes where the septic tank is planned, raise questions. Unfortunately, Albert hasn't seen what more they've put in the ground and the huge hole they dug has been closed now. The area is filled with little orange flags, a STOP-sign and 'no trespassing'. A colleague, whose husband is a water engineer, asks him if he knows but her 'sewerologist' also can't tell.
Thursday, April 12. I ask Jack Miller for an update on the planning, as we must go and book a ticket. His secretary mails us that they will be done in mid-July.
Another issue that needs to be cleared is the furnishing. It's become clear that Ikea won't open on time in Florida. Most articles in the catalog cannot be ordered on-line. The idea of going to Atlanta doesn't appeal to us - it's a day driving to get there. As the Dutch website hardly has possibilities to e-mail, I write a letter asking whether they can intermediate in ordering in Atlanta and having the goods delivered in Florida.
Friday, April 13. Gusta finally gets het vacation planning from her work. It took some trouble to find out... On my work, I reserve my vacation days. We decide that I'll go one week in advance to arrange things, and Gusta, Erik and Renée will come the 21st of July.
Monday, April 16. I ask our travel agency and Albert's to find the best offer to Miami or Orlando.
Tuesday, April 17. Journey arranged! And together with Gusta, Nigel (nephew) and Letitia go. I want to go and pack my suitcase... but we'll have to wait another three months...
Thursday, April 19. We now find out that our travel plans were different from Albert's and Letitia's and that we crossed their plans. Albert and I agree that he will travel with me. He can help me to arrange things and if we need to go to Ikea in Atlanta, we'll go together - something we've spoken of before.
Wednesday, April 25. It took some time but today an employee of Ikea Netherlands calls me, as an answer on my letter. They can't be intermediate for ordering in Atlanta, but what I can do is buy in Delft and have it shipped and delivered in Florida. It seems an expensive deal: because of the low dollar prices in the USA are 35% lower. The employee tells me that the catalog in the USA is not the same. It partly is adapted to the American taste. Also the assortment changes more often than the paper and the on-line catalog. Indeed: that beautiful red cabinet Gusta would like to have there, didn't appear in the Dutch on-line catalog until recently (leave alone in the American version).
Saturday, April 28. Naldo solves the mystery of the big black tubes. It appears to be the drain of the septic tank. The waste water is not being drained to a public sewer nor to a ditch (both don't exist). Instead, it's being infiltrated into the soil. The septic tank itself has been dug into the ground just next to the tubes.
Wednesday, May 2. Tomorrow Letitia goes to Florida, so we're there to say goodbye. It hurts... we want to go too! We also talk to Albert, after a long time there's some activity at the house. The painter entered the scene to paint the exterior walls.
Thursday, May 3. The 'Ikea-problem' keeps us busy. A thourough walk through the American Ikea catalog confirms the words of the dutch Ikea employee. It begins to look like that when I go to Atlanta, chances are fair that I'll come home with a disappointing result. Not in the least because Gusta isn't there to help take decisions to buy replacing items.
On-line shopping at some specialised American traders in modern furniture teaches us that it is possible to get nice stuff, but it's quite expensive. And then: I want to try a sofa before I buy.
In the end, it appears that buying here and shipping isn't such a bad option. If it's not available there, you can't say it's cheaper. To reduce costs, we can order the few items, that can be bought on-line, there. It looks like we will have to go to our Ikea here for some serious business, next Satur day.
Saturday, May 5. One of these days that the Florida fever strikes again. We spend three hours in the local Ikea store. Unfortunately, the business department, that does the shipping, is closed on Saturday. That means that we'll have to return on Monday. When we return to home, we discuss things over en find out that we have to go once again to find out more. After another three hours we end up with a complete list of items that we want to have.
In between, we buy fabric for the curtains on the marketplace.
Monday, May 7. Immediately after work we go to Ikea. It turns out to become the Ikea race: at 6 pm, the business department closes so we have to gather all the items within an hour. I'm glad that we have a complete list with all the items, locations in the self-service storehouse and article numbers. In 45 minutes we have three trolleys and an oversized shopping cart, packed with two leather sofas, a bunch of packets to build a cabinet, tables, chairs, rugs, dinner service, pans and a lot more.
Wednesday, May 23. Time to present the official T-shirt of the project.
From Florida just little news. The interior has been painted, today someone was hanging the interior doors and fixing the eaves covers.
Thursday, May 24. Albert tells us that Jack Miller personally has placed the front door.
Saturday, May 26. Albert en Titia returned from Florida... with pictures!
Sunday, May 27. Like every time the Florida fever strikes again with all these pictures and the enthusiasm of Albert and Letitia. If I hadn't had surgery on my knee recently I would have been jumping through the house again.
Monday, May 28. Gusta starts to sow the curtains. I mail Jack Miller to order the sod.
Wednesday, May 30. Our first little financial setback. The allowance for the septic system has been exceeded by nearly 2000 dollars. An allowance means, that costs up to the specified amount are being covered by the contract, and that I will have to pay any exceeding costs. I'm absolutely sure that, in September, I've asked Jack Miller whether the allowance of $2,000 would typically fit the costs of a septic system, and that he said yes. I mail them to explain why the budget has been exceeded by 100% without any notice.
Thursday, May 31. For better Florida enjoyment I've started to put all the construction pictures in a picture book.
Thursday, June 7. Elle, Jack Miller's secretary, appears to have a good taste of colours. She strongly advises us to reconsider our choices of tiles both in the entry (outside) and inside. While the outside walls have warm colours, we chose cool gray tiles for the entry, and the tanned white tiles inside don't match the strong colours of the kitchen. As we feel she's got a point there, we decide to do as she advises and change colours.
I ask Carol, our friend and realtor, to help us with addresses of insurance companies for choosing our homeowners insureance.
Monday, June 11. I ask quotations for an insurance at the three addresses that Carol has provided.
Tuesday, June 12. A culvert or a swale? That's the question. Elle, Jack Miller's secretary, sends us an e-mail asking for our choice. A culvert is $650 extra. One slight problem: what the XYZ are a culvert and a swale? I call Jack Miller's office and learn that it is 'something' with the drainage of the driveway, that a culvert is a kind of conduit used to drain off water... but where, how, what... Albert tells me that he nor Naldo have a drainage for the driveway. We decide to vote for the free swale.
Thursday, June 14. Another choice: will we have our home appliances in black, white or bisque? Elle again has a free advice - black. Gusta and I unanimous vote for that. Elle visited the house and reports that the kitchen and bathroom cabinets have been installed, so have the lighting fixtures, and they're working on the tiles. Another jump for joy!
I also call with an insurance broker about the homeowners insurance and once again I learn that America is a different world. As ususal - the quotation is half work. It does state what's insured, but not for what situations. Ununderstandable abbreviations like 'AOP' (All Other Perils). But the weird part comes when I ask for the exclusions. Actually they're not exclusions; if you have one of these you just won't get an insurance: a non-fenced pool; a non-fenced dog; a trampoline. Come again - a trampoline?
Okay. It has a liability coverage. So I ask whether she means that accidents on a trampoline are not covered. No, she says, you won't get an insurance with a trampoline in or behind the house. Erik will have another present this summer, I'm afraid. Not just for the insurance but in the USA you apparently buy yourself a legal trojan horse - you'll will be sued to death when a friend in the village hurts his arm on the trampoline. I could think of other perils - a fully loaded gun in the drawer for instance - but they won't refuse an insurance for that.
Wednesday, June 20. It apparently isn't simple to get an insurance by email. As flooding was not covered in the homeowners insurance I asked for a quotation for a separate flood insurance, but I don't get any response. Two other companies that I asked for a quotation don't even bother to react. After a reminder I get only the first page of a quotation of one of them...
I call after the flood insurance and get a direct response. But the premium is quite high for an area so elevated. We decide to take the homeowners insurance only.
I also try to contact the supplier of the well and sprinkler system. He sent me an invoice but they fail to answer me on my request for a bank account number so that I can wire the money... sigh.
Thursday, June 28. Clumsiness and more clumsiness - don't they want to sell an insurance? I have to call back once again for my insurance as there's no action at all. As a response, I do get an application form to be signed and an invoice... blank; no amounts, no policy number. Nice when you intend to pay.
Saturday, June 30. Naldo tells Letitia that the driveway and the grass have been done. It's only a few last small jobs to be done.
Monday, July 2. Still nothing from the insurance company. Three telephone calls later I have the required information to be able to pay my insurance... sigh.
Wednesday, July 4. The Ikea stuff is on its way to Miami port. I get the bill of lading from the shipper and a phone number of the agent in Miami.
Thursday, July 5. Time to arrange the last things. I spend 45 minutes 'on hold' on the phone with the energy company to have that set. Next week, the Certificate of Occupancy will be issued.
Wednesday, July 11. While counting off the days, I ask the shipper's agent about the clearance of the Ikea goods. Initially he tells me that I have to find a broker to do that for me. Gee... where do I get that - and that's what I ask him. Fortunately he can provide me with an address of a company.
And... the Certicicate of Occupancy has been issued!
Thursday, July 12. I get some really difficult forms to fill out, halfway finding out that I got forms that don't apply to the import of new goods. The lady of the clearing company is a great help.
Saturday, July 14. Re-packed my suitcases, put in the last things... tomorrow we're away. Florida here I come!
Sunday, July 15 - Sunday, July 22. This week is meant for preparing quarters - together with Albert. As I don't have access to a computer that often, this is just a short resumé of what I've done this week.
On Sunday evening we arrive at dark. I can only see the house from the outside in headlights of the car. Monday we can get in - well actually we planned to go to Jack Miler's office to get a key but it appears to be in a box on the side of the house so that workers can get in. We find out as, while we're looking at the house at daylight, someone gets there for a few final things. Of course, it is amazing and all sizes look bigger as I had memorised. I take a lot of pictures to show Gusta (later that day I send them), and then we go to the builder's office. It turns out that actually nothing has to be arranged anymore - except for a handshake later that week with Jack, who says it's been a pleasure doing business with me. The pleasure has been mutual.
And how securely they have worked shows off when I try to find issues for the punch list - it remains empty! 'Superintendant' Dave McPherson has had so much eye for detail that I just don't find anything wrong. Also, I'm amazed by the many small details that won't ever fit a specifications list - things as simple as door stoppers where they're needed. And as we asked for chrome-coloured door handles instead of the standard brass, it appears that Dave has ordered chrome hinges and a matching colour in the front door window.
Of course there's more to do than admiring the house. We buy beds at Bill Bishop's furniture shop in Avon Park - just north of Sebring. Bill is one of Albert's friends and absolutely nuts. A washer and dryer at Musselman's. Hundreds of household items, from table cloth to TV at Wal-Mart, K-Mart and several 'dollar stores'. Step stones to make a walkway from the front to the rear of the house, at Lowe's. A white mailbox. Protection stones for the sprinklers.
I arrange that we have telephone and I go to the bank to get for a debit card - one they previously couldn't send as I didn't have a U.S. adress.
I go for information to have an antenna placed at our house - as we're away often this is definitely the most affordable way to watch TV. It will be placed the next week.
The lawn cries to be mowed. My first time on a sit-on lawn mower appears to be more difficult than I thought.
And finally I prepare for Gusta, Renee and Erik to come home. Sunday, July 22 we pick them and Letitia up from Orlando airport. I open a bottle of champagne to celebrate the moment.
Monday, July 12 - Friday, August 10. Main thing that didn't work out like we'd planned was the Ikea furniture. On Monday I hear that is finally has been released by customs. The next day I rent a U-Haul truck and together with driver Albert we go to Miami to pick it up ourselves, to be sure not to lose more time. That evening the mainly empty house turns into a home when we put the dining table, the sofas and all the other furniture in their places.
I also left the gardening for this week. Several times, we go to Lowe's for plants, gardening soil, anti-weed cloth and mulch. At the end of our stay, it has changed into a real garden, of course everything still has to grow in its place but still this is a beginning.
Of course, the shops for household items and home decoration along the US 27 all get several visits. There's also time for fun things like a Disney parks and sightseeing around.
Saturday, August 11. With a heart full of reversed homesickness we have to fly back to Holland and leave our home behind until our next stay. That hurts.

This ends this weblog of a turbulent year where we made such an important step in our life.