Construction Begins

                     We've had two coconut trees removed with the only tools being;

• bare feet to climb, 
• a machete to cut the fronds, 
• an axe to cut into the trunk and later to cut it up into movable chunks
• a rope to pull the top of the tree over once the trunk is cut midway up 

The trunk wood is used for carving masks and bar stools; the green fronds are used for weaving baskets and hats.. 

With the trees gone, our contractors can begin their work on the ground much more safely.. no bonks on the head by a deadly heavy, milk filled coconut!.   

Construction Begins: To replace our cisterns. 
Locally provided water comes into one cement box and is pumped to another closer to the house; then up to the tinacas ( 2 large black plastic containers on our roof).  Then gravity feeds the water to the bathrooms and kitchen.  Needless to say, we buy our water for drinking.. 100 pesos which is about 80 cents for each big bottle... delivery to the door or buy in the village. 
                   

Rock for the Foundation 

Our contractor Don Lauro and 2  family members have begun to build our "bodega" in which we will set up our Water System...softener, ultra violet, pressure tank...with the ultimate goal of having drinking water and softened water for showers...  YEAH!.

Digging the foundation by hand and then 
chipping the rock to fit like a puzzle with 
cement added to hold it all together. 

Cement blocks arrive 

Rebar for the corners... ..looking pretty rudimentary at first glance for sure. If we hadn't witnessed our contractors successfully building homes for friends from BC and Sask. we would be worried.  

Cement is mixed by hand; rarely by machine.

HOW TO POUR A ROOF 

Mix cement on the ground; 

Shovel into bucket; 

Carry bucket on shoulder up the scaffold; 

Hand to worker on roof who pours and trowels the cement.

Use 3 long slim tree trunks inside to support the roof while drying.

 What Am I Doing While all This is Going ON ??????

Yoga 3 mornings a week and Bible Study Group on Thursdays

 Full Body Massage during a "Girls Day Out: at the beach... we are on a side terrace facing the ocean .  

Gord and I  went to the Local Artisans Show in Merida... these lamps are of paper made from the "Mother- in-Law tongue plant. All the displayers come from the local pueblos, Merida and several are women's cooperatives. 

Watching the local fisherman... the way to stay warm on cool mornings is to cover your entire head...looking like mummies...

These guys were here at 4:00 a.m. laying their nets across a wide stretch of sea in front of our beach houses; then tonight at 5:00 returned to gather them all up.. 

Admiring their balance. Both stand the whole time.  One poles along, stopping for both of them to pull up the meters and meters of net while the boat rocks and rolls. .....no life jackets and unfortunately no fish either!

Buenos Noches...24 degrees = perfect sleeping weather. 
Dorothy and Gord