The Revised Drive Way - Wait a Minute

Below is a photo of our layout. You can see the proposed additions to the driveway in transparent white. If you know where the main gate is (lower right-hand corner) you can follow the driveway as it currently is configured, or follow the new driveway.

Take the first fork to the right and follow it around, bearing left till you come to the parking palapa (lower center of photo). Now, if we're parked under the palapa, that would present a problem departing easily.

You'll notice a second white area (immediate right-hand side of the parking palapa). That will allow those departing to get out without trying to drive under the palapa. From there, just follow the drive to the main gate and out.

From the other gate, (Chain Link), that's just going to be a service entrance if a big truck is dumping chippings, gravel, etc.

Proposed Driveway Changes

The long-awaited driveway renovation project began today. And, just like that came to a halt.

Unfortunately, communications between the backhoe driver and myself were somewhat lacking. I had assumed he was only going to use his front scoop and only scoop out an inch or two of grass, etc.

Stakes Showing the Wa

You can see the stakes I pounded into the marl to show the proposed areas to be scraped. They more or less match the image above.

Backhoe Bucket Tracks

He immediately set to work, positioning himself to use the backhoe. I assumed that maybe he was going to use that to pull out the curbing in that area. Wrong. He didn't go for the curb but set the bucket teeth into the soil. I signaled to go no more than three or four inches down, which is how he started, but for some reason, the bucket began to go deeper.

The Damage Done

By then, it was too late. Up came the PVC tube with the cables providing current to the main house. Or, they did provide current until they broke.

I immediately called a halt to the operation. Needless to say, I was none too happy and told the operator that he was done.


I immediately got on the phone, texting to Mario Zetina, our contractor for the swimming pool and enclosure rebuild, to see if, by chance, Emanuel, his electrician was available for an emergency repair. I assumed that it would be too much to hope for that he would be available right away, but I was hoping, maybe for the following day. Even though this was about our hottest day of the year so far, reaching 92℉.

Mario texted me back and said that he would have Emanuel come by as soon as he finished lunch. Wow! Too much to hope for. I was figuring, even if he showed up right away, that it would still be a good day or so before we got the current back, I was assuming the whole run of 300' of #6 wire x 3, or 900' of wire would have to be replaced.

After about forty minutes, Emanual and his helper showed up and immediately started clearing marl out of the way. Thankfully, he remembered he had constructed a junction box for wiring to go to the Mennonite house.

Starting to Dig Out

They've just about got the junction box uncovered. I had totally forgotten about the box.

After checking the wires at the dig site, Mario went to the power panel by the gate and determined that most of the three wires were in good condition. They had simply been pulled out of the screw posts.

Making It All Right Again

After refurbishing the wires and replacing the mangled PVC pipe (I had enough pipe left over and a coupling fitting for the repair) Emanuel reassembled the whole thing back into the junction box.

Good View of the Repaired Junction

Here's the completed junction box without the lid being attached.

Reconnecting Everything

And, in amazingly very short order, we had current again. Fans, ice, cold beer, and iced tea. In short, the whole nine yards.

Now, all I have to do is bring back the tractor and ensure that the operator only uses the front scoop and only does it exactly where I tell him, and we'll be good to go. Of course, after that, a large trip or two of chippings and getting that all spread over the driveway and we really will be good to go.

Stay tuned for part II - The Finishing of the Driveway, or Let's See What Breaks Next.

Work, Work, Work

Well, not really. None of the workers showed up yesterday. Not surprising, since if was a national holiday. Cody had the day off anyway, so he really didn't count.

Also, yesterday, the thermometer on our front porch topped 100° (f) for the first time since we've been here. Global Warming?? Who knows?

Today the workers showed up at 6:30 AM, while I was still out walking the dogs.

Here's a bit of a refresher - We left off yesterday's exciting episode with Mr. Backhoe digging a big hole in the ground...

Manuel and Agusto Watching Backhoe Finish the Hole

And then he made a really big hill near the hole.

That'sa Some Kinda Big Pile

The Pile Has Become Tesmentdous

Here's where the action picked up this morning. Smoothing the sides and leveling the floor.

Mariano and Agusto Making It All Nice And Pretty

Is This the Right Shape?

Around the same time, I had Cody, our Caretaker, start a small trench so we can add more water pipe and the new electrical run. It'll all go in the same trench terminating with a stub so we can run water over to the guest house when it gets built.

Cody's Trench

Here's the floor of the pool and the walls - all getting nice and smooth and level.

Pool Is Really Shaping Up

A Big Hole in the Ground

Some of the supplies that came in today, a nice load of white, hard 1/2" gravel from Orange Walk, lengths of rebar, each 40' long, and bags of cement, stored under the parking palapa.

Gravel Arriving

Rebar is Here

Cement in 80 lb. Bags

Now, with the sides and floor smooth, the guys laid down a covering of polyethylene. It doesn't matter if holes are in it or not. Waterproofing is not the idea here, it's simply to slow down the concrete once it's been poured, by preventing water seeping out of the mix, thus keeping the mix from going off too soon.

Polyethylene or Visqueen Lining The Bottom

Polyethylene or Visqueen Lining The Bottom

Then, when that was done, the guys began positioning rebar on the floor, getting ready to cast the floor on Saturday.

Mariano and Agusto Laying Rebar

That does it for another exciting episode of Workers in Paradise, or How I Learned to Relax and Watch Someone Else Do It. Stay tuned for further adventures as our intrepid crew work up a sweat...

The Big Dig

Surprise, surprise. We were not expecting this today. In fact, we were expecting a fairly quiet day. I was planning to go into town to the "Mattress Bank" for some cash.

There were a few items I had to buy at the store in preparation for the stores being closed tomorrow for National Day (celebrating the Battle of St. George's Caye. It used to be called St. George's Caye Day). It was when the Royal Navy defeated the Spanish for the final time in these waters.

In short it was going to be quiet. That is, till John Harris, our contractor, called last night and told us he and his crew would be here about 7:30 AM. Ok, fine. We can deal with it.

Jump forward about 11 or so hours. I had just finished walking the doggies, and had given them breakfast, when "Beep, Beep", John's at the gate - barely 7:00 AM. And another pickup with the crew right behind him.

So, I opened the gate and proceeded to coral the girls so I could put them on the chain for their and everyone's well-being for the day.

They got to spend the day, lounging in the front breeze-way, as you can see below.

Cindy and Secret Supervising

As soon as the crew got their tools out of the pickups, they went right to work, measuring, pounding stakes, and laying out string lines to guide them for the digging of the hole for the pool.

Laying Out String Guidelines

John Supervising the Layout

As soon as they got that done, they started prizing up some marl to loosen it, using a garden fork. Dianna and I took the opportunity to have a formal "ground-breaking".

Ground Breaking - All Done Very Proper

Ground Breaking - Turning Over a Spade-full Each

Our work for the day being done by that point, we got out of the way as John brought in a large back-hoe to actually dig the hole. This one came from A-1 Gravel.

Back-Hoe Arriving

The expert driver, once he positioned his tractor, began making a large hole in the ground, saving the guys at least a day of very hard work, in blazing sunlight too.

Starting The Hole

Up on his jacks and away he went. Digging fast - but able to stay inside the lines.

Dig, Dig, Dig

Pretty soon we had us a serious hole in the ground. It grew larger with every bite of earth his machine took.

And More Digging

Of course, being El Hefe, or the supervisor, John had to set up his office. Where'd he pick? Under the palapa and in the shade. His momma didn't raise no fool.

John In His Office

Here's the result. A big hole - slightly larger than 12' x 24'x2.5'.

Yup. It's A Bigun'

Yup. It's A Bigun' - Here's the Other Part

After digging the hole, we couldn't just leave the dirt right there. It had to be moved out of their way. So, for now, it's over in Elsie's yard (Sorry Elsie, no time to ask permission. I can just beg forgiveness, as the saying goes).

Making a really big pile

From Another Angle

Of course, with some luck, that pile will disappear as well, once we start on the guest house foundation.

And thus, ends day one of the pool construction, We'll be up and at them early tomorrow - even if it is a holiday. You know those construction types - as long as the sun shines, make hay!

Dianna and I plan to spend a good part of the day under the palapa ourselves - playing sidewalk superintendent.

Cheers