Next Try For Tuesday

Things pool-wise have really slowed down here at Casa Winjama the past week or so. The biggest issue has been Diamond Brite, or rather the shortage of it. Island Pool Supply didn't have any and it had to be ordered from the States. There were a few delays getting it to Belize. Mario told me yesterday that he'll be going to Belize City, I assume to the Port area to get however many bags of it that the project requires.

Making A Door

I'm assuming the Mennonites have been building the screen doors, as they're the same design as the two that we already have in the new house.

Almost Finished

As you can see, they're almost done, and installation of them should be happening this Wednesday. Nice looking, sturdy doors, both will have doggie doors, just like the other screen doors. Nice looking, sturdy doors, both will have doggie doors, just like the other screen doors.

Priming Railings

Through a couple of fits and starts, the railings are finally being installed on the ramps. Here the railings are being primed. They've already been Osphoed.

They've already been partially installed. Dianna noticed that the top rail could be easily scratched with a fingernail. So, off they came and went back to the shop for proper treatment.

It's not an uncommon occurrence here in Belize. The responsible person takes on the job, and for whatever reason, doesn't provide adequate supervision of workers under him and whatever is produced, it's like, that's ok. Hence doing it over.

Railings All Primed and Ready

Frustrating for us, but almost considered SOP. A part of the problem, is finding good workers. We talked with Mario, our contractor a while back. He has an ongoing problem of finding workers, with skills, or with any sort of a work ethic. He says they are few and far between and getting harder to find as well. Mario said he doesn't know if it's drugs, rum, the education system, or what, but something is failing the Belizean worker big time.

Carlos Installing Railings

The workers Mario has, he tries hard to keep them. He pays them well, maintains reasonable work hours and tries very hard to keep projects coming to be able to pay them. Sometimes, sub-contractors, like Carlos, the welder, have an even harder time with workers.

Waiting To Be Installed

Anyway, the railings are finally being installed and they look very nice. It seems like there's railings stacked and standing all over the place.

Looking From the Deck

This view, looking through the doorway and screened opening from the deck, show just how striking the railings look. They really set off the project, making for a dramatic entry to the deck.

Down the West Ramp

Looking down the west ramp, it makes for a nice secure passage.

Another Cave-In

What would a day be without some sort other sort of problem. This is the kind of cave-in I'm used to dealing with. This is in our driveway. A couple of wheelbarrow loads of marl will solve it. Small ones like this, are really not enough to raise an eyebrow. It's just when you get one like we just dealt with in the pool that makes for a challenging life on the waterfront.

Pump House Door Frame

The door frame for the pump house door is also being rehabbed by Carlos, the welder. It's got some rust spots here and there.

We retrieved it from the old pump house, so it's been in use for the better part of eight years.

Reworking Pump House Door

Here;s the door. Carlos has removed the old hinges from the door. They were the common type found here in Belize. Once welded on, there's really no way to lubricate them. The only thing to do is wait till they break or rust out and repair them.

Except Carlos has found a better way. Hinges that can be lubricated after being welded in place. I'm hoping to be able to get a photo of them on Wednesday. They're available from the Chinese hardware store on San Andres Road. I think its name is Fa Chang Hardware. Not positive on that. I'll see if I can remember to check the name out.

Pump House Door Knob

The knob on the inside of the pump house is in a serious state of deterioration. This is the worst knob I've seen. I have no idea what has caused this amount of rust and decay. The rest of the door is in relatively good condition, certainly nothing like this. Luckily, I have a whole batch of replacement knobs just itching to get in place.

Just Like Ann and Nancy Sang

Barracuda. In our canal. I was on the patio area and had just shot the door above. I had stepped up on the seating area to take a look at the canal and the new house across the way.

I saw some pipe fish just swimming along, nice, bright green. Then I saw the 'cuda. At first, I mistook it for a branch. Then I noticed it's tail, just lightly swishing the water. I quickly snapped the photo, and began zooming in to take a little better shot when, with a swoosh of its tail, it was gone in an instant. They are sooo fast. I think it was about two-and-a-half feet long. Pretty good sized for our canal. I had to manipulate the photo some in Picasa to bring out a bit more definition and color.

'64 Plymouth Barracuda

Of course, there are other Barracuda. Take this one for example. It was considered a hot car in its day. Plymouth came out with the Barracuda in 1964. If nothing else, it had an aggressive sounding name. From this angle, it even looks slightly Studebaker-ish, not particularly macho and full of muscle.

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Parking palapa is full. Well, sort of. Two of the three bays. The first bay is full of clotheslines, saw horses, and paint cans. The vehicles are our SportTrac and Denis and Vivien's Trooper.

They're staying for a couple of months as their house has a long-term tenant in it and they didn't want to disturb them. We're letting Denis and Vivien stay as our guests and to give us a dry-run to let us know what we need to still provide in the Mennonite house if we actually decide to rent it out.

Stair Pads For Circular Staircase

 The next part of the project, also being taken care of by Carlos the welder, is our circular staircase. Carlos has brought the stair pads for it and will be welding them in place.

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We bought this some time ago from Eric Burson over in Progresso. It's been living under Elsie's palapa ever since. Finally, it's actually going to be installed.

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First things first, Osphoing, priming, and painting. Then it will be installed. I can't wait. It'll be fun going up it for the first time.

This 'N That

This is another bit of a grab bag... It seems that I have to do this every once in a while. I guess it helps get loose ends tied up and in order, somehow.

Anyway, just so you can see that we do have modern conveniences here, the shot below is Dianna doing laundry out in our (Tony's) laundry/yard tool shed. There is a top-loading washer that does a fairly good job.

Dianna Doing Laundry in the Laundry Shed

We use a solar-powered clothes dryer - lines and clothes pins. The common perception is that electricity costs too much here to use it for such tasks. I'm not sure if that's true or if it's just frugality at work.

Dianna Hanging Laundry Under the Palapa

Anyway, our clothes lines are now under the palapa - makes for a nice shady area to hang washing up in, but it also gets a nice breeze, that helps dry the wash quickly.

Had an interesting thing happen this afternoon while Anthony, Cody' brother was visiting. He'd brought some cigarettes for Dianna. We were all sitting on the porch when Tanya all of a sudden started barking emphatically at something. I couldn't see anything.

Dianna suddenly hollered "There's a snake!"

Sure enough, just in front of the Isuzu, there was about an 18" snake crawling leisurely along. Tanya was still acting excited about it. I grabbed the machete that we keep by the front door (just for such things) and headed out to look at it.

I nudged it with the machete and got a look at the head, which was kind of broad and arrow-shaped. An old but unreliable indicator of a snake being poisonous. It had a diamond scale pattern, well-defined running down its back with dark background and lighter diamonds. I didn't see any rattles on the end, but it did appear to have a stub tail.

I asked Anthony if it was a bad snake - he was still on the porch and wasn't coming any closer. He said it was a bad one. I had no way at the time to deal with the snake, no loop stick or forked stick or anything but the machete. And Tanya was still trying to get to the snake.

So I executed it by chopping its head off. I opened the mouth with the tip of the machete and could see two short fangs. I scooped the head and the body and pitched them over the fence to keep Tanya away and so some of the local wildlife will dispose of the remains.

Later I looked on line for snakes of Belize. It seemed quite obvious to me that the snake was a Fer-de-Lance or Tommy Goff. The most poisonous snake in Belize. But, I read, that even if you do get bit, you have a fair chance of not getting "envenomated" as they said, or maybe just getting a slight dose. however, after getting bit, it's imperative to seek medical help. Just last year a guy up in Xaibe was bit by a Fer-de-Lance, didn't seek medical help and died. Keep that in the back of your mind.

I didn't feel good about despatching the snake - he wasn't threatening us. Tanya was the only being at the time that was in danger from the snake. But, I had no other way to deal with it in the near term. I will try to be more respectful in the future.

Under the palapa, we never fail to find wildlife - seems they also appreciate the shade. Below is a bright green, grasshoppery-sort of thing. I have no idea what it is. That will have to wait till I get my Belize wildlife book down here.

Green Thing

We have had a new crop of young Jesus Lizards - they seem to be running all over the palapa area outside - maybe that was what the snake was going for.

This little guy cooperated quite well in allowing me to approach and take his photo. He's about two or three inches long in the body, so you can see his tail is easily twice that length. And are they fast!

Tiny Jesus Lizard Watching Me

We had a good Barracuda dinner again, fixed by Dianna. There was enough for us to eat our fill, for the kitties to get as much as they wanted, and for Tanya to have plenty to accompany her evening bowl of kibble. And, there's still some left over for lunch tomorrow.