Pool House Expansion Project - Day Eleven 06/10/15

We've already got the foundation and rebar cast.

Day Eleven, 06/10/15

Now comes building the walls, three blocks high to match the existing floor of the Pool House. As I mentioned before, these are the best looking blocks I've seen here in Corozal. Nice crisp lines and sharp corners. As you can see at the bottom of the photo, half blocks are even available.

A Good Sized Stack of Blocks

Of course, now comes the time when those blocks need to be repositioned so they are near to where they're going to be used.

Moving Blocks from the Stack to Where They'll Be Needed

And once they're ready to begin laying the blocks, mortar needs to be mixed. Here the crew is doing it the old-fashioned way, by hand.

Mixing Mortar the Old-Fashioned Way

Finally, I was lucky to be able to catch the first two lines of mortar being cast onto the foundation.

The First Lines of Mortar In the New Addition

And, shortly after that, the first block is laid on top. Just a few hundred more to go.

The First Block Being laid in the New Lines

Work is well under way. The blocks will be laid in single rows, but three blocks high to match the existing floor level.

A Soldierly Course of Blocks Laid

Just a preview here, the first pile of rock which will be fill material inside the walls. I have always felt sorry for the crews that had to pick those rocks out of the fields. Carl told me they do that mechanically, and dump them alongside the road of the cane field. Then when the truck comes to load up for our delivery, a forklift simply scoops rocks up from beside the road and dumps them into the truck. The only real back-breaking labor is when Carl's guys have to move them to the foundation interior.

The First Pile of Rock for Fill

While work was progressing, Dianna found this wasp nest in the thatch of the parking palapa. Luckily, no one has made contact with it. I think Carlos was going to spray it with Bop bug spray.

A Large Wasp Nest In the Parking Palapa

Now the last course of blocks is being laid down. Such sharp mortar lines. almost looks like what you'd find up north.

Starting the Last Course - Floor Level

There's many more photos than appear in each posting. You can see all the photos of the construction project on Flickr at: https://www.flickr.com/gp/winjama/0wVc3s. There will be new photos added each day of the project.

Some Good Things and One Bad Thing

First the good news...

Construction is proceeding at an almost torrid pace. We have a pretty large pile of lumber - all pretty-well used at this point. Here's some shots of workers rummaging through it to find just the pieces they need.

As expensive as wood has become, it's common to reuse and reuse wood till it literally splits apart.

"I Know There's One Here That's Just Right"

Pulling Reluctant Nails

Our bathroom is really shaping up. We now have a shower enclosure with the controls located near the entry - so you don't have to get soaked before you get the temperature adusted. A nice touch.

Hot and Cold Controls

Showing Controls From the Back

Here's Franz Ozman finishing up some of the wiring for the master Breaker panel. He's done a great wiring job throughout the place. He's a humorous guy too. Always grinning with devilment. He calls Dianna "Lady Dianna".

Ozman At Work

The drain field fence is nearing completion. They'll finish plastering the inside this morning, then work on the "chain" and finish the top today (I hope).

Plastering the Inside

The Outside All Done

Mixing Cement and it's component parts into concrete for pouring or as mortar has been a continual part of this whole process.

Mixing Mortar for the Drain Field Fence

Our streetside fence is really taking shape now. This part should be done along with the drain field fence in a few days. Then Isidoro and his crew will be done here. I'll miss them. They were great to work with.

Shaping the Curve of the Fence

Fence Over the Trash Bin

Pouring concrete into the cut blocks to finalize the curve. We need another post to help support the gate when it's opened. You'll se how it all comes together.

Pouring Continues

Checking the Vertical Angle

Dianna has moved into her element now. Here she's giving a lesson to Abraham on texturing the walls using drywall mud. They're picking it up a little at a time. It'll look good, trust me.

Dianna and Abraham In Class

Up on top of the roof fixing the ridge line that was missing. I'm not sure if it got damaged in the move or just was always missing. Anyway, it's there now. Great view from up there. Our concrete house should have an upper observation deck.

Viewing the Scenery From the Top Of the World

Ok. Now the bad news.

Yesterday afternoon about 2:30 PM, Dianna and I were driving up the Norther Highway, north of Corozal. We were enroute to ITVET to pay the tuition for our upcoming Spanish class, when all of a sudden - BANG!

We were hit in the windshield by what I initially thought was a piece of ice. It felt wet as it got all over us. I immediately pulled over and asked Dianna if she was alright. She said she thought so, but as she turned toward me, the side of her face was pretty bloody. Whatever had hit us, broke the windshield right beside the passenger pillar.

I knew we were close to the Corozal Government Clinic or hospital as we call it, so I turned around and began heading toward it. I got on my cell phone and called 9-1-1. They answered and I gave them what information I knew. It wasn't much. We knew by that time that it wasn't ice but a beer bottle that hit us. Dianna had found part of the "Sol Cervesa" label. We also knew it came from a bus that was heading in the opposite direction. And, we knew the time. What we didn't know was the color of the bus, license plate or anything else useful.

I hung up talking to 9-1-1 at that time and concentrated on getting to the hospital. We whipped around the building to the emergency entrance. There was an orderly or something standing there and I hollered at him for some help as I jumped from the car.

I ran around to help Dianna get out of the car. The orderly was just standing there looking. I yelled at him to get some help. This time he started into motion. I'm sure now I was in hyper-drive and he probably was moving the whole time. At that time though, it seemed like nothing was happening.

By the time we got to the door, a group of nurses began to gather around. We guided Dianna to a bed to sit and the nurses began debriding the right side of her face.

At that time, I realized I hadn't told 9-1-1 where we were going, so I went outside (for cell coverage) and called them again. They advised me they had relayed the call to Corozal Station (It's a national 9-1-1) and that they had sent an officer to the bus terminal, but without a color he was unable to do much as there had been three or four buses pull in almost simultaneously.

After that, I went back in to check on Dianna. The nurses were just finishing up with her, applying some ointment and a gauze bandage with tape that refused to stick because her face was still wet from the cleanup.

Dianna wanted to go outside for a cigarette, so we did that while they prepared a prescription for her. They asked when her last tetanus shot was (about a year ago, thanks to our applying for the Peace Corps).

About that time a police officer showed up riding in a Government of Belize, Department of Works truck. I don't know if he actually came there to see us or not, but he asked what had happened and began taking notes as I retold the story up to that point. He agreed there wasn't going to be much the police could do with such skimpy information. He did advise us to stop at the police station to file a statement as soon as we were done at the hospital.

Shortly after he left, we were done at the hospital. They wanted Dianna to come back a couple of times to have her dressings changed. But it was obvious that her wounds were really minor - a slight cut on the right cheek and a few tiny nicks on her upper chest. Lots of blood, but really very little in the way of injuries. Her biggest wish right now was to get home and take a shower to remove all the tiny and powdered glass from all over her head and clothing.

I got her into the car and we headed home. As soon as we pulled in, Carlos (Jim and Melanie's Caretaker) wanted to know what happened. We told him and he gently gave Dianna a hug. As I took her around back to shower using the outside shower of the pool, I heard him firing up the ShopVac to begin cleaning the glass out of the car.

We got some of the larger pieces showered off, when Dianna complained the water was too cold. So, from there we went into our bathroom where she stripped off the glass-laden clothes and took a proper shower, gently removing all the glass.

After she dried off and put on fresh clothes, we went back out to the patio so she could have another smoke and to have a beer. By then, her only reaction was anger. At the idiot who threw the bottle. Whoever it was, probably didn't even know what they had done. Just finished their beer and pitched the bottle out. Unfortunately, it was on the driver's side of the bus, and we just happened to come along right at that time.

Reminded us of the rash of incidents in the Northwest, where people got injured/killed by stuff falling off trucks. Idiots are everywhere.

At about that time, I left and rode my scooter down town to give the police report. That was pretty uneventful. It did take them some time to fine the statement form, and to decide who was actually going to take my statement. When we were done, I asked if I could get a copy of the statement for insurance. The police officer told me I would have to come back tomorrow and fill out an application for a copy. Bureaucracy never strays far.

On the way back home, I stopped at the work site and told all the guys what happened. They felt the same as we did that fools were everywhere. I told them Dianna would be at the work site in the morning and they could all talk to her then.

I headed home and joined Dianna and a couple of friends who had dropped over (Larry and Bob) on the patio for another beer.

Just another day in the life here in paradise. Just watch out for flying beer bottles.

Thank God it was a lightweight Sol beer bottle and not one of the heavy-weight Belikin bottles. It probably would have seriously injured or maybe even have killed her. She's a lucky gal.

Dianna's New Car

Patched Busted Windscreen

And, finally, a quick shot of the streetside fence and how it's shaping up. Even this isn't up-to-date. They have finished plastering it. So I'll take more pictures this morning.

Streetside Fence Nearing Completion