Finishing Up The Septic Tank

Now that we've moved on from Dean and Felix, we can get back to our regular programming. That is, work continues on the septic tank and drain field.

We've progressed to nearly being done with the project. Here's some pictures to update you on where we're at.

Getting ready for the pour of the lid to the tank, Bob set up the forms, very similar to the way a floor would be done elevated from the ground. Sticks support the form from below. You can see the boards in place and the form for the hatch.

Tank Form

Hatch, and Rebar

Here's Bob finishing up tying the rebar. The hatch form is screwed to the deck to prevent it moving. And, here's the first shovel-full of concrete to start the pour.

Tying Rebar on Septic Tank

and the Pour Begins

The pour is moving along, first slowly, then after a ramp is positioned, it moves right along.

Pour in Progress

Using the Ramp

The pour is finished. Although, like most things here, it wasn't quite that easy. We were near the end of the pour and it came up about a bag short of having enough concrete. I zoomed into town to procure another bag. Well, guess what? Due to the hurricanes... You guessed it. There's a shortage of cement in Corozal. I tried Gomez's - the largest cement dealer in town. He said he hadn't had any for a day and a half. I thought he was joking at first. Oops, he was serious. Bummer, bummer. Well, I zoomed on over to Villa's Supply. Nope, they were out too and suggested trying at Gomez's. I went (no zooming now) over to another place. Again, no go.

So, I went back to Bob and reported the results. He thought maybe Greg had some, so I called him. He didn't have any, but his contractor Caliman, was trying to get some from Orange Walk. If he was successful, we could have one later in the day.

Luckily, we were able to score two bags - one to finish the pour and one to finish the hatch. You can see the results below.

The Pour almost Finished

The Pour Finished

The Hatch Poured

The Hatch Being Finished

Part of the project is that you have to pay the workers. The photo at left, Bob is making an interim payday for some of the crew. At right is the big payday, with a disagreement over what is owed vs. what has already been paid. It all got worked out in the end to everyone's satisfaction. It's a common occurrence here since none of the workers keep any sort of records of what they work. As the employer, you're always suspected of shorting them, regardless of what records you keep. So it goes.

Interim Payday

the Big Payday Discussion

All work and no play...

After a hard day of slinging concrete, Bob took advantage of the services of Nelson Jones, the sports therapist/massage tech we found courtesy of Frank and Linda. Frank is a retired LAPD officer who has suffered for years from back pain. He swears by Nelson, so I tried him. He's great. I recommended him to Bob, and these photos are the result. House calls, no less!

Nelson Tuning on Bob's Back

A Beer and a Massage - Hard to Beat!

Here We Go Again...

Just in case you haven't been keeping up with the National Hurricane Center information, there's a new Tropical Depression - TD Six, currently about 200 miles east of Grenada.

Here we go again

He's back in town again
I'll take him back again
One more time.

- Ray Charles

Guess where it's heading. As my dear old step-dad used to say, "you get three guesses and the first two don't count" (I never did really understand that - why bother with the first two?)

Tropical Depression 6 - Better Targeting This Time

• TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIX INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 1A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FLAL062007
• 800 PM AST FRI AUG 31 2007
• ...TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIX APPROACHING THE WINDWARD ISLANDS...
• A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ISLANDS OF ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES...TOBAGO...AND GRENADA AND ITS DEPENDENCIES
• A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN COAST OF VENEZUELA FROM CUMANA TO PEDERNALES INCLUDING THE ISLAND OF MARGARITA...AND FOR ISLANDS OF ARUBA...BONAIRE AND CURACAO
• TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS MAY SPREAD OVER ST. LUCIA OVERNIGHT.
• FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
• AT 800 PM AST...0000Z...THE ELONGATED CENTER OF THE TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIX WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 12.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 59.3 WEST OR ABOUT 75 MILES...120 KM...SOUTH OF BARBADOS AND ABOUT 170 MILES...270 KM...EAST OF GRENADA.
• THE DEPRESSION IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 16 MPH... 26 KM/HR...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE DEPRESSION WILL BE PASSING THROUGH THE WINDWARD ISLANDS LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY.
• MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MPH...55 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THE DEPRESSION COULD BECOME A TROPICAL STORM LATER TONIGHT OR ON SATURDAY. BARBADOS HAS BEEN REPORTING SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 TO 30 MPH DURING THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS.
• THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS 1008 MB...29.77 INCHES.
• TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE WINDWARD ISLANDS...COASTAL VENEZUELA INCLUDING OFFSHORE ISLANDS...AS WELL AS THE NETHERLAND ANTILLES OF ARUBA...BONAIRE AND CURACAO.

Isn't that just Great? We get a second chance to practice all this stuff... again.

Anyway, Dianna and I were just going over our preparedness list of what we need to do before the next big storm arrives:

1. Get real candle holders - tuna/pet food cans don't work real well.
2. Gas up the vehicles
3. Fill the freezer and both ice chests with - you guessed it - ICE.
4. Buy more food.
5. Buy another pack of votive candles.
6. Get a stove-top coffee percolator - so we don't have to make it in the tea pot.
7. Call for the butane tank to be filled (remember, we don't have propane down here).
8. Check the kerosene can, make sure we have plenty for the lantern.
9. Get more kitty litter.
10. Keep checking to see about a generator.

A lot easier list than before, I think. Easy to do. Of course it may not be all that easy if we have house guests again. Canadian Bob will be staying with us for a week or so beginning tomorrow. He's rented his house out starting the 1st of September as he's planning to got to Cuba for a month or two. He also was hoping to have our septic system done by now - all the rain has slowed that project. He may get it done this weekend.

Well, that's about all I know regarding the possible storm boring down on us unmercifully from the east, threatening us with bodily harm, ready to tear limb from limb, smiting us a mighty blow... But wait - I'm getting ahead of myself now, aren't I?

How about some good news? Allllriiiiight!

Hey, remember I talked about Abel, and the Mayan mystic massage experience? Well, it's still really cool and well worth taking the time to do. But, I've found a person trained as a sports massage and physical therapist - Nelson Jones. And he makes house calls!

I just had my first session with him this evening. Some of the old aches and pains in my back had begun creeping back. He found each of them and the causes too. Good massage without being too deep. Just deep enough to get the blood really circulating.

Nelson rode up on a bicycle, extremely popular transportation here in Belize, not that I don't think he could afford a car, but I think he enjoys the health aspects of it enough to keep doing it. I have another apointment with him this next Tuesday - unless the storm really hits, then we'll do something else.