Thursday Before Christmas

A second day's concerted efforts to finish the Diamond Brite in the pool. I must say, it looks like they are doing a good job of it too.

Diamond Brite the Walls

Diamond Briteing the walls is really going fast. They apply a rough coat, then go around and sponge it smooth. It really looks nice.

It's Moving Right Along

Rene pretty much does the technical parts of plastering. Corners are hard to get nice and smooth. He has the touch.

Washing Down Set Walls

Part of the process. Wetting the walls after the Diamond Brite sets, helps show up any defects and other problems.

Rene Doing a Corner Wall

Looking down on Rene as he finishes the transition between the steps and the wall.

Touching Up the Steps

Laying down on the job helps get the right angle to finish the plastering.

Pump House Almost Completed

Bani is almost done with the pump house. About all that's left if to add sand to the filter, tablets to the tower, and to fill the pool and test everything. I can't wait. Probably will fill the pool tomorrow afternoon.

This is probably the cleanest installation I have seen for a pool in Belize. Very impressive.

Started on the Floor

 They've started Diamond Briteing the floor. Everything looks so white.

Floor Getting Close to Done

From this angle a little later, they're almost done with the Diamond Brite application.

Wednesday Was Busy

After a couple of weeks of inactivity, we had a full house today. We had Carlos, the welder on hand working on railings, a door, and some stairs; Endher and Rene, and the boys doing the Diamond Brite thing; and Bani, completing the plumbing and electrical stuff in the pump house; and finally, the guys doing the screen doors. It seemed like a real three-ring circus for most of the day.

So, let's get started.

Noel Just Having Way Too Much Fun

First off, our new arrival, Noel, our little calico kitty, who weighed in at three-and-a-half pounds at Doctor Sheila's on her second Vet visit, has discovered the absolute joy of toilet paper.

What you see here was just the start. That's only a few feet out of a new roll of TP. She managed to unroll the whole thing, then went running with mouthfuls of the stuff into the bedroom and on into the living room.

All that is when she didn't have Bella's tail to wrestle with, or any of the other dogs, or Nelson to harass so much that he comes up to me, tucks his head into my shoulder and meows plaintively, "please Dad, make her stop. I can't take it any more."

Diamond Brite Arrives on Scene

Here's the Diamond Brite arriving on the scene. I don't know how many bags of it they got, but there ended up being a couple good sized pallet loads under the palapa.

Incidentally, I think Bani, although he's a plumber and an electrician, also has a strong back. He unloaded all of that by himself, except at the very end. Carlos, our caretaker helped him stack the bags onto the pallets.

Dianna Supervising

First things first, the guys had to assemble a pump to begin de-watering the pool. During the inactivity, it did rain a bit. We had about three or four inches of rainwater in the bottom of the pool that had to be drained off.

It's Supposed to Suck

Part of the initial process of pumping is to get the thing to actually pump the water.

You've got to prime the pump, you must have faith and believeYou've got to give of yourself 'fore you're worthy to receive

- Desert Pete, by the Kingston Trio

Priming the pump can be a challenge. They finally got it going. It still took most of the day to finally get the bottom of the pool free of water, well, enough that the plastering process will be able to move ahead.

Getting Crowded in the Spa

Here's Rene and Theo applying the Diamond Brite in the spa. It's amazing how beautiful it looks as they smooth it up.

Screen Doors Being Installed

And the screen doors - they're simply gorgeous. The screening material used is the same shade cloth, so it should last a good long while. Each door (one at either end of the deck) also will have a doggy door just like the screen doors in the rest of the house.

A Quick Scrub-Down of the Pool

With all the rain and inactivity, it didn't take long for the water in the pool to turn green. So, before the plastering began, the pool was given a quick scrubbing and rinse with the hose as the pump was removing the debris.

Doors Going In

The screen doors went in without a hitch. The latches have yet to be installed, but they work well and look really sharp. An added bonus was that they made it easy for the guys to block access to the pool by the doggies at the end of the day - the Diamond Brite takes time to set, just like concrete.

What They Look Like Installed

Here's a quick look at one of the doors installed. Very nice. That bag on the floor has the latches for the doors.

Diamond Brite Being Applied

Even though de-watering took a good part of the day, nothing prevented the guys from applying Diamond Brite to the upper edges of the pool around the tile waterline.

Stairs and Walls Being Done

The job is really moving along fast. And it just looks gorgeous. The spa, except for the floor, and the stairs are all pretty much done.

The guys have started doing the major wall portions already as well.

Ensuring A Good Fit

Some final work with a block plane and the door will be a perfect fit. It was nice to see someone using traditional non-powered tools. Usually, if any planing is required, someone brings out the power planer and away they go. I love hand tools. That's why I've always enjoyed watching the Woodwright's Shop on PBS.

Welder's Hinges, An Example

Here's the hinges that Carlos, the welder had promised me. They're called 'welder's hinges'. As you can see, there's a hole at the top, where lubricant can be periodically applied to keep things working smoothly. I'll be able to apply my silicone lock lube in there with no problem.

They're available at the Chinese hardware store on San Andres Road. Carlos says that welder's generally don't like to use them because they cut down on repeat business of replacing broken or rust-frozen hinges.

Circular Stair With Treads

Carlos, the welder and his helpers are also busy working on the circular stairs. Treads have been added, priming is done, and the top coat, blue (naturally) is being applied.

Bani, Hooking It All Up

Bani is in the final stages of getting everything hooked up in the pump house. I'm looking forward to him briefing me up on how it all works together and just what valve does what.

I've been very impressed with the way he's organized the pump house. Everything has easy access and there's plenty of room to maneuver in the room.

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.

Back To Work, It's Monday

Monday, 28 November, 2016. A glorious, sunshiny day. Doggies got to walk this morning. It was a Vivi's meat pie kinda day, mostly because the taco lady in front of Gomez Cementomaya on Seventh Avenue had barely set up her table. Normally, I would wait till she opened for business, but with Mario's crew coming at 7:30 AM, time is of the essence.

So, here we are with another day's activities.

Talking Over Doing the Diamond Brite

It was a bit of a surprise this morning. Carlos was in the Mennonite house downstairs (the basement), looking for a bucket. He opened this one bucket and, lo and behold, there was an almost full bag of Diamond Brite. I had looked for it earlier and couldn't find it.

Perfect timing, as Mario's crew had run out of the stuff, so work on the deck was at a standstill till more Diamond Brite came in.

Now, there's only two small sections, one on either side of the waterfall, that need to get covered. I don't know if they'll be able to seal the deck with those bits still bare or not. In any case, for the next few days, there's the fence corner that will keep them busy.

Diamond Brite Around the Railing

Here's how the deck around the pool railing turned out. I think it looks pretty good. It makes the railing look more like part of the pool than the way we had it before.

Starting  Work On the Fence

Here's the fence corner I mentioned. Errol is digging out the garden area to expose the fence footing. They're planning to work pretty much just the corner, rebuilding the corner column to reattach the chain link and top rail to the column, and rework the area of the fence to the far side of the trench on the dock, pretty much to keep costs down. It would be nice to have the whole back fence redone, but that will have to wait for another day.

Removing the Steel Part of the Fence

Getting ready to remove the metal part of the fence. That will be replaced after the corner and block work is completed.

Our Friendly Whatsit?

Here's a little guy the workers found in the mud while digging the footing out. As I wrote on Facebook,

Workers repairing my fence beside the canal that opens onto Corozal Bay found this little critter in the mud where they are working. 

At first we thought it was an earthworm, similar color. But it has eyes, likes or tolerates being in brackish water, about 4-5" long, long narrow tail with long fin on top. Also appears to have something like whiskers under the mouth area, and can slightly puff up back part of its head. 

Like I said, they found it in the mud. My guess is that it's some sort of eel. Anyone know, or know of somewhere on FB or the Web to check further?Thanks.

Colleen suggested I share it with the Creatures of Belize group on Facebook. I just did that. Hopefully, someone will come up and be able to tell us just what this little guy is.

Bashing Away At the Corner Post

After the steel was removed and after we were done ooh-ing and aww-ing over the little eel/worm/lizard/ guy, Endher worked at bringing the corner post down. I must say, he has a big-league swing with a sledge. It's obvious he has lots of experience with a 25-lb hammer. It will be down the rest of the way in the morning.

Lot of Progress in a Short Time

Time for a breather. Rene was still attacking the concrete binding the chain link to the fence while everyone else surveys their handiwork.

Anti-Dog Plastic Going up

The end of the work day. I had asked Endher if the guys could put up some sort of barrier across the opening to keep our dogs corralled. Here, they're stringing plastic sheeting across the void. That should do the trick.

Midweek Workday

This is Wednesday, 23 November, 2016, with more work on the project.

Carlos and Jorge Sharpening Chainsaw

Carlos, our caretaker, pointed out to me a few days ago, that one of our trees near the front of the place, was dead as a doornail and probably posed a hazard.

This morning Carlos, along with his son Jorge, cut it down. Only the upper portion of the tree was rotten. The rest of the tree was very dense, and very hard wood, which caused Carlos to have to sharpen his chainsaw a couple of times.

Glass Blocks In Place

Glass blocks were actually never part of the grand design, but here they are. Well, the explanation is easy. We ended up with a one-foot wide hole between the waterfall area and the column because of design changes involving the waterfall.

What do you do with it? It seemed like too small an area to make a screen frame for. But, then what? Mario suggested maybe trying glass blocks. We jumped on board the idea. So, here it is,

Rene Chipping High Spots

We're almost ready to Diamond Brite the pool. Besides taking care of some old crack patches, there are several bumpy areas that need to be smoothed down so that when the new Diamond Brite coating is put down, that it's really smooth.

Small, heavy hatchets seem ideal for this task. That's what Rene is using in the photo.

The Caps Are Getting Painted

Mario's painter does an excellent job. Fast and methodical, I've never seen a drip or a 'painting outside the lines' error. The painting just looks excellent.

Bani Sanding Wood Filler

The blue screws used to secure the screen frames to the columns, beam, and deck were all counter-sunk. After they were done, each screw was then covered with wood filler and sanded smooth

Theo Cleaning Up Concrete on Blocks

The glass blocks are all installed and cemented into place. Theo is cleaning excess concrete off the face of the blocks. The next step in the process is to apply the terracotta texture to the concrete so that it all matches.

Floor Drain Full Run

Just so you can see the whole run of the deck drain. The drain was made from PVC square-shaped electrical conduit. The conduit cap was then routed by hand using a jig and careful measuring to get the evenly spaced openings.

This is close to forty-feet long. The exit for the drain is at the far end and is tied into the overflow drain for the pool. It's turned out just superb. I couldn't be happier with the result.

Glass Blocks Other Side

Just a view of the other side of the glass blocks. With the blue banding on each block, when viewing them in place, you get a hint of blue in each block.

Ramp Columns Done

The east ramp columns are ready for the railings to be installed. I think it's going to look seriously cool when it's done.

Endher Finishing Wood Frame

Endher is touching up each wood filler covered screw with stain and varnish so they match the rest of the frame.

Detail of Water Line

I asked the painter to paint each of the exposed PVC pipes, which he did. We wanted the deck drain left white as we thought that, although paint would give the PVC more UV resistance, that it just wouldn't hold up well, and would probably show chips and peels soon enough.