The pool will start tomorrow!

A modicum of excitement in the house - the pool construction starts tomorrow with expected deliveries of sand, rock, what-have-you materials and the beginning of a hole in the ground dug. Chris is spending today cleaning, power washing and organizing our patio area. When the outhouse gets built, we will have a lot more room as we transplant all the gardening paraphernalia and bits and pieces to the shed. Another month plus for that!

Flora

Curtis and Steve

Meanwhile, we anticipate with glee the arrival of Steve, Curtis and their crew to work like billy-O and get the pool done in three weeks. As for the actual completion date, much depends on weather,which has varied so much lately, we're not sure if this is dry or rainy season. We had a few days of torrential downpour which made the road look like a river and flooded our patio (hence the clean-up) followed by a weekend of heat and bright sunshine. Make hay while the sun shines, I hear. So that is what Chris is doing. He mowed  our new lawn yesterday - it is thick and lush, and so green! He mows about every four days.Very little gardening gets done in dry season, as growing is stunted and other than watering, there is little that can be accomplished. It is a pity to let that lovely green swathe go brown! Water is not a renewable resource here, so we don't intend to water much, other than potted plants.

Stakes and string in place

The development is moving ahead with empty lot clean-up. Yesterday, a chap ran his tractor around for hours  with harrowing blades attached, churning up the lots. Ground in all the weeds, but what next? We shall see...
We still see whales on the ocean. They can be counted on to put on a grand display on the sunny, calmer days, and we saw a few days of breaching and cavorting off shore that was fantastic to watch. I think a better pair of binoculars must go on our wish list! The whales will leave later this month so they will be missed. Next year, I plan to go out in a boat and try to get closer, camera firmly clutched to my Mae West bosom, hat firmly fixed to my noggin, and my stomach doing flip-flops. Actually, I am an excellent sailor - it's Chris who will have the flipping stomach!