Watching the pool be built

It is now day 6 of pool construction; quite a week of work has been done. Starting last Monday, day 1, a ginormous hole was dug within a couple of hours. Such rich earth with few rocks, now in a few piles around the back garden. We plan to fill a few planter pots for later use before it gets used to back-fill and is strewn around. Unluckily, about two-thirds through the hole digging, our connector water pipe was broken. Very little delay resulted and it was pieced together and relaid before the afternoon was out. A few truckloads of supplies arrived as the day progressed; gravel, sand, rebar, wood, and cement blocks with more scheduled for delivery on Tuesday.
The weather held for most of the week with just one heavy rain episode on Friday morning. We watched the gravel and rebar fitted on Tuesday, and even more rebar on Wednesday. By Thursday afternoon, eight inches of cement covered the bottom of our future pool, and on Friday, the careful laying of the cement block walls began. The housing for the pump was also started this week. Good work, hard going for the crew who never let up. Steve and Curtis were assisting at times, but most of the labour was done by the Panamanian crew. I am fascinated by the actual process, and the fellows don't seem to mind me watching for awhile. We leave them to their work otherwise.  Impressive!

The big hole is dug

rebar and gravel

everyone working!

There are about 17 various home projects around the development right now; most are in various stages of home construction with just a few improvements like ours. The noise could be an issue,but this place is so big, we hardly notice what is going on. The house next door has not started as planned, and may wait til dry season, we hear.

Mitzi lost her favourite little green ball about a month ago, and we have searched the entire house several times in an attempt to discover where this could have gone! It had become frustrating no end. Well, I completed a sweater I had been knitting a few days ago, and while emptying my knitting bag and preparing for the next project, what did I find? You know - a little green ball at the bottom of the bag! Was she delighted? Off she ran with it and has carried it with her most of the time ever since. How she loves that one little toy.

Mitzi with her favourite toy

Cagney has been galloping about more than usual; does he think it is Spring? His coat is so beautiful now; I think he would be a contender in a cat show for sure! They both lost interest in the workers very quickly, which surprised me as they are both very curious creatures. Mitzi has to see all the groceries unpacked, and if there should be cat food in any bags, both cats are at it in an attempt to open whatever we have bought.

Time continues to fly; my Spanish slowly improves; the weather continues to delight; the house is even more comfortable with each month AND I booked my next trip to Canada. I fly out of Panama early Friday morning, December 13th arriving in Vancouver later that night. I will leave Vancouver on December 30th, stay overnight in Houston and fly on to Panama on the 31st. Dates are flexible for me, but this is the current plan. Chris has decided not to go with me after all - his own decision - although I will miss his company a lot!

Back to watching people work....