Jan 29, 2016
Not convinced that project #4 is going to work
Lupe told us that he would be here at 7AM Thursday. So we were up and getting our site back to normal bit by bit. The guys finally showed up at 8:30AM. No explanation. You have to remember that this is T.I.M. This Is Mexico.
You see two sets of hands. Lupe and Jose were stabilizing the cement post, their first task of the day.
As we set up for the third time this winter Colin added gravel as needed. So glad we decided to keep the entire truck load of grava as we will certainly use it all.
In this photo you can see that the small palapa is now completed. Well…not quite, I want a few more palmas strategically placed here and there re sun control on the RV front window. Meanwhile project #4 was underway. It took Colin and Lupe several minutes to establish were to place the water drain. Factors such as tires and jack placements needed to be considered as well as how to reach the drain when the RV was in place. The digging of the trench was not easy and much stress and pain was involved…none of it mine, thankfully.
My job was to sweep, move what I could and clean and clean and clean more stuff including all of our patio furniture. Needless to say everything was covered in a fine layer of construction dust. I also took the time to first wet this new bloom with water and then sprinkle it with cayenne pepper. I can say that 24 hours later the monster iguana has not struck 🙂
My powers of observation read the words on the soon to be drainage tube. Made in Mexico Dec. 29/15 at 5:14 AM.
At the end of the tube is was stamped with the same date and a time of 5:16AM. In the middle of the tube the time 5:15AM had been stamped. I am impressed with the precision.
The first half of the trench has been dug. The plan is for the tube to slope down at an angle to drain all the excess water we get on our site during rain storms. Jose on the right has a bucket of cement ready to secure the drain in the perfect location at the perfect depth, etc, etc. Carmeh is the patrona on the job site.
This is it!! It was my idea to place a cap on the drain. I figured that it wouldn’t be long before a lot of pea gravel was going to go down the pipe and stop it up. Colin came up with the idea of at least placing some bricks around it to try and create a dam of sorts. The first part of the tube was completed but we were asked not to move ahead until they came back from lunch. Not sure why but we complied.
The guys went for a one hour lunch break while we washed the RV. Soap and brush per Colin and I followed with the rinse. This might be a good time to mention that I never left our site all day and yet I did over 10,000 steps this day. No beach walk for the 5C’s today.
Next Colin finished painting the new post. You could peel off of the cardboard from the tube that the cement was poured into it a day ago but we chose to leave it on and paint it. It gives the cement more strength. The first bunch of cement posts from Nov. 2011 are still covered in cardboard and remain in great shape.
Just as we were preparing to move the RV, pull in the slides and pull forward, the fellows showed up from their almost 2 hour lunch. Remember this is TIM. So they continued to work to put in the second tube ( you can see the white end of the first tube ) as we did what we had to do to move back into our proper site.
A bit of a glitch, the bedroom slide came in high off the carpet and was sticking out a few inches at the top on the outside. We decided to proceed with the move forward but of course we could not drive this way. It took us about 45 minutes to bring the slides in, raise the jacks and build the air and move forward and do it all in reverse. Fabulous that we were totally level due to all our grava.
The original plan was to have the end of the tube drain out of the middle of the K ( where the black is gone ). Turns out that the cement there was over 6 inches thick. The guys were done and wanted to go home so they decided to move the end of the tube much higher up where the cement was thinner. They simply cut down from the top of our wall.
The thing is, there is barely any slope from where the top of the drain is in the middle of our gravel under the RV to the exit point. So will it work? We have no idea and can only hope that it will but we are skeptical. We certainly hope that it will work. One of my many questions is that who will open the drain cap when the waves are coming over the wall and flooding our site? Is there more chance that we will lose our gravel to waves washing over the wall or to the water draining ( from the tropical rains ) the gravel down the tube and eventually blocking it with all the gravel? Who knows? Fortunately project #4 was not our idea nor our expense but that of the RV Park.
No sunset last night, but nonetheless we were so very happy to be back where we belonged.
As soon as we put out the dog ramp the girls were up and down, in and out. Of course they were confused as to the start up and moving of the RV, Carmeh even more so as she could not hear the engine but I am certain that she felt the vibration. So they were ecstatic that we were still at our Mexico home. Thankfully we have two more full months here 😆
Thanks to all of you for your supportive comments, always an inspiration. We had no idea that this would be such a long stretch of time to complete these projects but they are almost over. Just details to deal with. Time to get on with reading books and playing the guitar and other great things. We only missed two beach walks over the last 8 days but I still was able to provide dinner each evening. Not bad if I say so myself.
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Looks good and best of luck….It’s still concrete not cement…..No offense meant…
I’ve gotten more than 9′ of snow so far this year and I am about 100 miles South of your summer paradise…..Enjoy the sun..
Upriverdavid
Well David, I guess you could say it starts out as cement and becomes concrete. I will try and remember.
I smiled when I read about the cement. My hubby retired from a cement plant and told me over and over that it’s only cement when it’s a powder. When the aggregate and water is added it becomes concrete, even before it sets up. He’ll let you know, lol!
Okay Marty, I have it! Thanks Stan.
Lots of work- but the last photo is beautiful!!!
Thanks Connie. Now we get to enjoy it.
A massive project well done. The new palapa looks awesome. Congrats.
We are very happy with how everything turned out. Almost have things put back together so we can just relax and enjoy.
Site looks really really good! Drain will work until gravel washes in and fills tube. Pea gravel is easily moved by water or anything so will be easy to flush out with water hose SOON after use. If mud/dirt dries with pea gravel in tube, then bigger problem. At least will be better than what you have been thu.
rocmoc n AZ/Fld/Baja
Thanks Michael.
Maybe a fine screen over the hole or drill some tiny holes the drain cap might work.
Great ideas George.
Two-hour lunch breaks are common the world over, especially in hot climates. — siesta time. It took me a while to understand that it’s this siesta time that makes it possible for Mexicans to party so late and get up so early.
(One would think that with all the time you’ve spent in Mexico, you would have adapted to the culture of how they do things here, which would reduce your stress levels considerably… 🙁 )
The palapa and gravel work look great!
I agree that the drainage will likely not work, though. 🙁
Rae, having traveled in Mexico for over 15 years, I of course know about the usual 2 hour siesta. You missed the point, they told us they would return in an hour but did not want us to move the RV until they returned. We were anxious to move it in case we had an issue with the slideouts which we did. I had no stress associated with my workers at all. In fact I expected them to arrive late every morning which they did 🙂
You missed my point that we know they’re laxer about time here. I would never hold a Mexican to being back in one hour. I would have gone off and had a walk on the beach or a margarita or whatever and checked back in occasionally.
We didn’t even have time for a walk that day…..too much to do to get back into our spot. Instead we cleaned more, painted the cement post and started to get the RV ready to move. Lupe had to check the drain area before we covered it with the RV and he was on a tight schedule himself so that is why I was surprised at his delay. Didn’t upset us at all as we had tons to do but we were surprised as it was the first time he committed to a time.
Things look great. Another 10 years? 🙂
Congrats. Well done. The place looks awesome!!! Now to get on with the relaxation and enjoying the fruits of all your labours. You deserve to relax after all that hard work. Enjoy.