Spade fried chicken

What looks like a photo from a crime scene is in fact one of the builders attempting to make lunch. I came apon him frying chicken in a spade over a piece of burning cement bag. As the wind blows the paper he just follows it. This has given me unique insight into why fires burn down large parts townships as well as parts of the peninsula every year. Not too mention cement poisoning...

Building Blues

Yip, I’ve definitely had the building blues this week. It started so well, with the deck taking only one day to stack. But then the engineer didn’t approve the builders' beam construction, the wall went up skew, the bathroom is 23 cm smaller than on the plans and I’m still unhappy about the light the stoep lintels is cutting off from the dining room. Boo-hoo.


On the good news front I have found and ordered the sliding folding door, and the doorframe with fanlight I wanted all along.
And on Friday evening we sat on our new stoep and after a Southern Comfort and Ginger ale it all seemed OK again. Till Monday anyway...

View to a kill

Here is our new view from our new stoep...



...and the rib and block system that has made it possible.



It was a rough day at the building site juggling job responsibilities and some minor and major problems with plumbing logistics and engineering. Not much progress today, hope tomorrow will be better.

All plastered and nowhere to go

The blocks for the slab has arrived. Monday they start packing and Tuesday we'll have our first floor. God willing. Insha'Allah.



Cecile feeling out her new store room. Cozy fit.

Portraits from a building site

These guys are very excited about these portraits. They all want a copy. Shafiq is playing it cool.

Shown in order of importance.



Shafiq



Joe



Rasta



Cannot remember his name (damn)



Isaack

My, what lovely window sills we have!

I never knew one could be proud of windowsills, but i am! The plastering is looking great, and the best news ever is that the rib and block system has arrived from the fine folks at Bobcrete. So from Monday it will be full steam ahead!

Week 5: plastering and (holding thumbs) a roof

The first of the three levels we are building is now up to roof height. We are waiting (and waiting...) for Bobcrete to deliver the rib and block system, so in the meantime the guys are starting to plaster the walls. (Actually the electricity is meant to go into the walls before they plaster, but the electrician is in Riversdale for the week... ) In the meantime im still chasing down that elusive sliding folding door from the company who has been liquidated. All in a days work i suppose... More about our bathroom fittings soon!