Friday 23 March 2012

OUT OF CHAOS - DAY 1

Finally, the task has begun in earnest!  What a busy day.  The simplest of tasks can be so very complex here in my island home. No convenient middle man to call on the phone or place an on-line order to deliver sand, cement, aggregate and cinder blocks - that would be too easy.

So, a visit to the hot dusty quarry, where I stood a lone woman amongst the big burly truck drivers trying to place my meagre (compared to the truckers) order of aggregate, in the blazing sun with not a bit of shade to be had.  I felt quite faint and covered in stone dust but showed no fear!

No ready-bagged stuff here! I had to wait for my order to come off the crusher. Next stage was to find a suitably trustworthy driver to carry my hard-won spoils back to the homestead. Thankfully, I  remembered a very nice chap from a previous visit who was happy to undertake this task. Leaving behind the quarry, a visit to the home depot to purchase bags of cement and blocks - another load, another driver. The steep and winding road to my place means that only a handful of drivers are prepared to take on the job.  Next stop BRC (rebar) and steel rods, and beautiful white sand from Martinique, and another truck delivery.

On my return, Handy Andy, my little helper had managed to finish digging the footings for the block wall - it took a full day and a half of working non-stop out in the hot sun. 

As the work day comes to an end, all materials are delivered, unloaded and carried to the far end of the garden ready for Stage 2, which will begin on Monday, if Handy Andy remembers to turn up. He hasn't "remembered" for three Mondays in a row......





And whilst all this is going on, the garden continues to work its magic all by itself and bananas, plantains and mangoes are appearing from nowhere - isn't nature amazing!






6 comments:

  1. Wow! Those bananas are absolutely amazing!!! What will you do with all those bananas??!!

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    1. Bananas are generally shared amongst family and friends - there's pretty much a full time supply all year round. Many people use them green (cooked) as a vegetable, pretty much in the same way as you would use potatoes and keep some back for ripening to eat as fruit. In keeping with your independence days, this time I'm going to weigh whatever I pick : )

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  2. I have awarded you a Versatile Blogger award. Head over to my blog to check it out!

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    1. OHHHHH - thank you so very much - I am most honoured and a little giddy : )

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  3. Such beautiful fruit. And what a lot of hard work! Rewarding though, isn't it. :)

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    1. Thank you Leigh. Definitely rewarding. I can't wait for the gsrden to start producing and love the idea of a morning stroll down to see what's ready to be eaten each day (not sure if the reality will match this daydream : )

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