Last week was a good week
Last week in the present tense: Wednesday 27th August 2008. There is a lot going on. The contractor is rushing to finish the shuttering to the staircase and the battery room roofs. Readymix is due on Thursday the 28th. I have checked all the conduits installed by the Electrical contractor. I have also resumed the construction of retaining walls down the slope to create planting terraces and have instructed a team of ground workers and masons, 15 altogether, about the plans that and the following day.
I ride my moped back to my bungalow to take a taxi to the Agricultural College some ten km. away. The enquiry desk is not attended. I have arrived at lunch time. I find my way to the library and explain that I do not speak Malayalam, I know a little bit about gardening in England but not a lot about gardening in Kerala. They are helpful and assure me that I would be given access to the library although it is meant for the use by the students of the college. I am further assisted by being introduced to one of the lecturers of the college, who spends his valuable time telling me about some fundamentals. They are very helpful indeed. On the way out I purchase some interesting plants including Red Banana.(about 9p a plant 3 ft tall)
Thursday 28th August. The Staircase and Battery room roofs are cast. There is no such ceremony as the Topping Out as we know in the UK. I introduce this much to the pleasure of all workers.
The retaining walls are being built at a steady pace.
Friday 29th. I am on site just before 8 am and the days activities are planned. I return to my bungalow to advance the remainder of the drawings. Will these never finish? My third visit to the plot finishes at about 6pm. All is going well.
Saturday 30th August. Early morning inspections followed by the days plans see me back to my bungalow about 10 am. The third visit of the day is at about 4pm. 4.45 pm rain starts and I ride my moped back to my bungalow soaked in warm rain, bringing back childhood memories of Africa. It has rained all night.
Sunday 31st August 2008. It is still raining. The electrical contractor arrives at about 2.30pm and wishes to confirm the location of the second distribution board. So I abandon my drawing board and we go to the site. It is evident that the rainfall has been heavy. The location of the distribution board is confirmed within a couple of minutes and I go down the slope to examine the newly built retaining walls.
This is not a good start to this week. About a seven metre lengthof retaining wall some 1.7 metre in height has sunk, the foundations having been washed away by the heavy rain. Primarily this has occured because at the upper level back fill had not been completed and therefore all the rain water at that level was channeled to one spot. This section of the wall will have to be rebuilt. It could have been worse. I have enjoyed a large glass of whisky. My dinner consisted of Masala fish, boiled pots and cabbage with a large tomato and onion salad. I still enjoy cooking. Tomorrow we will sort the problem.
I ride my moped back to my bungalow to take a taxi to the Agricultural College some ten km. away. The enquiry desk is not attended. I have arrived at lunch time. I find my way to the library and explain that I do not speak Malayalam, I know a little bit about gardening in England but not a lot about gardening in Kerala. They are helpful and assure me that I would be given access to the library although it is meant for the use by the students of the college. I am further assisted by being introduced to one of the lecturers of the college, who spends his valuable time telling me about some fundamentals. They are very helpful indeed. On the way out I purchase some interesting plants including Red Banana.(about 9p a plant 3 ft tall)
Thursday 28th August. The Staircase and Battery room roofs are cast. There is no such ceremony as the Topping Out as we know in the UK. I introduce this much to the pleasure of all workers.
The retaining walls are being built at a steady pace.
Friday 29th. I am on site just before 8 am and the days activities are planned. I return to my bungalow to advance the remainder of the drawings. Will these never finish? My third visit to the plot finishes at about 6pm. All is going well.
Saturday 30th August. Early morning inspections followed by the days plans see me back to my bungalow about 10 am. The third visit of the day is at about 4pm. 4.45 pm rain starts and I ride my moped back to my bungalow soaked in warm rain, bringing back childhood memories of Africa. It has rained all night.
Sunday 31st August 2008. It is still raining. The electrical contractor arrives at about 2.30pm and wishes to confirm the location of the second distribution board. So I abandon my drawing board and we go to the site. It is evident that the rainfall has been heavy. The location of the distribution board is confirmed within a couple of minutes and I go down the slope to examine the newly built retaining walls.
This is not a good start to this week. About a seven metre lengthof retaining wall some 1.7 metre in height has sunk, the foundations having been washed away by the heavy rain. Primarily this has occured because at the upper level back fill had not been completed and therefore all the rain water at that level was channeled to one spot. This section of the wall will have to be rebuilt. It could have been worse. I have enjoyed a large glass of whisky. My dinner consisted of Masala fish, boiled pots and cabbage with a large tomato and onion salad. I still enjoy cooking. Tomorrow we will sort the problem.
posted by Chandra | 6:06 pm
1 Comments:
I have just read your last entry and I am out of breath - my god Chandra you have got to slow down!!! At the rate you are going you will be having Christmas in your house hopefully. It all sounds mind bending but keep up the good work, looking forward to seeing it next year. If its any consolation it's raining here too.
Kaye
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