Trapped in mi casa in Mexico
So, here I am trapped like a rat in my own casa - how could this happen?
As noted earlier a big tree fell on the front gate which began a series of events still unfolding as we speak. The electrico thing is partially resolved; the electric wire isn't tied to the tree anymore, but now to a plate/rod post thingy bolted to the tinaco base (which cracked the base BTW) so this isn't the end resolution to the problem. As usual, if you want something done right, do it yourself, so I'll order a mounting strap and clamp system used for antennas strapped to chimneys and pick it up when I go to Texas in early Oct.
The big happening at the moment is that they arrived Monday to demolish and rebuild the front gate wall. Knowing how they build arches I made a quick trip to the store to stock up on essentials including a(nother) big bag of cat food for the moochers out back.
They came back later and unloaded scaffolding and we discussed the plan. They said they'd be back in the morning, I said a las ocho (at eight)? - they got a biggie laugh out of that one, oh no senior, we don't come to work at ocho, maybe nueve, or las nueve y media (nine or nine thirty) - well, you have to admit they were honest.
So, Tuesday at las nueve y media they put up the scaffolding across the gate to ensure I didn't make a break for freedom any time soon. Of course I was there to supervise the proceedings and remind them it needed to be rebuilt to the original colonial Alamo shape with appropriate opening for the quaint antique entry bell etc. How do I know it's antique? - hey, everything around here is old (including me) so it has to be antique by default. I reenforced the discussion by telling them I had muchas fotos of it, so don't try to get creative on the rebuild as I'll be watching and documenting.
In typical Mexican fashion 3 guys with hammer and chisels began chipping out the old wall above the gate and the supporting arch while a fourth old guy filled 5 gal buckets with debris and dumped it in the ruts and pot holes on the road - well, that solves two problems, disposal of debris and no one else is going to fill the ruts, and I seriously do mean NO ONE! Now, the arch might have been cracked, but it had stood there for decades and wasn't giving up without a fight and took them pretty much all day. I would go out every once in a while and shoot some pics and check progress. At lunch time (mid afternoon to us) I went out and they offered to share some of a fish they had cooked on an overturned mortar mixing pan (with a stick fire underneath) - I graciously declined but said the gatos might be interested, they laughed. I think today I'm going to suggest they go next door and catch and cook the infernal gallo (rooster) for lunch, boy is he noisy at 3am, but that's another story.
So today they showed up for work early, about 9:15 rather than 9:30, and we discussed some electrico issues and how long it was going to take to get the basic arch up - translated: exactly when CAN I rejoin society beyond my walls and check mail, get some groceries etc? I've noticed Mexicans laugh a lot - I guess they find gringos funny?
The way an arch is built today is as old as arches and guys building them. First you get the vertical side post main concrete and steel completed (they were able to save ours, so we're ahead of the game already). Then at about the 7' level they put a big plank all the way across with some posts underneath for support. In the States they would have a steel arch form, but here they just stack bricks on top of the board in the shape of the underside of the arch - they don't need no stinkin' sissy forms? Next they mix cement the usual on-the-ground MX way and trowel on a 2-3" layer over the top of the stacked bricks, this determines the actual shape of the arch - they let it dry while I'm trapped like a rat in his maze watching. After a day or two they begin building the arch with brick and some steel rebar - this takes several days - yes, I'm still waiting. Then the facia brick you actually see are laid around the edges and left to dry while I cool my jets looking out through supports in the middle of my gate.
After an appropriate time the stacked bricks are removed from under the arch and if it doesn't fall down they all yell "Viva Zapata" and take the rest of the day off to celebrate. But, that's actually good news because if I'm lucky they'll clear back the supports and the big plank and I'll be able to get out for a short time.
Next the scaffolds will once again close off my escape route as they will put a steel beam across the top of the arch and begin to rebuild the colonial facade with appropriate hole for the welcome bell - while I cool my heels inside the compound. Eventually they'll get the shape complete, top it with tiles and let it dry - gracias, I'll just wait in here, but thanks anyway.
Finally they'll start with the estuco (stucco) face on the new wall and let it dry while I continue to write emails to all my known and unknown former friends driving them nutso. After a coat or two it will be ready for paint, but they'll clear away the scaffold and maybe in whatever month that happens I'll again be free to roam beyond my walls and celebrate my release from detention.
But at the moment we're just receiving dos metros of sand for the concrete. That's how you order and it's delivered, a meter of sand is a pile uno metro deep, they dump two piles on a flat bed truck and when it arrives the guy scoops it off on the ground. Another truck will bring a few bags of cement and probably some lime, a third will bring a load of brick which will be unloaded by a guy grabbing 5 brick at a time between his hands and tossing them to a guy on the ground who will catch all five and stack them - hey, it works. And so, we progress incrementally toward that distant day when once again I can push a button and magically the gate will open and I can drive unfettered through, and into the outer world.
Of course as I look across the street there is another big sister tree to the one that fell leaning - yes, somewhat our way, but hopefully a big East viento (wind) will blow it away from us so we don't have to repeat this process again any time soon.
As noted earlier a big tree fell on the front gate which began a series of events still unfolding as we speak. The electrico thing is partially resolved; the electric wire isn't tied to the tree anymore, but now to a plate/rod post thingy bolted to the tinaco base (which cracked the base BTW) so this isn't the end resolution to the problem. As usual, if you want something done right, do it yourself, so I'll order a mounting strap and clamp system used for antennas strapped to chimneys and pick it up when I go to Texas in early Oct.
The big happening at the moment is that they arrived Monday to demolish and rebuild the front gate wall. Knowing how they build arches I made a quick trip to the store to stock up on essentials including a(nother) big bag of cat food for the moochers out back.
They came back later and unloaded scaffolding and we discussed the plan. They said they'd be back in the morning, I said a las ocho (at eight)? - they got a biggie laugh out of that one, oh no senior, we don't come to work at ocho, maybe nueve, or las nueve y media (nine or nine thirty) - well, you have to admit they were honest.
So, Tuesday at las nueve y media they put up the scaffolding across the gate to ensure I didn't make a break for freedom any time soon. Of course I was there to supervise the proceedings and remind them it needed to be rebuilt to the original colonial Alamo shape with appropriate opening for the quaint antique entry bell etc. How do I know it's antique? - hey, everything around here is old (including me) so it has to be antique by default. I reenforced the discussion by telling them I had muchas fotos of it, so don't try to get creative on the rebuild as I'll be watching and documenting.
In typical Mexican fashion 3 guys with hammer and chisels began chipping out the old wall above the gate and the supporting arch while a fourth old guy filled 5 gal buckets with debris and dumped it in the ruts and pot holes on the road - well, that solves two problems, disposal of debris and no one else is going to fill the ruts, and I seriously do mean NO ONE! Now, the arch might have been cracked, but it had stood there for decades and wasn't giving up without a fight and took them pretty much all day. I would go out every once in a while and shoot some pics and check progress. At lunch time (mid afternoon to us) I went out and they offered to share some of a fish they had cooked on an overturned mortar mixing pan (with a stick fire underneath) - I graciously declined but said the gatos might be interested, they laughed. I think today I'm going to suggest they go next door and catch and cook the infernal gallo (rooster) for lunch, boy is he noisy at 3am, but that's another story.
So today they showed up for work early, about 9:15 rather than 9:30, and we discussed some electrico issues and how long it was going to take to get the basic arch up - translated: exactly when CAN I rejoin society beyond my walls and check mail, get some groceries etc? I've noticed Mexicans laugh a lot - I guess they find gringos funny?
The way an arch is built today is as old as arches and guys building them. First you get the vertical side post main concrete and steel completed (they were able to save ours, so we're ahead of the game already). Then at about the 7' level they put a big plank all the way across with some posts underneath for support. In the States they would have a steel arch form, but here they just stack bricks on top of the board in the shape of the underside of the arch - they don't need no stinkin' sissy forms? Next they mix cement the usual on-the-ground MX way and trowel on a 2-3" layer over the top of the stacked bricks, this determines the actual shape of the arch - they let it dry while I'm trapped like a rat in his maze watching. After a day or two they begin building the arch with brick and some steel rebar - this takes several days - yes, I'm still waiting. Then the facia brick you actually see are laid around the edges and left to dry while I cool my jets looking out through supports in the middle of my gate.
After an appropriate time the stacked bricks are removed from under the arch and if it doesn't fall down they all yell "Viva Zapata" and take the rest of the day off to celebrate. But, that's actually good news because if I'm lucky they'll clear back the supports and the big plank and I'll be able to get out for a short time.
Next the scaffolds will once again close off my escape route as they will put a steel beam across the top of the arch and begin to rebuild the colonial facade with appropriate hole for the welcome bell - while I cool my heels inside the compound. Eventually they'll get the shape complete, top it with tiles and let it dry - gracias, I'll just wait in here, but thanks anyway.
Finally they'll start with the estuco (stucco) face on the new wall and let it dry while I continue to write emails to all my known and unknown former friends driving them nutso. After a coat or two it will be ready for paint, but they'll clear away the scaffold and maybe in whatever month that happens I'll again be free to roam beyond my walls and celebrate my release from detention.
But at the moment we're just receiving dos metros of sand for the concrete. That's how you order and it's delivered, a meter of sand is a pile uno metro deep, they dump two piles on a flat bed truck and when it arrives the guy scoops it off on the ground. Another truck will bring a few bags of cement and probably some lime, a third will bring a load of brick which will be unloaded by a guy grabbing 5 brick at a time between his hands and tossing them to a guy on the ground who will catch all five and stack them - hey, it works. And so, we progress incrementally toward that distant day when once again I can push a button and magically the gate will open and I can drive unfettered through, and into the outer world.
Of course as I look across the street there is another big sister tree to the one that fell leaning - yes, somewhat our way, but hopefully a big East viento (wind) will blow it away from us so we don't have to repeat this process again any time soon.
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