Last Day... work day at least!

Today... just a quick note and apology for not updating over the last few days.

We saw our first group leave today. 14 are on their way 'home' although a piece of their hearts will likely always remain with the group and the land of St. Vincent.

For the rest of us.. it's one more official work day. Time to touch up all those last spots (pouring rain please stop soon!), install the toilets and finish the kitchen and tiling. No pressure :-)

The last few days have seen some late nights (10 pm or so). Iwas going to post a 'typical' day... but they certainly haven't been that recently.

Don passed on his pictures to me yesterday, so I'll try and compile a slide show and post it on the blog during the next week so you can see the progress - especially if you couldn't access the Facebook pictures. Although I've only been here 2 weeks, the change has been amazing. For those who have been here the entire 4 weeks, it must truly be an awesome experience to see what has been achieved.

Anyways.. van will be back soon... gotta go! Maybe a final pic can be posted tonight... before our 4am departure... ugh!

4 days more...

On a hot day, with only a few sun showers, several more tasks were accomplished:

• The roof is ON!
• The installation of the ceilings and wiring continues. Once we have power, we can work even later to finish up the tasks... until then, when darkness falls, most of us must stop.
• The outside walls have been painted
• The windows are in, and many of the window sills have been completed.
• The base of the septic system was poured so tomorrow they can build the rest of it.
• Doors are beginning to be hung
• and more and more painting...if it doesn't move, it will be painted by weeks end!

One final note,

One of our team members was speaking with one of our very quiet masons today. She asked if he enjoyed working with our team. He said he enjoyed it very much. He liked the feeling of being proud in what he was building and working with the group. It is rewarding to know that they  have understood our efforts to make them a part of the overall group, and that they understand and share the passion for our work.

Good night everyone!

PS The link to Don's Facebook pictures is:  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150614966641738.406033.508111737&type=3&l=3ce100a97e

5 days and counting...

5 days to go!

Things are moving along... with lots still to accomplish, today saw some noteable accomplishments.
- The first half of the roof is on!
- All walls, inside AND out, have been parged (top coated with a smooth finish). The cement mixers have earned an evening of rest after trying to keep up with 7 masons!
- Painting has commenced in earnest on the walls. As soon as they are dry enough from being parged, they find themselves covered in paint. Waterfall is the colour for the boys rooms and Eggplant (a lavender colour) has been chosen for the girls.
- 2/3rds of the electrical conduit is laid and wires pulled through the walls
- 4 windows are now installed!
- Some of the guys are still working installing some of the ceilings so the incredible amount of tile work can commence first thing tomorrow.
- the interior doors arrived and have been primed to be ready for installation.

As always, Don Halsey has been snapping away. The following are links to his pictures over the lat few days. They are marked to be available to the public, but should they not work, I will attempt to include a few of the images below as well.

Monday Feb. 20, 2012 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150612303056738.405685.508111737&type=3&l=87ee3d1a8d

Sunday Feb. 19, 2012   https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150609725891738.405307.508111737&type=3&l=d43d463aa7
 & https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150609801646738.405318.508111737&type=3&l=deab90b24a

Saturday Feb 18, 2012 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150607236236738.404923.508111737&type=3&l=5f4ef7b14f

An update in images.

A few more pictures to show the progress. Things are moving along! 7 work days to go!

Finishing the `belt`

Rafters in, roof next.. then onto the ceilings! No roof does not stop the painters tho`...

Making cement never ends! 

 `

The girls on cement duty during the rain.

For Don Halsey's daily image update, click on this link;

http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.10150604749966738.404664.508111737&type=1

Thanks for the sunshine :-)

It was a beautiful (and hot) day!

Alot was accomplished, and of course there is still more to do, but, a few major things were finished today:
- the top 'belt' line was completed and some of the wood has been started on the roof
- two rooms have the rafters installed... ceilings are next!
- almost all of the inside walls are parged... another day or so and they'll be done
- another 50 bags of cement arrived, making us worry how much more there is to do, but having bags on hand is so much better than running out and having work grind to a halt!
- our painting leader Terry has arrived! Although he missed another day of work, he has come for the most necessary part of the trip for our paint team.
- more wood was painted and primed, and moved, and moved, and moved again... ugh! This really should have been in the fine print :-)

Don's latest photos have been uploaded to:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150599624246738&set=a.10150599623331738.404177.508111737&type=1#!/media/set/?set=a.10150602142181738.404397.508111737&type=1

If you are having any problems seeing these pictures, please let us know via the comment button and I'll try and upload a few selected images directly to the blog. When we have better bandwidth, I'll try and upload a slideshow as well so that you can see the project from start to finish...

Finish... what a happy word... although this project is not yet finished, we will continue to work to when we can finally say... It is finished! Welcome home little ones :-)

Rain Rain Go Away.... AGAIN!

Another day of rain :-(

So much for painting outside... why not go inside? 'Cause there is no inside yet! But soon.. very soon.. we will start on the roof. Good thing too, T minus 9 work days or so...

Everyone is definitely feeling the pressure of the amount of work left yet to do, but also are grateful for how much has been accomplished. As much of the wood has been primed and painted as is humanly possible so that when it is installed high up in the ceiling, only simple touchups will be required... we will just be running around those installing the wood with wet wipes to keep their hands clean... if that were only possible!

All of the bricks in the walls are laid, the tops of the windows have been poured and we are now working on the 'belt' around the top. It is close to half way done.. then we can start building the roof! The inside walls are being parged (?sp?) and it is looking really great (with only a bit of imagination!)

Once the masons are done with the parging, the painters can attack the walls and begin sealing and painting them. Can't wait to start!!!

For a link to Don Halsey's pictures from today, click on the following:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.10150599623331738.404177.508111737&type=1

More pictures...

One of our team members has been uploading pictures to Facebook as well. Don Halsey has sent me links to these images which I am copying below. Please try these links. As our internet connection is up and down, I will try to upload a few pics directly to the blog over the next few days... In the meantime, try looking at Don's photos at:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150591639636738.403363.508111737&type=3&l=1a29abfe81

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150591655771738.403364.508111737&type=3&l=0adf3efcde

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150594338966738.403648.508111737&type=3&l=9329d323a7