Jeff has finished his first week as a contractor. It was hard going but having had a successful start I think he is a natural. We have electricity and a meter on site, all water tanks are full, concrete footings are in place and they have steel towers sticking out of them. There are piles of concrete blocks, sand and cement lying in front of the hut ready to be used. Inside the hut are all the tools we have had to buy. These will be used for our build and then sold onto Kenrick for his next job. We have also got a gardener called Morrison. He is clearing the garden area ready for planting in the rainy season, which should start in June.

Jeff spent his lunch hour counting out money for their pay packets and I prepared the cold box of beer to be taken up to the lot at the end of the day. On Fridays we buy the team lunch (a roti and cold drink each) and they finish a little earlier and have a beer..just like the Air Force!

Next week will be more of the same, we need to secure a plumber before we start casting cement and we need to get the wood and windows/doors ordered. The building hold ups are usually because people run out of materials or money, so we are trying to stay ahead of the game – for the former at least!!. Jeff works hard all day alongside the men and is deadbeat when he returns to the boat. After a shower and a few cold beers he is as right as rain. I feel a bit useless at times, as I have nothing useful to contribute to the building programme, so maybe once the garden is more obvious I can do my bit there.

We have just heard that a friend of ours will be sailing in from Barbados tomorrow so I shall have to get a wiggle on and get the boat ship shape for inspection.