Category: Uruguay

Palta harvesting

Our avocado harvests are always a crapshoot. One year, both trees producing; one year nothing; and this year one producing and one not. This year’s relative paucity has not diminished the appetite of the birds. Before mowing the lawn, I picked up the remains of 19 paltas, probably 10 kilos worth originally.

Two days later, there’s this on the ground. It would have weighed 600-800 grams before the critters.

Construction on both sides

Construction update: neighbors on the west side brought in a specialized (and noisy) crew on Saturday, when workers usually don’t work, to make framing for a dropped ceiling, presumably drywall. The metal of the insulated roof panels is not attractive: very cold and machine-like.

On the east side, the neighbors WTF project steams ahead. We now have the outline of a slanted roof that will drain into a wall. I guess they haven’t heard of gutters?

Adding a roof

Fascinating to watch progress on the neighbors’ project. The roof is metal-clad plastic-foam panels with enough structural strength to stand on, as you can see. The contractor told me the roof would be done in an hour, which was pretty much true for the full-length panels. They are gently sloping toward the background. But now they have to intersect the existing roof.

So roof work grinds to a halt for a few hours as they cut away part of that. How will they proceed now? I have no idea. It’s almost as if they’re making it up as they go along.

Designed?

Construction continues on both sides of us, and both strange. Workers have just finished the molds for huge concrete beams atop the 42m² addition. I finally got curious and asked about the plans.

The large opening in the foreground will have a sliding glass door (facing a bush and a wall). The two distant walls are to be glass. Since this is looking roughly northwest in the southern hemisphere, and the backyard is open, this structure might be concisely described as a solar oven. I expect there may be an overhanging roof.

But at least I get it. I also get that the neighbors on the other side are making some sort of grand entrance.

Walls that might be planters, two large columns (or something), and indented area (to the right). All very curious. But I’m not going to ask just yet. Too much fun trying to imagine where this ambitious project might go next.

Crap quality

Here’s the back of that brand new house I presented on June 8th. Lovely.

Here’s a “stainless” steel kitchen sink that’s a few years old, barely used except for a few months. No complaints: we let friends stay in our place in exchange for taking care of what they thought it needed, including a kitchen sink, and we knew this was very cheap. But still. Those dots to the left of the paint brushes are rust as well.

Jackhammers

We’ve has three days of jackhammer noise. The back corner of the neighbors’ was a parillera, covered cooking area, with a bathroom. Behind the tree on the right is another small building. Not clear what it is or what they’re doing with it. I asked the foreman today and he told me they’re adding a 42m² addition to the main house. You can see the ground they’re clearing to pour concrete. So all the work is in back, out of sight of the road.

And yet they’ve put up a temporary privacy fence in the front. In time, I suppose the purpose of the fence will become clear.

Or not. That red thing is the volquete, which they’ve filled with rubble three days in a row.

The crappy house

Lo barato sale caro. As with most sayings, that can be stated more succinctly in English: false economy.

Construction of this house (not including the slab it sits on) started less than a month ago. Everything about it is about the worst quality imaginable. It’s not even finished, and already it is beginning to look uninhabitable.

But it’s “affordable,” no doubt. For now.