Rust buckets

The other day I went towards Montevideo and saw two cars I’ve never seen before, despite driving by them dozens of times on the highway.

At least I assume I have, since they don’t look like they were put there recently.

Then this gem. The traffic cone (or a plastic bottle) on the roof means it’s for sale. I was tempted not at all to ask the price they’re asking, but I’m sure it’s ridiculous.

Tree rings

This is the stump of a pine tree that was recently logged (without permission I expect), and is typical of the wood used to build the house I documented yesterday. I added my foot for scale. My shoe is about 12″/30 cm long, so this is a big tree. But: less than 20 years old.

It was one of a small grove of attractive trees, and we were sorry to see it sacrificed for a few board-feet of shitty lumber, Probably 7-8 meters of the trunk was hauled off; the top and all the smaller branches and needles left behind to rot — and fuel the next wildfire.

Perhaps we should make it a project to bend young trees so they grow crooked, with no commercial value to lumberyards?

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.