DONE DIGGING

Digging in paradise.

The digging is finished and the trac hoe back in St. Thomas.  Four days of work to get things where we wanted:  Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and then a Saturday mop up.  Good news that there were no major impediments or pitfalls- all went according to plan.  A week off while Dan gets other projects finished up and then we should be setting footer and foundation forms beginning  the week of June 2.  Plan is to do it in 2 pours- one for footers and walls, and then another for cistern cap.  Getting concrete pumped up from the beach is going to be a challenge but hope is that learning curve has flattened since Capt Phil's pour left 12 yards between beach and forms.

Drive that will meet with top level of cottage with living/kitchen/master bedroom.

Looking down from drive.  Flat for lower level living area, and beyond that, the cistern which will be under the porch off the bottom level.

Boyson's barge leaving with trac hoe.

COMMENCEMENT...

Olive Oyl and Eeyore contemplate change in the neighborhood.

While Tira was shifting tassel from right to left in her commencement, my cell phone was lighting up this weekend with Dan sending progress reports in another.  The plan was to get silt fence set over the weekend and off-load the trac hoe for a Monday start.  By 9 am Sunday the silt fence was long set and the excavator was already moving dirt for drive (zoning requires parking for 2 cars minimum even though there are no roads), foundation/cistern, and septic.  I'm not sure I've ever had a project that was ahead of schedule!  I'm sure we will remedy the situation soon enough.  

Digging seems decent- no surprises or unforeseen obstacles.  Everything appears to be ready to fit where we hoped it would.  Looks like we can even add a foot of depth to the cistern which is blessing.  Dan is saving cuttings from Frangipani tree that had to go.

Trades are consistently from the ESE so the aerobic septic system will be below the south-facing cottage and to our west.  Downhill because that's the way shit flows and downwind so we don't have to smell it.  The aerobics system is highly functional (i.e. works like standard, not composting, toilet), requires less fresh water, and provides nutrient-rich irrigation for plants.  Win-win for our location.

Clearing for drive/entrance to lot on the high side.

Silt fence installed below and around excavation. 

Digging begins (St John to south).

Last shot before finishing for the day, Sunday.  Far right is area for aerobic septic system.

BEFORE...

View from the community (6 lots) dock.  The famous Love Shack in front, Alison and Capt Phil's place upper right.  We will be building to the left of Capt Phil's, above the Love Shack.

So... this may be really happening.  We stopped by Lovango and met the place when sailing in 2011.  Also met Dan Boyd, master of many things, who lives there and gave us the tour.  A year later we made an offer on a half acre lot one back from the water (and 60' above it) and finally closed about a year ago.  Since then we've been trying to get the permit to get a building permit .  A 2 month process (or so it says on the web site) that took 8.  Supposedly the building permit is imminent but, regardless, we can start digging on the basis of the first (czm) permit and so we plan to do.  Dan has the trac hoe and silt fence arriving May 18 and we may be in the dirt by the 19th.  Long journeys and that first single step.

Eeyore chairs the Lovango Welcoming Committee

We had a chance to swing by and see the place when sailing this past April.  Sadly, Dan was in California but his dogs Eeyore (Basset Hound) and Olive Oyl (Great Dane) were there to welcome us.  Walked the pucker-brush but couldn't stay long.  If we were supposed to perform a ceremonious act or recognize an omen, we missed it.

Before... Randy beats through the pucker brush on the lot.