Gringos de Marimán

A few weeks ago I worried that the rainy season had started. We've actually had very pleasant weather the past 3 weeks, although nightly temperatures have dropped below 5ºC. Now it´s time to start worrying again.

Weather forecasts in Pucón never simply call for rain, but rather chubascos or downpours. These storms roll in off the Pacific with heavy winds and pelting rain. The CNN videos of rain and flooding in NY reminded us of this week's Pucón weather. Local construction practices add to the drama of the storms. Heavy rain on tin roofs creates a lot of noise. Especially since few of the houses have attics to act as sound or insulation buffers. We had to turn the sound up all the way to hear the TV. That didn't help when the wind caused a loss of the satellite signal. We're still wondering whether Dr. House actually saved Eric Foreman.

So obviously we had a little rain, but neither rain nor sleet nor ?¿ can keep the pinhead from chewing on someone's arm.



This week the crew began filling in the dirt on the inside of the foundation walls. Once again they added ripio (dirty wet gravel) on top of the dirt and brought in a compacter to firm up the ground. If the rain lets up this week the concrete slab will be poured.



After the compacting they placed black plastic over the finished areas. In this case you can see they've added a little extra iron for the interior walls in the master bedroom.



The wood removed from the moldaje walls reappeared under the walkways. The concrete for the walkways will be poured as part of the slab.



No, pinhead didn't create all that sawdust. Jose cut and sanded these trim pieces to add on the walkways, giving the concrete beveled edges. What will those architects think of next?



Kenny and the plumbing crew wrestled with the duct required for the kitchen fan. I think pinhead dug the hole for the wall. You can see the buried ductwork and drain plumbing laid out for the kitchen.



Some type of anchor thingamajobs were also added for the walls. Sorry, I missed a few details due to the rain.



You might notice the sun was shining in the previous picture. Sunday morning the sun broke through and Cyn put on her finest el campo fashion wear. She's opening the gates to the parcelas, one of her favorite things to do in the pouring rain.



So what does one do when the rain starts and the temperatures drop? Don't worry, we still have plenty of opportunity to get some exercise by splitting wood.



The fireplace looks really nice, but the seating on the couch in front can be a little crowded.



The real hotspot is in the bedroom, where the Bosca stove heats up the TV and dries those pant legs quickly.



Hope your week is dry and your taxes finished!!