Omsider har vi kommet online lenge nok til aa kunne skrive litt i bloggen, og , viktigere, legge inn bilder av herligheten.
At last we have the opportunity to spend some time online and send some blogg pictures of our pride and joy. We have time as we are house sitting a small guest house on the south coast which actually has broadband. The running of this place is so like Fjaerland but on a smaller scale- a cross between Hotel Mundal and Fawlty Towers would describe it quite well- Ben doing a perfect Basil!!! (I am Polly rather than Sybil) We are enjoying the challenges and unlimited hot water.
The posters were mounted and eventually the land was found.
We bought working gear and secured a water supply.
This is where we will build. The turmeric has been cut and we can see the land.
The first primitive construction- waterproof as long as it was not raining! It did rain as rainy season was not quite over. The mud after the rain is of a quality not experienced before!!! The weather was, however , mostly kind to us and we survived and thrived. The large cedar root seen here was my kitchen, all meals were prepared over open fire and tasted really good.
Now the construction starts around our camp. Solar panel in place so we can watch DVD's and listen to music.
Deep holes were needed for the foundation poles. Once the poles for the main structure were in place Ben could put in the joists, all this taking place over and around our bed.
Ben devised a complicated but extremely efficient pulley system for the magnificent erection of the top beam which weighs about 250 lbs. Billie stuck to the girlie things like laying the floor. (Jamaicans have not seen a woman with hammer and saw before)
By this time we have aquired 2 chairs, and with an almost completed floor we have the luxury of taking time out without the risk of everything rolling down the hill.
Cutting a long story short, as I did the walls and finished the floor Ben constructed the roof. This was a huge luxury as we could then enjoy the rain. Even after the rain season there are bursts of tropical storm with really heavy rain and once we had a thunder and lightning show that was spectacular from our balcony well shielded from the downpour. We have gone over to gas cooking (the romance of the open fire is OK for a while). The kitchen is now meals on wheels as the table with gas bottle and cooker is on wheels so I can move around on the balcony according to my fancy.
On the left- as it stands today, 4 feb.
On the right, the view, just after the rain with the mists rising.
The kitchen has a fantastic view and a wallpaper to dream of. It can be moved inside in the case of storms- so far not a frequent occurence.
A sample of our first garden products, cucumber and tomato. This is not the standard Jamaican cucumber shape but they are plentifull and tasty!! 
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