Back Yard

For some time I have been expounding on the virtues of our front yard.  Now the time has come for goal number 2, the back yard.  It has taken me this long to figure out exactly what it is that I want in this location.  I am still not sure of the final outcome but I do have ideas. 

The foundation marking are laid out for the wall and gazebo. This gazebo will either be a place to sit in the shade or we will build some sort of small tub here just to sit in and cool off we haven't decided yet.

The first of the bricks are laid for the gazebo plus the sidewalk to connect it to the house has been outlined.

Below is Issac laying the second course of brick for the wall.  The poor man has such a bad back that he can hardly stand up.  I am going to pay to take him to the chiropractor when my company has gone and I am alone.  He is trying to work until the doctors let him go off on LTD.  Then he can join me and become lazy.

These guys aren't the fastest as one is usually working and the other watching, they take turns. Three days later they have completed one of the sides for the sidewalk and have almost finished digging the trench for the other. The area on the left (below) will be filled with dirt and sodded. The back yard will all be the same level in the upper area.

Today they started putting up the concrete for the columns that will hold up the roof.

This time the columns are made of precast concrete rings that slide on one by one and are filled with concrete as they go up to form a solid column.  This is typically how the Panamanians do it and the columns are a much smaller diameter than any in the house.  In the house they are solid, poured in a form, columns.  The white tube in this column will be connected to the downspout from the roof to direct the water off to a dry well so that it doesn't run into the neighbors yard.