28 March 2007

Major Construction Begins

The footers fall into somewhat level linesThe day of ground-breakings: we began digging 15 holes for the second cabin’s main concrete footers and Chayito beginning the arduous task of installing a new septic and drainage system for the original cabin. Earth and clay, roots and stones uplifted with care (always asking permission from the forest) as the foundations began to take form.

17 March 2007

St. Patrick's Day en El Bosque

Celebrations for the Irish holiday and the arrival of running water; the cabin now a Smurfy shade of blueWe ushered in St. Patrick’s Day with the arrival of our first international guest, dear and near-sister Erin, who taught us all the importance of drink and merriment to wash away water and septic woes. With a toast to the Leprechauns and a shout of joy, water began flowing through our cabin pipes from our newly filling water tower, all made possible by the hard work of Chayito laughs as the final connections are placed between the tower and the cabinChayito, Marcelo and Jorge, and the generosity of our neighbors Yvette and her son Jean Paul, who last month gave us permission to tap into the excess water pumped through their system until we can begin pumping from our own sacred stream (a project best reserved for Spring weather and hopefully the expertise that time will offer us by then).

Also, the night before we celebrated in Valdivia to the music of Los Jaivas and the dance of the Kari Kari group of Rapa Nui as Valdivia officially became the capital city of the new 14th Region of Chile: el Region de los Ríos. Que lindo Valdivia!