can I get some water please

I went to connect my water, only to find out that it wasn't turned off. Sweet! It means I get to save $100 (for now, at least)

catch 22.

I get the place to inspect the meter connection, and turn on the main only to see the galvanize pipe has rusted through. I stepped on it and the pipe turned to red shards.

Being as this is Montserrat, I saw the plumber on the road - stopped him and asked him to fix it ASAP. This is most convenient because he's been begging me for work.

rescued artifact

When I (finally) opened the garage I found the following - a tiny car and a barbeque. Whilst I haven't tried to get the car started (yet) the barbi is firing up nicely, and has made several steaks, burgers and most recently roasted fish when we had friends over for St Patrick's Day weekend.

This post is a formal response to Carmen who posted a comment in regards to construction methods used on the island and typical in the Caribbean.

The house like many in the region is structured using reinforced concrete block work. This is typically made of 8" external blocks reinforced by 1/4" to 1/2" steel bars placed in every other pocket that are then filled with a mixture of cement, sand and aggregate. A grid work of columns are also utilised at a spacing of 12' to 15' to create a rigid structure. The structural basis of most buildings (residential or commercial) is laid out in the Caribbean Uniform Building Code (CUBiC), notwithstanding Montserrat does not have a ratified building code.

sea side elevation

CIMG1966, originally uploaded by architechnophilia.

house and garden at date of purchase

elevation

elevation, originally uploaded by architechnophilia.

initial sketches for the sea facing elevation

measured survey

measured survey, originally uploaded by architechnophilia.

this was the house as I purchased it. The kitchen and bathroom cabinets have been removed since, as well as most of the internal wood work