So last week when we “talked” I updated you on the deck project. What I failed to mention was that the deck project was just one of MANY large-scale projects happening on our compound. We found out in November that a portion of the Quarters (HQ, as Nia likes to call it) where Schorasticah and her girls live was literally falling over. Thankfully, I don’t have to manage this project since the Embassy is taking care of it. It has impacted us a lot though, as there are 15 additional people on our compound each day.
What’s awkward is that there usually seems to only be about 2-3 people actively working and the other 12-13 are observing. And that’s in addition to the Foreman (also observing) and the Embassy escort (observing) who must be with them anytime they’re on the property. That’s a lot of people hanging out on our front yard.
The project was estimated at 4-6 weeks. We’re about 4 weeks in at this point and I’m hoping they’ll be out by the 1st of the year. Here’s a look at what took place. First, they knocked down the old structure.
Then they built the replacement structure, which was identical to the last one. Schorasticah and the girls have been living there the entire time construction has been going on, which can’t have been easy.
The project is in the final stages of plumbing and electrical. They also need to clean up the site, as there’s a lot of excess building materials laying around. And we need that done sooner than later because of the grass laying project that is also in full swing.
As you saw in earlier pictures, our yard was almost pure dirt (with the occasional patch of grass). The yard was mostly dead when we got here in August, but what was left of the grass died off during the past few months when we couldn’t water grass due to the drought. To beautify our yard we hired a team of 6 workers to come in and replant the grass. Little did I know what a labor-intensive project we were embarking on….
They started by using pick-axes to break up the firm, dry ground. SUCH hard work in the hot sun. I was exhausted just watching them! Once the ground had all been broken up they pounded all the lumps out to smooth the soil.
Here you can clearly see where the ground has been tilled vs where it’s still hard-packed.
I’m including this picture for scale, so you can see what a monstrous undertaking this was. This is only a fraction of our yard. Imagine tilling that all by hand!
After breaking up the lumps they raked out all the excess material (sticks, roots, leaves, debris). Then they made little piles all over the yard and hauled them to the compost pile.
Next came the leveling. It was so pristine – reminded me of a Japanese garden that had been freshly raked. Part of me wanted them to leave it all manicured like that but then I remembered the 5 year old. She’d wreck it in no time.
Then it was time to sprinkle tobacco stems all over (which is what they use as fertilizer). At this point the soil was fully prepped for the actual grass-laying. I don’t know about you, but I’ve only seen grass planted either in pre-grown sod roles or using grass seed that is sprinkled about. Neither of those methods is used in Malawi.
Instead, they take individual grass stalks and hand plant them. I know you’re thinking “No way!” at this point, but I’m telling you it’s the God’s-honest truth. It was remarkable to watch. They literally sat in a squat for 10 hours a day planting them one by one by one…
Here’s what the sweet little grass stalks look like up close.
And here’s what they look like from a big picture view. They spaced them apart a bit and the grass will multiply to fill in the gaps. Or so they say. I’m still baffled by this whole process.
And here, my friends, is the outcome of all their hard work. Isn’t our newly-grassed yard lovely? You’ve got to use your imagination a bit because it still looks quite brown. But you have to admit that we’ve come a long way from our jungle-y beginnings (we carted away 6 truckloads of overgrowth from trimmed bushes and trees) and I’m pleased to see that it’s finally starting to look like something!
Next up is designing the flower beds. So much more fun to just pick the flowers and the layout vs actually planting them! Thank goodness for Davie. Â :) Here’s one bed of hydrangeas that was recently planted next to the deck.
And we still haven’t had the “Big Rain” yet, which will bring out even more hidden surprises in our yard. I’m estimating about a month before it starts to look like a real yard. Of course I will be back with pictures once it’s lookin’ spiffy.
After being neck-deep in construction projects for the last 2 months, I’m VERY ready for this phase to come to an end. It will be such a relief to have some privacy again. 25 long-term visitors gets old quick. Fingers crossed that everything will be wrapped up by the 1st of the year, which is also looking like when I’ll be starting my job. In retrospect, the timing worked out well. I definitely needed to be here to manage the projects but now that the house/yard is ready I can throw myself fully into my new role.
That’s it for today folks. Be back soon.
