Second rooftop and more.

Again we are very happy to create things at our place in a process instead of as a project. No hurry, no stress. 

One week I totally could not work because of a serious food poisoning. I had to stay in my bed to recover. Not my thing but it was the way it was. It took another week to come back again on track. 

On the other hand very high temperatures in combination with high humidity. In the afternoon 'reel feel' temperatures sometimes up till 49 degrees Celcius. All conditions that 'helps' us only to work a couple of hours a day and take enough rest to stay healthy and try to avoid a heatstroke. All no problem but of course not too much progress. 

Happy the second glass rooftop is installed. Actually we do everything ourself with our own hands but for this job, like last time, I hired a firm in our village specialized in aluminum doors and windows and glass work. 

We went on with brick gluing and fixed the windowsills and special 'Elephants tiles' next to the entrance. Theme of guest pyramid II will be elephants. 'Flagship' of Surin province were we live. Guest pyramid I got the peacock theme.

Because of good caretaking of Phatsamon trees and plants in our garden start to flower and grow. The cows are already waiting for her after she cuts the grass. She gets more and more friends around. 

Much earlier than last year the preparing of the ricefield started already. Pity cows because the weeds now are gone. Still they come to drink at our place and every morning that's a nice show. 

Big news!

We got a new family member. Running around and inspecting everything we do. 
The dog (named Yoke) of the mother of Phatsamon got puppy's. Phatsamon fell in love with them and wanted to have one. With a total land size of over nine thousand m2 we have enough space. 

Starting Wednesday last week we are the owner of a second dog. The two months young Cupid. Daughter of Yoke. It's a Thai dog without a brand although she looks like a  black Labrador. Kadhow acts like her security guard and teacher.

Actually no news. Our Kia truck is at the garage for a week again because the aircon and fuel gauge broke down. Happy we have enough materials to continue. 

Frans Captijn

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

New wake-up call to continue building the second guest pyramid room

The last couple of weeks we have an early bird knocking on the window of the door or the window on the other side of the entrance. Most of the time even before 6 AM doing a wake-up call. Telling us we need to go on building I guess. Actually it's my regular time to wake up and start yoga and meditation and it remembers us we live in nature close to animals. Not only birds. Many day- and night-time animals. 

This year, my opinion, we cannot talk about 'dry season'. Lots and lots of wind and rain and many times powerbreak (happy to have our generator) and lockdowns because the dirt roads are to muddy to use. Phatsamon tries to help the community a bit trying to get rid of the water as one of the pictures shows ;). 

Since the last blog we had to do some maintenance again. The small 'Fire-ants' like electricity outlets and switches. Our Siemens switchboard switches in both pyramids and we needed to interchange three switches. Sad I could not repair the switches myself this time because they are sealed and not to open to clean and use again. But things are working properly again and we tried again to get rid of the ants in the switchboards.

Termites like the wood. So we need to keep an eye on that and protect and spray against destroying. 

Then we have to maintain on a regular base our taps and showers because the amount of chalk in our water system. 

Around the first pyramid we bought and put some flowers. I like colour. We also bought some (very) small trees.  

About guest pyramid II. 

The U-ditches are ready and the draining of rainwater of the roof to the pond works properly. We had a lot more work to do with installing the galvanized racks. Not a single rack was fitting because of a terrible quality of the concrete u-ditches. With a grinder and cement we had to made it fit and this all took a lot of time. Two layers of Supershield on the inside and outside and to be honest, still not as nice as the fist guest pyramid but it is the way it is. We also installed the planks under the lowest row of rooftiles. 

The side metal stud walls of the entrance and main window are fixed. Including the electricity and isolation work. Painting, so far, was not possible because of heavy rain. The planks first need to dry for that. 

Today we started with brick gluing again after working with our laser to level the first layer yesterday evening. Just on time we could buy and transport the heavy bags of glue.  

Although the weather changes and lockdowns we still feel happy here on our 'green island' without any program or time schedule. Great to have and enjoy lots of curious animals around.   

Frans Captijn

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Varying progress because of extreme weather changes

This moment in Thailand we are in the beginning of the summer. The beginning of the warm dry season. But the weather seems to be a bit upset causing us varying progress.

The first half of March we had extreme heat. Temperatures around  40˚ C (104 ˚ F) during daytime already. Dangerous for your health. So we had to calm down because working outside was not possible for us anymore. We could only work a couple of hours in the morning and late afternoon.
Last week, extreme rainfall, thunder and lightning and lots of wind. What about ‘dry’ season? Some days we were in a ‘lockdown’. The heavy rain turned the two roads to our site into slippery mud. Not possible to drive by truck or scooter. We even nearly hit a tree on our way back after buying tiles. Some new tiles broken because of the big holes in the road. 

Even we had to pump the water out around the second (under construction) pyramid with our small submersible pump because the foundation and U-ditch were flooded.

We had to do some maintenance. The generator had to be fixed because an electricity wire and a gasoline hose were bitten by a mouse or rat. Working again. Also, our ‘friends’ ants are starting to disturb our electricity system again. So far easy to clean and fix but it all takes some time.  
 
We extended (and changed a bit) the CCTV system. In front of the entrance and around the outside of the bathroom we made curbstones and pavement and already bought the tiles for the second pyramid.
The outside ceiling with ventilation holes covered with mosquito netting of the roof overhang (sun and rain protection) is installed and two times painted with 'super shield'. 

So to say, guest pyramid room 1 now ( March 22, 2022/2565) is totally finished!

This afternoon we took the many long strings of 'Morning glory' (does not bring me glory at all ;)) out of the pond. We do this two times a year to keep some space for the birds for fishing. As you can see on the picture below the Lotus flowers are spreading and spreading. A bit too much but it is the way it is. 

More and more long-legged acrobatic treefrogs (I call them jumping glue Jacks) are coming to visit us. Active during the evening and night. Sleeping during day time. Some on top of one of our fire-extinguishers. 

And because of the rainfall last days our pond is having a public frog orchestra in the evening and night. Big party around.

Last Friday I had the first, painful, experience with an attack of a flat rock scorpion. The animal did not like me to take 'his cave' away he created under the stored pavement tiles. Not aware of him/her I took the tile and the animal went under my shirt and bite me three times in my back and one time in my shoulder. 

I took two prednison against possible allergy reactions. No need to visit a doctor my partner told me out of experiences in the village. The bites felt as sharp cuts of a knife. Red skin and a bit swollen. I went on with finishing the pavement and afterwards slept well. The next day the disturbances were gone. 

And construction site guard Kadhow is still going on doing his job keeping the big animals living around us outside. 
 
The next step in our process? To continue the construction of the second guest pyramid room for some months. 

Frans Captijn

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

TED's finished completely

Temperatures are rising quickly. During the day at least 37 degrees Celsius already. So, it's sweating going on with our process but... in only one week, together we finished the outside part of TED's (Talk, Eat, Drink's) as well. 

We cleaned the outside of the Knock Down Home (container unit) and did some landscaping to make a small flower garden in front of the veranda. Like I did, creating the big Medieval (Chartres) Labyrint in Chiang Mai, we used green empty beer bottles for that. 

We changed some electricity outlets and connections for the water dispenser and the garden fountain and painted the veranda floor, stair and balcony. The painting we had to do late in the afternoon and beginning of the evening because during daytime it's too hot to get some good paintwork. 

Some new furniture and cushions are brought in as well and the ceiling fan is working great. Starting yesterday we follow the Thai respectful habit to take of our shoes before walking up the stairs (except for Kadhow). 

So, within two years we finished the electricity and water supply and controlroom, the Petite Chartres Labyrinth, the pond and big parts of the garden, street lanterns and security system, the first guest pyramid and now TED's place. 

Next week we will go on with some outside work (ceiling and pavement) of the first guest pyramid and will continue with the construction and finishing of the second guest pyramid room. The last will take a couple of months and is finished when it's finished. No stress.  After that the design for the main house and hopefully, after building permission for that, end of the year start with the foundation of that new place.

Kadhow is getting more and more excited looking and waiting already for the first friends/guests to arrive. But...He has to wait till at least the last part of this year ;). 

Frans Captijn

email:   pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com