Oh the joys of living next to a building site! Whilst those of you around the world may shudder at the mere thought – in reality it does have its moments! There is a house being constructed in the plot just up from our own (there is still a long narrow plot in between that I am hoping because of its particular narrowness – no one will buy!)and all weekend there have been deliveries of cement blocks, sand, piping, so trucks and diggers of all descriptions have been leaving their supplies and by a fraction of a millimeter just missing the overhead hanging telephone cable, which when we moved into our house only took  three months to be installed by one of the two phone companies on the island!  So you can imagine it is with great trepidation that I and my 3 yr old son (The Curly One) were watching from upstairs in the spare bedroom the antics of the building site next door.  A great guessing game for him (Bob the Builder style!) and a great guessing game for me (will the builders knock out the nerve centre of Mango Mammas Blog?).  I have to confess with only one nail biting incident where the phone cable got caught on the trucks “lift up bit” and it pulled taut in a twangy snapping style,  they were overall pretty fast and efficient. 

It took only 2 days for the foundations to be dug in – a whole swarm of spade clutching guys descended one morning and dug their hearts out in absolute baking heat (temps recently in the DR have heated up – summer is here!!), and now all the heavy construction is about to start!  I guess gone are my peaceful afternoons where The Curly One and I chatter and play in the back garden – for the time being at least.  Generally house construction is an incredibly short process in the Dominican Republic (if you have the funds that is) and to build a house from start to completion can take as little as 3 months and voila…there you have your brand spanking 3 bedroomed detached with swimming pool and ready planted garden-Genius!

We considered constructing our own house here after many years of living in rented properties on the north coast, but it’s one of those once in a life time projects where you HAVE to be on site for.  My husband’s Spanish is pretty diabolical to say the least and from a basic communication point I could feel disaster looming as I scanned the internet for house designs, building plans and the dream of a Shabby Chic beach wooden bleached house disappeared overnight as reality sunk in. Don’t get me wrong he’s a great at home DIY person where bobbing down to the local Ferreteria (hard ware store) can be accomplished on a Saturday morning with plenty of hand pointing and mime acting that Marcel Marceau would be proud of (just for a bag of nails) but we are talking about major construction here and I thought his arms would just wear out with all the use and daily waving about! Instead we scanned new builds – lots of them. 

Did I say lots of them? There has been a building explosion all over the Dominican Republic, even traveling down to Punta Cana twice a year I hardly recognize the place, and whilst living on the north coast my eagle beagle eye will normally spot any new construction, it still amazes me when driving down the main north coastal road, just how much building really is going on.  Mainly for residential use Cabarete the surfing Mecca of the Dominican Republic is a changed place.  Gorgeous beach fronted properties (all carrying a hefty price tag) are going up in rapid pace. Luxury condominiums on the beach, with pool and Jacuzzi and 3 en suite bathrooms (can these people not get enough water- do they save all their washing for when they come on holiday??)seem to be the order of the day, and exactly that, you have to order them.. In certain areas of Cabarete now there are waiting lists for these luxury beach fronted appointed apartments of up to 2 years! However not one to miss the chance to boast – we can see the ocean from our house too in Puerto Plata – ok you have to stand on the roof with an extension ladder – but it’s there!! Actually the beach is about a 5 minute drive away so I’m quite happy with that!

So very early this morning the builders arrived next door, round about 6.30am which is normal waking time in our household on a school morning anyway. I lay in bed for a nano second collecting my thoughts before Thomas the Tank Engine was pounded on my awakening brain, and compared the early morning sounds of people arriving to work.  It’s the same in any country really – what ever the language.  Stories are swapped from the weekend antics, guffaws of laughter bounce out and carry, coffee is passed around and then the clinking of tools and spade are picked up as the working day commences. (Hey good job I didn’t wake with a hang over this morning or this narrative would have an entirely different slant to it!) 

And upon leaving the house with The Curly One and one of the many dogs in tow that needed to go to the Doggy Parlor for a shear, once husband and tribe were settled in his car I waved goodbye in a bleary eyed motherly way from the front gate clutching extra strong Dominican caffeine and glugging it back in an embarrassing unmotherly way, was about to turn my back when the car wouldn’t start.  I was tempted to hide behind one of the many pillars that grace our car port and finish my coffee, but (and this is such a shallow thought) was I dressed appropriately to help push car in the middle of the street in front of the builders???? How could I even think that? How could I let the sisterhood down with such a lame pathetic thought? Is a dressing gown of 15 years complete with jam and threadbare non matching belty tie not good enough? Anyhow as I was mentally debating this thought, the builders from next door had already downed tools and had started to push the car uphill to jump start it.  So slinking behind the pillar I watched (partly relieved that I didn’t have to make such a fashion conscious decision at 7.15am this morning) and thanked the heavens for the builders being there! I am ashamed yes I am!!!!!  I am now going to self flagellate for half an hour – catch you later in the week…..