Concrete Angels

Juli & Julie

Jewels and I woke up this morning aching all over from all the hammering and drilling we had done yesterday. Heavy eyes and dragging we made our way to breakfast it was super chilly this morning, broke out the long sleeves, sipping our coffees noticing puffs from the volcano across the way.

Maura & Julie shoveling sand

After breakfast we walked over to the construction site where we met up with Maura, Rebecca, Felix, and Pablito. They were eager to go. When we looked around and saw what they had in store for us we weren't sure we were all that eager to help but, we did. Half an hour in we were back to being a sweaty filthy mess.

crushed rock

We swept out an area they use to pour cement and got it ready for hand style mixing. The four girls each grabbed a wheel barrel and made our way up to the rock pile. Each of us loaded  up and brought down sand, thirteen trips in all. We slowly were piling the sand in the shape of a volcano. After the sand was piled Pablo tossed the concrete mix down from the shelf on the sand. The same bags Julie and I struggled with the other day and Felix at back and laughed at us. 

those awful concrete bags

Once those bags were added to the pile we started to mix the sand and concrete together. Then it was time for another trip for more rocks. This time seven wheel barrels full of crushed stone. Felix and Pablo aren't messing around either, they say thirteen wheel barrels they mean full ones, same with the seven. Felix would look at us and say "mas."

Julie & Pablo mixing the sand and concrete

We then added those to the pile and began mixing the three together everything had to be mixed well. We broke the pile down into three and then back into one again. Only to break it down and make a little volcano and add water and a trench with more dirt around it adding yet more water. Pablo sprayed things down with the hose then Felix took to mixing it with the shovel. Moments later we were filling our wheel barrels up and had begun pouring concrete into the metal frames we oiled yesterday.

the volcano effect

It took all morning to get every mold filled but by lunch we had done just that. 

Maura adding the water

We let things set and went to lunch. Julie & I both could barely move as we made our way across the yard. We didn't complain we just couldn't move. We couldn't decide if we were hurting from hauling rocks or pounding nails, all we knew is we hurt.

crushed rock

Lunch was fast today, we are planning the next leg of our journey so half our break was emailing the next destination to firm up details. When we looked at the clock we both groaned  and hustled down for lunch.

Felix mixing the cement

After lunch Pablo instructed us in how to level out the blocks we made. It was time to smooth out the wrinkles and push the cement into the corners. It made me think of frosting a cake for some reason...I don't know how someone could do this type of work it is backbreaking.

Pablo overseeing Rebecca's craftmanship

The cement was then left to dry for however long it takes to cure. 

Julie leveling everything off

It was another labor intensive day but again it just feels good inside knowing all this hard work and all this effort is going to benefit a family and improve their quality of living. For Julie and I, we are coming to realize a lot about ourselves. We can do anything we set our minds to...Impossible is nothing for these two concrete angels!

Julie and Pablo putting on the finish touches after lunch