31 January 2012

The house (5)

     The young couple that lives full-time at False Bluff was given a choice of space in the new house and decided to stay on the first floor in the same location that they've occupied for a year.
     This, the first building... 
  ...has become part of the new house...
...and is nearly ready to live in.


24 January 2012

Let there be light...and keep that Kindle charged!

     It's early days in the project at False Bluff and miles from 'civilization' so mostly we do without conventional power sources except for the infrequent use of a borrowed generator to run tools during construction.   Batteries power  a multitude of light sources...hand held or hanging flashlights and headlamps are just a couple.   
     But there is light after dark even without batteries.   Crank the black handle on the underside of the flashlight shown below and you 'generate' enough power for three minutes of bright LED light...and the flashlight holds its charge between uses for at least a couple of weeks.  (I know, I know...the flashlight case says "China" right on the side, but I remember when so many things we bought said "Japan" instead.)  Although the paperwork with this little flashlight claimed 'three minutes' it gives welcome light for a lot longer than that!

     But what about a Kindle?   I'm one of many with a serious reading addiction...I can't make it through a 24-hour period without words, so a stay at False Bluff has been defined by how long the charge lasts on my Kindle and we recently had three Kindles at False Bluff.   
     Now a stay can be indefinite because of a small solar charger.   Most of these will charge anything with a usb port so I could even use my computer (though without internet access, for me that's pretty much a waste of time...but even the internet will eventually come to False Bluff).
Soaking up the sun, this charger is open all the way...
 ...part of the way;
and now it's charging a Kindle. 

18 January 2012

The house (4)

     The second floor goes up and more rooms are enclosed with Plycem - which we use inside and out.   The first small structure built a year ago (see post dated September 2, 2011) is stripped of its wood siding and tied into the new building.   The breezeways both upstairs and downstairs  become defined by the new walls; and the view from the upstairs breezeway is stunning.
Front, facing the Caribbean
Rear
View from the upstairs breezeway


09 January 2012

The beach at False Bluff

     Debris washes ashore with every tide and keeping the beach clean is an ongoing job.   Organic material is left in place.   Inorganic material is removed and buried.   Those who visit or live at False Bluff provide the only 'trash collection.'
A guest collecting trash during a week-long stay.
Some of the new house is visible in the lower left.
A clean beach
A clean beach