International Building Code.

This past week I have been finishing up some of the preliminaries to getting the addition started on the guest house. I did do a little digging to sample the soil structure where the addition goes and found that the top soil runs about 12 inches deep then changes to a clay base mix that is used to make bricks around here. I bring this up because the International Building Code for earthquake resistant housing calls for excavation of 3 feet and backfill to grade, for pouring a ground level cement slab. No one in the urban areas pays any attention to code and I am not bound to the code in the area I am building in but there is a reason for building codes and using them as a reference isn't a bad idea. I won't be following code for the slab I pour, I will be putting in a mud slab in place of the - dig 3 feet and backfill. In my opinion there is much less likelihood of a compaction problem and there will be no load to speak of anyway. I'll get into particulars when I  get there.

Had to do a little PM on the car this week, I've been putting some pretty hard miles on it lately. When I was changing the oil I noticed some ply separation on one of the tires - curb hopping in Quito I guess. $ 70 for a 14" radial tire, no mileage figures but it is the same as what came on the car and they have gone 59,000 kilometers - about 37,000 miles. I have to find someone to put the tire on the rim, I'll just carry it around in the car until I see a place that changes tires. You can put that on the list of things that are more expensive in Ecuador - I'd hate to have to buy tractor tires here.

I need to take Barb to the eye doctors tomorrow, she had a blood vessel break in her eye, so she can't see. She has had laser stuff done to her eyes before so if worse comes to worse she will head back to the U.S. to have it done again. Heck of a way to have an excuse to go back to the U.S. for a pair of shoes.

My agenda is on hold until we get Barbs eyes taken care of - I guess I can go get that dog I've been wanting or bore you to death about footer compaction and soil testing. I am thinking, dog.