Before
During
After
We ended up after contemplating long and hard what we could use for a splashback, finding some lovely, very old cement 'encaustic' tiles at a salvage yard. For the sum of 120 euros and about an hours work each tile chipping off the old mortar and sanding them clean and smooth they have really worked out nicely.
Paul has also tiled and built up the fireplace ready for a wood burner in the living/dining room and it really only needs some furniture and it will be done. Here is a pic which shows the lounge mentioned later!
We have finally got the front door in and painted - after hours and hours of sanding the old paint off (after my mum and dad also scraped most of the outside layers whilst they were here) we debated whether to do a final sand blast or something to get the old paint off, but I decided that the frames and the door were such different timbers it would look nicer painted, so voila - I think it looks great. The inside is still just bare wood and looks good too.
So yes - it's all been happening. We have had some visitors too - our friends Gary and Lyn came for a few days in May and Chelsea and Hunter came in June for a lovely week of touristy stuff but mostly just hanging out chatting in the jacuzzi -luckily we had perfect weather while they were here because for several weeks after it got quite cold and rainy again. However the past few weeks have been hot hot hot and no rain. Losing the lovely grass very quickly so hopefully we get some summer rain as is usual here. Last week we went to Spain and met up with Gabs in Ibeza for a week off - there are some beautiful beaches and not much else unless you're into clubbing but it was good fun. Chels and Hunter met us there for a few days on their way back to Chicago after spending a few weeks in Australia. So was great to be all together again. Not sure when that will be happening again - was a bit sad saying goodbye to Chels at the airport as we normally always have something organised for when we will see her again. But she's a big girl who has found a great job and life in Chicago and I'm sure she will be back here or us there again real soon. Gabs is happy for now with staying in Ibeza and her daily routine of sleeping until late morning, eating, beaching, working and partying - (not necessarily in that order haha). Good life for a 21 year old!
A couple of weeks back I had started chipping off the old crepi (lime render) from the front of the house but I am now finding it difficult to get back to as I ride in the cool of the morning and then it just gets way too hot to be outside working for the rest of the day. You can see where I have done it already on the pic of the front door. Unlike where we lived in Aus here it starts off cool and just gets hotter and hotter culminating in the hottest part of the day being around 7 or 8 in the evening. Bit too far from the coast for sea breezes here!
And here is Paul today - doing some work on the lights and electrics in what is going to be our cinema room.
This room was the original little wine store complete with running water for temperature control and we have been vacillating between it being a formal dining room or tv room but the decision has kind of been made for us by me ordering a lounge suite off the net only to have it arrive this week and it is far too large for the living room but will fit perfectly in this room - so there it will go! Big TV is going to be sorted soon or at least before winter as I can't remember when I watched TV last (actually I do - it was in Ibeza watching the Aussies trying to play cricket ha).
Ok - I think that's us up to date. We have a busy week coming up with some friends coming to stay and me going on a two day hack to Domme (in this heat -eek) then after that two more lots friends coming in August and Sept - and we are going to try and get stuck into the outside entertaining area in the meantime. And I also need to start to source decorating stuff without blowing the budget - which is difficult. Although we have found some great second hand furniture stores that are fun to search for stuff in. Hopefully I will be back with more updates before this time next year haha.
My little wild summer garden with Dahlias in full bloom.
