Well, after just over 5 months we said goodbye to the builders this morning. I think I was the only one that was sad. Unfortunately I got the word for ‘sad’ and ‘joke’ muddled up, so the builders have disappeared with the words “I’m a little joke” ringing in their ears.
It will seem strange having the run of the house again – and not having to worry about waking up and finding builders already at work. The animals will appreciate not being locked up all day too!
The house still looks a mess, however, with boxes and furniture piled in the middle of rooms. The internal doors haven’t been fitted yet. The carpenters want to do this after the painting has been done. In case the painters get paint on their lovely new doors. The painter, however, wants the doors in first, in case the carpenter damages his lovely paintwork. We asked Manuel, and he said just to let who ever gets here first get their work done. He felt that they both had a point – which was a bit of nifty fence sitting!
We paid our final bill and it was not any more than we expected – in fact a little less as he gave us some ‘presents’. He paid for the electricity in the two new bathrooms, the marble surround around the sink in bathroom two, the brick base that he made for the stove and also put a concrete base under the gate at the back to dog proof it and reset the gate so that it shuts properly.
In the five and a bit months, they only didn’t work the days that I mentioned because of sun stroke and then the bad weather, they worked most Saturdays and we didn’t make them one cup of tea or coffee (and yes, we did offer but they always said no). They worked ‘Spanish hours’ which meant starting at 8 and working through to Breakfast at 11 for 20 minutes and then they worked through to anywhere between 3.30 and 4.30. Originally they had stopped in the afternoon and had come back at 5, but we much preferred them working right the way through and finishing late afternoon. (of course, when I say ‘afternoon’ I actually mean ‘siesta’ as afternoon doesn’t start until 5 and ends when the sun goes down).
So, we’ve a couple of weeks before the painter starts. I can’t make up my mind whether I want him to start now or if I am glad we have a couple of weeks ‘respite’. There’s no real point in trying to get straight as we’ll only have to move it all again when the painter starts, so we’ll probably stay as we are. It does mean that we can really start planning the kitchen (we’ve had a couple of false starts – a Gaudi inspired kitchen, followed by a kitchen inspired by the Notre Dam – we’re now going for a less flamboyant kitchen – not a curved unit or turret in sight), and it would be good if we were able to have this done by the time the painter started.
Typically, now they have finished the back of the house, they have put in the pipes for the stoves and we can also have the back windows refitted – just as the weather has turned glorious! I think we might see if we can get a few logs though and try out one of the stoves.
I’ve been thinking that what we really need (besides a cuckoo clock – which I really want and Ian really doesn’t want – watch this space) is a wall candle holder to go outside the new bedroom window. Ian has pointed out, however, that this conflicts with one of my other need pronouncements which is gently wafting cotton curtains. He feels that lying in bed watching curtain pyrotechnics isn’t what he really needs. He has no romance….