OPA 911

The day before the move...I think.

2011-11-11T12:20:00.001+02:00

Like most things here, they are done last minute. So we have workers coming to the house the day before the move, during the move and still now...TODAY...11/11/11!!! Yes, the electrician you see below is back today to finish up on the out door lighting. Now, this delay is totally not his fault. Alex and I never decided on outdoor lighting, and finally got it together after season ended. Good thing we waited, as our budget was totally stretched and with the current tax changes, we needed to go with some less expensive lights. I will take those photos later, but for now, here are some photos of the finishing up process, pre move.

Below, you can see the loft space and the kitchen. The tiles we ordered for the back splash are only one row at this point. We mis-ordered, easy to do, apparently. When we went to order another batch, we found out that the supplier had been robbed in Athens, and had none to send down. We ended up taking every available tile they had in storage and teaming them with plain grey, by the same manufacturer. Again, I will get a photo of the finished kitchen...eventually.

The move was amazing, as everything kept getting dusty and dirty, even with two cleaning women coming in. But, what can you do when you move into an unfinshed house. You basically end up mopping every day.

Here the finshed nitches in the dining room. Cleanest part of the house at this point.

Adding color

2011-11-11T11:53:00.001+02:00

Sorry for the massive delay in blogging. But, for those who do not know, we are actually in the house now. We moved in the first week of may, the same week I (Jenn) went back to work. We were without a phone or internet for several months. Once we got that techy stuff done, we could not find the cable for the camera and were also way to busy to blog. As most of you know, I was working 2 jobs from mid August until the end of October. Now, I have a card reader and time...so here come the updates, whether you want them or not!

Going back in time, you can see the paint job first. The top photo is Sianna's room, a raspberry ice like pink. with the main "white" of the house. Sianna's room has since turned into the bedroom for both the girls. They decided that they wanted to be together, which is good, as the other room has a flat roof and we noticed gets much more wam in the summer. Now that it is winter, it gets the least amount of sun light and remains the coldest!

So, what was to be, Olivia's room, is now the playroom. It is a soft lavendar with white...and is generally a disaster area these days. I did find a very cool lamp from RICE, and will get a "done" photo in due time. Gotta keep you wanting more...

Here is our "short" wall in our bedroom, it is a darker beige/ khaki color. I like how it turned out, but feel the same about it as I do with the other colors. They all would have looked better had they been teamed with the WHITE that I chose, not the crap we ended up with. Basically, the architect had told our painter the "custom" color he likes to use...the painter went and got it, rather then listening to the home owners who kept saying that it was too yellow. I even had a paint sample of what I wanted. Supposedly he took it to be "lightened" up, but trust me... it is yellowish. The reason I don't like it is that the exposed wooden beams were white washed and the cool tone looks crappy next to the warm tone. It is not uniform. Also, yellowish whites always look dingy to me, and we have very small windows for natural light.

But, below you can see the sink and the tile work on the wooden counter that was made for the downstairs bath. This came out nice, and the pinkish plastering that Sianna chose looks great. It has variations in color and depth to it when you look at it.

Here is a peak from the kitchen with the arched door and the interior arch in the bathroom. We still need a mirror and light fixture, but it is usable....I will find a photo of the faucet...

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evidence & hostages...

2011-04-21T10:23:00.008+03:00

Look, there is evidence that the painters have been around... but, where are they??? Yes, the painters are "in" but they are working at a pre-Easter pace. Having put all their efforts into getting local hotels ready for the summer invasion of tourists from Scandinavia, they seem a bit tired and -invisible- to tell you the truth. There was a lot of prep work to do, and that seems to be done now, so the actual painting can begin. We are not sure exactly what time they show up, as no one is willing to go to the house at 8 or 8:30 and wait, but Takis had been past at noon one day, and they were working. I decided I would also go, just to see if my suspicions were true, and they were! They were cleaned up and gone by 2pm the same day. The next day they did not even show up. Sianna and I could paint the house faster using Q-tips at this rate! But, they had primed the railing, and at this point it is actually painted...but Alex forgot the camera to get a shot.
Below is a shot of our bathroom and our "Hostage." The Sink! The sink is the correct style from Duravit, but not the correct model. It came in last November, with only one hole for a faucet, even though the faucet we ordered from the same store (Plagos) is a triple! Every week they tell us the replacement sink will be here in 10 days, and it never shows. The sales girl also says, "Why not just take that sink and we have your faucet as a single." We HATE the faucet as a single, it is so ugly it is not even a thought, and to go with a different single means that it will not match the shower or the bidet. So, we took the sink so that our carpenter could at least use to build the vanity...and are holding it hostage. They don't get it back until we get the correct one, and NO we have not paid for it. If this runs on to a point where we will not be able to get the correct sink, I am keeping the hostage, GRATIS! Perhaps I will try to contact Duravit directly, or their distributor in Athens, but Plagos is the only shop on Crete that carries this product.
No worries though, the girls sink came in chipped, but was replaced in a weeks time. So there will be a fully completed bathroom on the first floor, and god willing, all the baths on the ground floor. Though I really don't want to brush my teethe in the "powder room" and have to clean the marble sink in there twice a day. Marble and toothpaste are not a good combo...it sticks.
Lastly, the tiles in the kitchen have been installed. Not a great shot, but you get the idea. The thought was that if Alex gets the stove he wants, he will also have a stainless back splash that goes up behind it to the hood. I think we could have gone with another row, but were were avoiding tiling the entire space between the counter and the cabinets. I am still not sold on it, but that is what it is...I just could not find something I really loved. Back splashes are easy to change though...right???

Theodorakis and building...

2011-04-18T12:08:00.008+03:00

Just like music by Theodorakis, so goes much of what is done in Greece. Things start out slowly, moving at a snails pace to the point that one sometimes thinks that nothing is happening at all. Then faster, and faster and faster it goes. Mistakes happen, but they often go unnoticed as one attends to all the frenzy that is being kicked up around one.

I wish I could say that this were the case for the building of the house...but the frenzy has yet to kick in. We are still on "σιγα,σιγα" slowly, slowly, mode. But, as the painters are now in the house, and more of the tile and plumbing is done, we do see the light at the end of the tunnel. Here are some bathroom photos, the tiny guest bath is almost there. The glass needs to be fixed for the shower, and the vanity will be placed and then tiled to receive the Baci bowl.

Below is the downstairs "powder" room. The tile and vanity have been installed, but we are having some problems with the faucets...the tile is a bit in the way. So we need to figure out how to get them attached the best way possible. This is what happens when measurements are not checked...so we will wing it and hope for the best. Now, if you think that arch looks a but low...it is. And yes, you will have to be very careful when turning around to leave after washing your hands. It is like a built it practical joke, only someone could actually get hurt! Sianna and Olivia are safe though.

inside and out

2011-04-11T12:33:00.003+03:00

Some of Alex's handy work includes the cleaning off of the exposed stones in the niches and archways. Apparently the "stone workers" don't actually do that part. Who knew? But, as with much, I am not surprised. Apparently no one actually cleans up after themselves either. I know you need a cleaning crew to go into a new house after construction is complete, because the dust etc... is just so extensive, but really, can't the workers throw out their own frappe cups, wires and extra lengths of wood etc... Alex spent a good part of his Sunday doing just that. Clearing out the crap that has been left behind. Boxes that sinks or toilets or faucets came in, junk left out in the garden. This week should see the return of the tile guy, the plumber and by the grace of god the carpenter...then we can get the painter in.
On the outside of the house you can see that the scaffolding around the chimney has finally been removed. Big improvement. Still no plan for a front gate, but that is not on the list of MUSTS to get us into the house.
And here is the first lily of the season, that blooms under the walnut tree. So, despite neglect and construction, at least that one plant is still hanging on. In all actuality, we only lost the grapevine, and that will be replaced as soon as possible. Lets hope to get a ton of work done this week and us into the house after Easter!!!! Fingers crossed.

closets in progress

2011-03-31T12:33:00.007+03:00

Wow, what seemed like an o.k. space just outside of the master bath, turns out to be really narrow after the closets are installed. Unfortunately, we need the storage space and will have to deal with it. Below is a shot of the closet that is in the Master bedroom, it looks bigger then it really is. The doors will be painted the same color as the walls, and some very slender and indiscreet handles have been purchased in a brushed nickle.
Below is Olivia's closet. Her wall is at an angle, and this makes for a tricky installation. We will have the carpenter move the closet over a bit, and place a spacer, so the last door can open better. Apparently it was in the original plans, but was not translated to the worker correctly...ahhh, yet again. We did not do a huge closet in Olivia's room to allow for more flexibility with the space. Things change, and the girls now want to sleep in the same room, so this might become a playroom and additional guest space.
That leaves Sianna's closet. Pretty big, and built in shelves will proved a lot of storage space. Both her's and Olivia's closets will be painted white, and the exposed shelves are in a wood tone. Then I will go back and try to do a mural at some point for each of them...depending on where they decide to sleep and how the rooms work out. Probably best to wait a bit to see if they even like sleeping in the same room. Or if I like it. They are chatty Kathies...

I found some hand painted handles, and could not decide on which ones I liked the best. So, I took a bunch of each design and will mix them up in each of the rooms.

doors in progress

2011-03-31T12:29:00.005+03:00

The interior doors are in!!! Wooohooo! Frames have gone in and the doors were all placed, but taken off for the time being, since a lot of work is still going on. But, the wood flooring guy came right over and finished up the baseboards for the entire house. Last step in that is going out to find the wood strips that will be in place between the tile floor and the wood, and in the doorways.

Alex and I ran to the hardware shop and picked out some sturdy door handles. We opted for all metal mechanisms as opposed to plastic. My thought was that he lives with 3 females...the slamming of doors is to be expected. The sturdier the better.
This last shot is of one of the doors while it was being set. They really don't have those 2 lines...I think those were a bar of some sort.

countertops!!!

2011-03-31T12:27:00.002+03:00

The counter tops have arrived, and boy do they show the dust! But, once the construction is done and they are cleaned properly, we think they will look great. They actually compliment the window frames and shutters, something we had not even considered, and seem to tie the whole thing together.

Next to the island, we have had a kitchen table made with two benches. White legs and tops that are the same as the counter tops. The table is really great as it has a leaf that can easily be pulled out for additional seating. I think we will be able to move it in and out the front door for when we are entertaining outside. So we are getting there slowly. Now we need the carpenter to finish any bit around the kitchen so the tile guy can get in there and do the back splash. Time to order the hood for the range...and a dish washer!!!

Wood floors!!!

2011-03-21T11:52:00.000+02:00

After more delays then I can count, our electricity was finally changed from a 1 to a 3---don't ask me about the specifics of this. All I know is that the underfloor heating requires a higher energy draw, so while we had power before, it has to be change to start up the heating system. This took a week or so, since some one in some office somewhere had to take there time to put a rubber stamp on some paper before the guys could actually go turn it over. At a 650 euro service fee, I would think they could be a bit faster...but hey, at least there was not a strike. So, that got changed over and the heating guys finished the last bits and turned it on, with a few days of testing, all was warm and tested OK. That gave the OK for the flooring guys to go in and start the clean up and laying down of the wood floors. Above is a shot from Olivia's room and out towards the stairs. Below is the master bedroom.

Now you see the loft space, that was done first. They actually finished all of the work in a record two days! The carpenter will come in and put in all the doors today and tomorrow, then they will be able to do the baseboard for the rest of the rooms. You can see that the baseboard is already up in the loft, since there is no door involved.

Below is a shot from the stairwell looking towards Olivia's room. Maybe the next time a photo is taken her walls will be lavender. Alex met with the painter today, he claims that the walls are not really yellowish, that that is the under coat showing through. But, Alex pressed him to mix the color to match the ceiling more. I am a bit apprehensive. I have colours chosen, and I really want a test patch before I give an OK for a final coat. Let us see what happens.

Sianna's choice-pink.

2011-02-28T22:51:00.003+02:00

When we were faced with the decision of paint vs. colored plaster for the downstairs bath, we opted for the colored plaster. Reasons were that it is one of the only recognizably old spaces in left in the house and we wanted to retain the character of the room (formerly the kitchen). But, the main reason was that since there is an actual well underneath this space, and only a small window for ventilation, we know there will be some humidity issues. Paint will only flake and look crappy after time, but the colored plaster will have "character and charm" by being kind of "shabby chic" as it ages.

Our plaster guy, who I am not so happy with... the outside of the house is neither the color I like or holding up after all the rains, told us the color range was yellows to reds....being that brick is used as the coloring agent. We decided to let Sianna in on the decision making process, so you should not be so surprised that it is pink. But, it is a traditional old village color, and the depth changes pretty well.Some walls appear a little darker, which adds a nice affect.

Of course the light is terrible in the room, since there is none. So we shall see in the end how it really looks. Now we are just waiting for the plumber to come and install the faucets to the back wall, then the finishing plaster, and then the counter top and sink. I will leave that as a surprise.

Acceptance and the chimney.

2011-02-28T22:50:00.003+02:00

Here we have the fireplace which is NOT IN THE CORNER...yes, I am still a bit pissed off about that (and other things). The workers came in and made a frame, and insulated it very well, with some kind of a product that is not supposed to smell...apparently this is a problem when creating a chimney after the fact. One has to ask the question, why was the chimney not part of the plan from the very beginning? Well, we are in Greece, so go with it.

Like a good friend of mine recently pointed out, acceptance is one the hardest things to achieve in life, but once you do you will not be carrying such a heavy load. I really gotta dump some of my load and just accept that this house will end up being what it ends up being. The control freak in me has a hard time with this idea,but if I look at it in the realm of art I can almost get there. When throwing a pot on the wheel, often I would let whatever shape emerge organically from the clay. Perhaps the house is more like that, something that just has to be left alone to be what it will be. Difference is, I have to live in this!

The Girls' Bath-finished off tile work.

2011-01-27T10:19:00.002+02:00

While we wait for more things that are taking MONTHS, rather then the quoted 1 month to arrive, some other work is getting done. The extra tiles that we needed for the girls tub finally came in, and the tile guy came back and finished the space off. He did a great job, and the lip of the tub is perfectly flush with the front tiled wall, so it has a great clean edge to it. If you can not tell, I really like our tile guy. He is a bit of an artist, and the only thing that saddens me, is that we were not able to get some really funky tiles (do to cost, or availability) to let him really show off his talent. But, his work clearly speaks for itself. He is a total professional, timely and efficient. If I walk away cussing about every other worker involved in this project, I will only have good things to say about him and his crew.

They will soon start cleaning off more of the old tiles we saved from the original house and we will use them for the small courtyard that is in between the guest room and the side door. At about 15 euro a square meter, it is a great price for the work too. Now, we are collecting quotes for installation of the wood floor upstairs and were quoted 15 euro a square meter by our carpenter. Well, this is a click system wood floor. Not like tiling at all! Alex and I though, maybe we would do it ourselves and use that money to buy some cool tools for the job, allowing us to do other work later on, say on the barn space... But, as luck would have it, Alex has now caught Olivia's cold, and doubts we would get the floor installed before we want to move in (say March). So, we found another guy, 10 euro a square meter, but will have to wait until we get the heating system up and running for a few days to insure all the moisture is out of the cement. This is great, as we will be able to see if there are any problems before the wood goes in. But, as with everything, the area where the heat pump needs to be installed is waiting to be insulated and sealed. Let it sit and cure for a day( praying for no rain) and then the heat pump will go in, get running and 3 days later the wood floors will start to be installed. give or take a few delays and screw up...

Kitchen in progress

2011-01-27T09:54:00.002+02:00

Here it is, the kitchen in progress. The counter tops are not done yet, but we are going with a butcher block. Would have loved a solid surface, but with all our "hidden" costs, we are being more conservative...in the hopes of getting that SMEG 5 burner range. Below is the island/bar.

This is the pantry, with pull out shelving, it sits next to the fridge.

There is the view from the opposite side of the room, you can tell that the island is not in exactly the place it will be in, but you get the idea. The back splash is a tile that has an old mediteranean look to it, and the pulls are oil rubbed bronze. Well, at least we think they will be. Manos will hopefully get them from Restoration Hardware before he leaves to see us later this month. Stay tuned.

Deliveries??

2011-01-27T09:51:00.002+02:00

When it happens, it all happens at once! We were really lucky, in this case procrastination worked to our benefit and we found some great wood flooring at a reasonable price--wait for it--LOCALLY!

But, and there is always a but, we now are on the hunt for the "special" liner that we need to place on the floor before installing the wood. It has to be specific for the underfloor heating. Prices are varying from 2 euro to 8 euro. I think I will let Alex tell you more about that, whenever he gets a chance.

Above you see the delivery van in the totally walled in driveway....any bets on how much I ding the car up? Oh, I say --- quite a bit. Below you see the view of the kitchen cabinets and wood from on the stairs to the loft.

So here it all is, waiting in the main room. I think the dust that shows in the shots tell you just how dirty it is in the place.

New Facade

2011-01-25T16:24:00.008+02:00

Alex will be writing this entry, and Jenn's comments will be in purple.

WOW! That's a whole lotta...brown! (Huh?)

Like my better half pointed out, with the new exterior wall up and plastered we are now the owners of a huge brown block! (No, I said Orange. Now, I see the problem we have been having, you are apparently color blind.)

One thought was to make the wall in a different color in order to break up the space and to create a more playful village like structure. The other thought was to use the same colors and materials in order to make one cohesive unit, and to draw together the house/wall/entrance-way.

The Architect then went into long discourse as to why they need to be one unit and how a pergola will tie it all together to create a blah, blah, blah...

In the end he convinced me, and the work had already been done, so we went with it. I think the fact that it was already done is really the point here. When we began discussing the wall, or as I like to call it- the great wall of Sternes- our beloved architect made a quick rendering on the equivalent of a napkin to let me know the foot print of it. Did he mention the height? NO.

I actually think the wall and the entrance doesn't look so bad from the inside courtyard, and since this is the view we will be seeing more often, why not? I personally like to be able to see a little out onto the street, to wave at passing neighbors. Ask Sianna, it is too tall.

Here the workers made a wall separating our yard from our neighbor's. There was an existing wall here but it wasn't as tall, so that the neighbors could peak into the back yard, or so that our neighbors mom could come over and yell at them through our yard (yes, this DID happen, I witnessed it first hand!). Obviously we needed some kind of barrier here to stop that, and I am sure our neighbors are happy that the mom has been blocked. But, had I been more informed, I would not have redone this section at all, and used greenery, a vine to separate the space. So much concrete.

Does this make us anti-social, not sure? Do I care, hmmm.........

This is the view from the other neighbor's yard (the MOM). The large balcony window looks into the bedroom. Note to self: get curtains ASAP. So they can't see in, and so I can't see out...I don't know which is uglier, her corrugated roof on her shed, or ours on the barn space...

and bees...

2010-11-30T09:54:00.002+02:00

Here are more assorted photos. Now that we are with out a camera, I doubt I will get many photos up ...I will have to go through what is on the computer to see what I have not updated. But, no worries, the new camera with PANORAMIC abilities will be here soon enough.

Above is the master bath's faucet for the shower, sans the water can that will be above, and has a nice arm that swivels so you can sit on the bench and take a lazy shower.

Above it the chimney...yes, even though we had said we would have a fireplace all along, they never built a real chimney...something to do with the underfloor heating and no one ever speaking to one another. Communication is not a highpoint here. So, this ugly metal tube will be cover with a "chimney" that has to be framed out. Seems like extra work to me.

Above is the courtyard, with the supports for the cement in place. This is a bit late, as the cement is now poured and our exterior wall is also up.

Below is a bee keeper we happened upon while driving the back roads though the Akrotiri. Stupidly, I got out of the car to take the photo and two bees got in.

This and that

2010-11-30T09:53:00.003+02:00

Strange, I thought we had underfloor heating/ cooling. So what is that big this sticking out of the wall? Oh, a dehumidifier. OK...I think...

Odd view of the loft stairs from underneath. With them being done, we can now get onto the loft to view and assess the space. The color of the wood is off in the photo, it has not been stained yet, and hopefully won't be until the wood floors are installed upstairs...but who am I to say that that would be the smart way to do it. I have already resigned myself to the fact that the stairs will probably not match up with the flooring. Below is the main stairwell, now with wood...and covered with cardboard to "protect" it...that is a relative term.

And here is the view from upstairs on the loft.

bath progress

2010-11-30T09:52:00.002+02:00

Above is the shower stall for the guest bath, and below are the faucets for that bath...they are in Italian--so there is a F and a C....I for see some confusion here.

Below is a shot of the girls bath, with the tub installed. We are still waiting for the extra tiles to finish off the front of it. Someone did not do their math correctly...

out and about

2010-11-30T09:49:00.004+02:00

quick notes, prep work for the neighbors new entrance from the side street. and below, the frame work for the cement in the front of our house.

That is not the corner...

2010-11-17T09:58:00.003+02:00

Wow, look at that dust! How long will it take to clean before we can actually move in...I am scared to even think about it. Above and below are some photos of the loft space now that it has a floor. The steps are still not in, so the workers go up and down on ladders. The floor will end up being Ash, along with the rest of the upstairs. For some reason, I can not get a link to work on this at all, but not that it matters, as the samples that came in the mail are not even close to what you see in the photos on the internet. We are ordering the wood for the floor from England, and it ends up being a lot less then buying it from the lumber yard here! Problem is that the Ash planks we like are on back order. They should be in by the beginning of December, so we will place the order and get them as soon as we can. Fine by me, since we leave for Vienna on the 9th, and I am not moving between the 21st and the 25th... we will aim for January. Maybe for my birthday... now I have jinxed it!

Now on to the fireplace. I am a bit angry about this most recent mess up, but am not so angry as to spend an additional 200-300 euro to get them to fix it. When Alex and I discussed the placement of the fireplace we both agreed that it should go in the corner. The reasons were that the fireplace itself is a corner unit with two glass panes, so it looks quite nice placed in a corner. Also, the only wall it can go on is the short wall with no windows at the far end of the room. This wall must also accommodate the television, and any shelves or artwork that we might want to place there. This room is one big space with the kitchen at one end, windows and doors to the garden on one wall, and doors and stairs to other parts of the house on the other wall. The actual sitting area is not that big.

Does this fireplace look like it is placed in the corner? No, it is moved out towards the center of the wall. When talking about the placement with the architect, he convinced Alex that centralizing the unit is visually better for when you are entertaining. Everyone will get a nice view of the fireplace and the heat will disperse better. Why wasn't I there, you might ask. They met on a Saturday morning, again, and Jeny had to be at the shop and I had to watch the girls. No one called me, nor did Alex mention the change. Not until I got there and the damage had been done did I find out about it. And don't even get me started on the chimney.

Ok...I can see his point, but he created more problems this way. The first problem is that visually it shortens that already stubby wall. The second problem is that there is just enough space for the T.V. at the end of the wall, right next to the steps leading outside, to the guest room. The T.V. has to be a meter away from the heat if it is on the same line as the fire itself, which it will be. We are planning to build a bench for sitting and storage that is the same hight as the top step and the glass panels of the fireplace. If the fireplace was in the corner, like we had decided, then the T.V. would have plenty of space and not need to be pushed all the way over to one side. Of course, the architect said, "Just get a new T.V. and hang it on the wall." My response was, and no offense to those of you with T.V.s on your walls, " A T.V. is not art, I have limited wall space for art to begin with. Besides the point, with the built out chimney, a T.V. hanging on the wall is going to look unbalanced and lopsided." What I wanted to say was, " Hey, great idea, I will use your fee to buy one!" I would gladly get rid of the T.V., but hey, I need to cook and get things done, and sometimes that is the only way.

Ok, I am a creative gal, and I know I can make this work. It may take some time, but for now all I have to say is- That Is Not The Corner!

Master bath

2010-11-17T09:57:00.001+02:00

Here are some shots of the Master bath in progress. The top view is taken from the closet area just outside the bathroom. You can see that Nektarios, the tile guy, has built a little wall on the side of the room where the toilette is. The rest of the enclosure will be in glass. He also built a small bench by that wall, which will be nice if we ever install Alex's dream Hamam (steam bath).

The wall tiles are in an ecru and a chocolate brown, with a whitish over glaze. They have different textures to them, which really don't come across in the photos. Hopefully, once they are complete and a light is installed, I can get a better picture. Below you can see the floor tiles. Inside the shower stall they are the chocolate brown, and outside they are ecru, but smooth, without the texture of the wall tile. In the shop they were part of the series, and looked really good together. We went with the smooth tiles in the main bath area since they would be easier to clean. But, the color is actually a little more yellow looking in the space then the ecru tiles that are on the wall. Makes me wish I had gone over to the house to look at the tile before they were installed, since apparently everyone is a little color blind. I hope that once the vanity is installed that it changes the tone a bit. I think we decided on a walnut, but we shall see what we get.

The ceiling in the shower area is arched, and gives a nice affect, making the space seem even bigger. But, considering that Alex, Sianna, Olivia and myself were all standing in there at the same time, I think the shower is plenty big.

The girls' bathroom

2010-11-17T09:54:00.001+02:00

The girls' bathroom is fully tiled now. Odd, but when we picked out the tile at the shop it appeared to be more minty green, and not so citric. The green totally changes when it is the only thing around itself. Good to know for future tile choosing, not that we will be looking for more tile any time in the near future. I still can't figure out how you can get a true view of color at the shop. I took the tiles outside to see them in the natural light, since we know that the florescence change the color too. Well, in the end they work just fine, since the washer and dryer are white, along with the toilette/ bath and sink. Add some towels... we can only assume pink... and I think it will tone it down a bit.

The white tiles with the floral pattern are opposite the wall with the mirror, so that should give a really nice affect. We think the cabinet for the sink is in light wood, but it has been so long since we picked everything out that we can't remember for sure! Well, it should be delivered this week, and the plumber will begin installing all the fixtures. Since I don't even remember the faucets anymore, it will be a nice surprise, just like Christmas. I do, however, remember the faucets I wanted and was not able to get within Greece. ggggrrrrrr

Sianna's Veranda

2010-11-12T11:04:00.000+02:00

As you know, we decided to save as much of the original tile from the old house as possible. The tile workers have been cleaning them off and getting them in shape, and now they have been happily installed onto Sianna's veranda...which will also be where we hang the clothes to dry. I have to applaud the tile guys, as theirs is a really tough job. First to clean off all those tiles, then measure everything out and cut them down and then place them...the saw alone was so loud that I could not be in this room for more then 5 minutes.

The only mess up we had was when they were doing the border. Apparently, they were nailing in a line to make sure that the tiles would be even and straight, and they hit a water pipe. I am so glad I was not there. Supposedly everything was fixed, and I love how the veranda turned out. Laundry is a thankless chore, so make it nicer for yourself by supplying a stunning view to Psiloritis, the highest peak in the White Mountains, and some funky tile.

Now the veranda only needs lights. Yes, exterior lighting is one of my new quests. We have gone to Iraklion, and throughout Chania. I have combed the internet and still have not gotten anywhere. If it is affordable, there is always a part of it I don't like. If it is perfect, it is 100-300 euro or dollars per light! I now know why everyone has the same lighting outside their homes here...they gave up! Well, Alex and I are determined to find the lights that will play off the copper gutters and the oldish /new blue doors. Any suggestions...please send them our way.

Guest room in Mexico...

2010-11-12T10:36:00.001+02:00

Our Guest room is now fully tiled, and coming along really well. It definately has more of a "hacienda" feel to it then the rest of the house, with its terracotta tiles and bright blue and grey bathroom. It is one of my favorite parts of the house. I still have issues about the size, as I had wanted to keep it its original generous size by inclosing a portion of the landing outside to have the bathroom. But, it still works this way, and we did not have to re-file and pay for new plans...or try to do it illegally. As we all know, everyone bulds everything illegally here in Greece. But, if some one is going to get caught...it is going to be us.

This is only a sneak peek of the bathroom. There is a small shower stall to the right, that will have a glass door. But, the sink will be rather cute. A small space needs a small sink, but who says it can't have character? http://www.duravit.com/products/series/bacino/washbasins/washbowl--032542_washbasins_94271_useo6r6cbp.html

More progress...

2010-11-09T11:36:00.002+02:00

The metal worker was in and installed a railing for the loft and the stairs leading to it from the upper floor. This will probably end up being painted, as they already had primed the beam under the loft. Leaving it exposed or just a clear coat would have been a nice NYC loft kind of a look. Oh, well...

But, the tile is done downstairs. It turned out great, and though you can't really get a good idea from the photos, it is a rather large tile, the color of dirt. Quite similar to the Zara stores here in Greece.

The girls bathtub was delivered, and eventually relocated to Olivia's room upstairs, to await installation after the tiling of the girls bathroom. Below, Alex took a photo of " a meeting of the minds" and we use that term loosely. These are all the key players, contractors, architect, Takis, etc... BUT NOT ME...had I been there, perhaps the fireplace would not have been installed too far into the room, but more on that later as it is enough for its own post!

Clear out the yard...

2010-11-03T14:41:00.002+02:00

After striking a deal with our back corner neighbor, Alex arranged for our septic tank to be dug. You see, he wants to make a new entrance to his house through his back yard. That spot touches our back yard corner...where the "out house" was, and borders a small road that I doubt we will ever use. So, he will get a small corner to make a pass through. If you look at the photo below, that is the corner to the left of the yard where the cinder block wall gets higher. Our original wall was stone, and someone else had built the cement one. But, the stones have all fallen over as the yard was cleared out to make way for the machines. Now they are scattered throughout the yard, and I need to get them collected, in the hopes of recreating that wall.

And here are the machines, starting to dig what will be the septic tank. It is a lot of machinery in a rather small space, and this was apparently annoying to the other workers, who were going in and out of the barn and the house to do tiling and dry wall. Some how they can't seem to grasp the importance of a place to put your poop. If you are concerned that the S%@* hole is in the front of the house, well, so am I. I think my sister has 2, and they are on either side of her house. Then I remembered that scene from Meet the Parents...where the toilette runs all night and the septic over flows in the area where the wedding will be. Well, Alex has assured me that this will be covered with cement, and not be an issue. We shall see.

One lovely issue was the fact that it began to rain, for several days during the digging of the septic tank. Since the machines were going in and out of the space, along with workers and trucks, a bit of dirt ended up on the street in front of our house. Then, when it rained, the dirt ran down into the drive way of the guy who lives across from us. Yeah, I know.. it is unbelievable that a construction site might produce dirt. Or that it might rain in November in Crete. It was not so much dirt, and the dude has a menagerie of animals across from us, but he had to complain. Do you think construction workers are going to sweep the street before they go? NO. So now, Alex goes over in the evenings to sweep up....gotta love that. I think I need a photo, as I doubt we will ever see that happen after the construction is over!

Stonework

2010-11-03T14:32:00.003+02:00

Slowly but surely, things are coming together. These photos are a couple of weeks old at this point, but you can see the progress on the nitches that are in the dining room. The stoneworker has smoothed out the plaster around them, and gone into the interiors to plaster a bit.

The plaster is not dry in these photos and you can see the dark gray in the the back. We had to plaster the interiors, as the rock was really mostly mud, and would end up just being a hassle to clean...rendering the nitches useless. This way, we can see the better stones and be able to place some artwork inside.

Above is the small alcove in the downstairs bathroom. There is a well underneath it, and we plan to make it into a small storage space for cleaning essentials, with a nice wooden door. Below is a shot of the arch in that same bathroom. The new plaster still needs to be smoothed out, and then it will be coated with the coloured plaster technique that we used on the outside of the house. Sianna has chosen the colour, so you will have to wait to see...but I am sure you can guess!

Not again...

2010-10-21T11:25:00.002+03:00

You don't even have to ask...doors, again. So, we were notified by the store where we purchased the doors that the replacement panels for the front door and the guest bedroom doors were all in the ware house here in Crete and that they would schedule the installation. Schedule is a very loose word here, as they then called and spoke with Alex one day around 12pm and said that the technician could come to the house right now, or they did not know when he would be able to do it. Luckily, we had his father available, since both Alex and I WORK during the day. Well, the guest bedroom door panel was correct and installed, but the front door was wrong, again.

This time the door design was correct, with the glass windows and iron work. But, the glass was clear, not frosted like the one we originally had ordered. So, Takis told the guy not to install it and to have the shop owners contact us on what happened. We heard nothing for a day. I am sorry, but good customer service entails that you call your customer as soon as you hear about a problem. So, I decide to initiate the inquiry, like I always do. I emailed the wife, and very politely asked what had happened and for her to update us ASAP. I also added that last minute arrangements for installations do not work with Alex nor my own schedules. She responded the next day confirming what I already knew, that the glass was not correct. Nothing about who dropped the ball on this one or what the company had said. She did apologize for the last minute notification on installation and agreed with me that we were lucky to have Takis available. Ummmm....what the hell kind of response is that?

I waited a week, neither email nor phone call had come our way. So, yesterday I was able to get out of work a bit early and decided that I would pay her a visit face to face. No sooner had I entered the shop , when she tried to disarm me with a " Jennifer, so wonderful to see you, I just now have gotten an email response from Doral." It was just past 1pm and she said the email was at 12:34. She claimed that she had emailed them everyday, and that this response contained an apology as the director had been out of the office for several days. Whatever. She then tried to distract me with "small talk" about work and the summer, and was probably surprised that I did not follow her conversation. "Back to the doors, C-, what does Doral say ?" Noting my irritation, she did own up to the fact that she is the one who had ordered the panel incorrectly, although she blamed it on the order forms from the company. Kind of reminds me of how she wanted to share the blame on the original misorder to begin with.

So Doral said that there is a film that can be applied to the windows so they look frosted. Thank you, but no thanks. That just sounds cheap for a rather expensive door. They also said that the glass could be replaced, but only in the factory up in Thesoloniki, and with some difficulty. I dared to ask, " Would it be easier for them to make a new one that is correct?" C responded that she did not know and that it would be up to Doral to determine that. I left the store explaining to her that all we are interested is that the door is corrected. Does not matter when, but it needs to be done and it needs to be done nicely. I don't want a door that looks terrible and has problems do to it being taken apart and put back together again. We shall see, but let us hope that the third time is a charm.

Squatter and old tiles...

2010-09-28T14:06:00.001+03:00

Above is a shot of a rather illusive kitten who is living in the old barn. Also, that wood is from the builders when they poured cement months ago. They need to get it out of there, but she seems to find it a nice hiding spot. I think I have seen her mother dash away a few times, and it looks like the neighbors are feeding them...see the white styrofoam container in the left corner of the photo. We hope they stick around, it would be nice to have some mousers in the barn.

Remember the old tiles from the "new" part of the house? Well, here they are on Sianna's balcony. As long as they are not too thick, then that will be their final resting spot. If we have enough, we will incorporate them into the avli as well.

Some progress...

2010-09-28T13:43:00.002+03:00

Well, we are working with another strike. This is causing a delay on the delivery of the corrected panels for the exterior doors, and thusly the fixing of the gaps that are in those doors. The strike---the truck drivers again. Is this really the reason why the doors are being delayed again, or is the company just using that as an excuse??? I tend to think the latter. As far as I can tell, the only truck drivers who are striking are the larger private ones that deliver to grocery stores. How this affects us, I do not know.

Regardless, the painters went in and started prepping the walls, and actually did an almost finished coat on what will be the dining room. The finish is fairly smooth, and only done in white to give a good idea of what the finished room will look like. Christos still needs to go in and finish the "nitches" we have with exposed rocks...we hope this week.

The painter also finished the ceiling. Given the smaller windows, the house tends to be on the dark side. To combat this and make it less dreary inside, Alex and I decided to go ahead and white wash the wood beams. Everyone told us that the wood would darken over time, and we had been toying with the idea of a lighter feel. You can still see the wood tone through the wash, and it has a nice weathered look to it. So, we are pretty happy with the finished look.

Windows, revisited.

2010-07-07T22:09:00.002+03:00

Well, we have gotten no where with the doors. Basically, the company will close from August 6th until the 20th...and our replacement panel will be done at the end of September. They plan on fixing the gaps in the doors...but we still are unclear how this will be done. I am tired of harping on the negative topic of the doors, so I will focus on what has been good...the windows. After looking at the Blog, I realized we really had not shown them off at all. Above is a shot of the windows upstairs in our bedroom and bathroom, and below are a few shots of the downstairs. All the windows have the same idea, with the stationary rectangular frame on top.

The shutters are great, and there are screens that we can pull down. They seem to open really smoothly. No complaints, only good things to say about the service and installation of the windows. The person we used came and had taken photos of each window spot, and we sat with him and reviewed each one on the computer before he ordered them. Efficient and no problems! We like that.

Let the sun shine...

2010-07-07T22:04:00.002+03:00

Remember when I said that 1 out of 3 doors was correct. Well, I was wrong. All the doors have issues. As you can see, the sun shines through at the corners above the hinges. This is actually on all three doors! So, is it a problem with the manufacturing, or with the installation? Do I care? No, I just want it fixed. But, this is nothing in the end.

We love Doral! NOT! Although the doors look like they would be good, if they were the correct styles and installed correctly, they weren't and the customer service is a joke and a half. We ordered the doors back when the tax was 19%, paid for half of the bill and then the remainder once we had a delivery and installation date. By the time they were done the tax was 21%, thank you Papandreou. But, they informed the representatives down here, who never informed us. The fact that we owed them the extra tax was not told to us until we went to get the front door panel reordered. So here we are, trying to get the front door corrected and telling the reps here of the gaps in the corners and the fact that the guest room door is totally not centered, and we are asked for more money and a surcharge for ordering only a panel and not a full door! What is that all about?

Not that we knew that the additional money asked for was for that. It took us nearly a week to find out what the break down costs were. No one here in Hania or in Thesaloniki could answer the question, " Why are you asking for 150,00 euro more then what we were quoted?" Actually, when Alex called the company directly the woman could not even find his order or name in the computer. And this is one of the largest door companies in Greece. My favorite part of all this is that they were asking us to pay the bill up front to avoid the NEW TAX INCREASE to 23%! What really ticks me off, is that the reps here have not even started the process of fixing the problems on the corners of the doors. When we told them, they should have been out there the next day. No, I had to go back out and take photos and then they will email them to Doral. I suppose we have learned a good lesson in this, keep it local and make sure there are no hidden costs. Do you think Ambiente will be getting the kitchen contract? No way! God only knows how high the tax will be by the time they would deliver it!

This is the FRONT of the house!!!

2010-05-25T22:24:00.003+03:00

Ok, so here is the front door. We met with the people (who, incidentally, we have been designing the kitchen with) and they basically said they would split the cost of a new panel with glass and iron for this door. No, not pay for, what I see as ,their mess up. Alex, can live with that, so fine with me. But, really, how did they not understand? I walked the guy through the house, clearly stating, " The main entrance is here, from the garden." And the kitchen he is designing is just to the right of the door....

Doesn't this look like the "front" of a house???

The Doors- not the band

2010-05-25T22:17:00.004+03:00

So, after waiting and waiting, our doors finally arrived. When we ordered them, back in February, we were told that they would take 30-40 days. Then, after signing the contract and putting 50% down, we were kindly informed that the doors would be finished during the first week of May. So, I ain't no wizz at math, but that seems to be 58 + days... Oh, then they kindly requested us to pay the remainder of the bill within the next 10 days! Having lived in Greece for nearly 7 years now, and learning a ton from the construction of the Jeny and Taki's house, we kindly refused to pay the remainder of the bill until we were informed that the doors in question were ready to ship and given an installation date. In retrospect, we should have withheld payment until the doors arrived, since only ONE of the three doors ordered were correct! Ok, here we go. above you see Alex at the entrance to the guest bedroom, the only correct door.

Now, lets move on. Here we have the side entrance to the house, which faces the street. Originally, I wanted this door just this way, with windows to let in more light. Incidentally, my sister-in-law agreed with me. We had decided, however, to save money and have a solid door that would be the same as the door to the guest bedroom since they are next to each other.

Well, even though we had, on repeated occasions, explained that the real front door is through the garden, the guy who measured everything out ( and his wife, who has never been out to the house site) decided that since this door is the largest, and facing the street, that it must be the front entrance. Wrong. Now, I am not too upset by this, since as you can see below, the windows do let in a great amount of soft light. So, in the end that is great. Problem is that our front door is rather dull, and we really wanted it to have the vintage look of the glass and iron work.But hey, Kelly, are you happy??? We did get what we wanted after all.

2010-03-15T18:21:00.001+02:00

Above is a shot of the guest bedroom, with the new shutters.

This shows the area of the kitchen, now that the framework has been installed for the loft...still hard to invision what it will really end up looking like.

That is the loft framework and steps from the upstairs down to it....Don't ask me, they all say it will work out.

Another shot from downstairs looking across and up at those steps...kind of steep if you ask me.

2010-03-12T12:17:00.000+02:00

Underfloor heating, old photos of how it was installed before we left for the US. It was finished while we were away, and now has the cement over it.

2010-03-12T12:10:00.000+02:00

Storage closet under the stairwell..almost finished.

New Windows....wooo hooo....

2009-11-16T13:15:00.001+02:00

Really not the color we were going for, but I think we are stuck with it now. The method is called Kourasani, and the color is in the plaster. We should only have to clear coat it every few years to keep it in shape, and not have to paint. Unless we just hate the color...We were going for something darker, to contrast with the roof tiles, but apparently that was lost in translation. A bit on the orange side for my taste, but I am sure it will change over time. I like the variations in shade and the depth of the color. Not flat like regular paint.

But, I love the copper gutters. Hopefully no one comes along and pinches them off the house ...I hope the neighborhood dogs bark, if they do. Maybe the ex cop from across the street will call the cops on any prowlers... like he did when Sammy went to install the gutter on the barn to help with the water problem our neighbor was complaining about.

This is my storage closet under the stairs... now with a cement floor! Still needs some plastering in there. Oh, and the steps up to the side door that leads to the guest room. If you are wondering where Sianna and Olivia are, they are sleeping in the car. Another missed nap for us...

the walnut tree

2009-10-08T15:48:00.003+03:00

Today is the grand slam Blog update...I was able to get Sianna down for a nap, and Olivia is occupied with a pizza crust. So, you will find several entries for today, and it is done this way, as I can't seem to upload more then 4 fotos at a time. I tried to group them together so it makes more sense.

The house is coming along, and you will see the new plaster on the interior. Alex and I have started researching tiles and such for bathrooms. On our first visit to a tile and bath store, we found out 2 things. #1 is that I have really expensive taste. #2 is that Alex has more expensive taste. I fell in love with a handmade ceramic sink, from Spain. It was ONLY 600 euros. Alex, being the optimist, suggested we take a look at other models by the same group. His eye went to another sink that ended up being 1200 euro. Hold on...Sianna is crying.

Ok, she fell off the couch mid nap and is now happy with some ice cream to take the swelling down on her bubba lip. Wait, now Olivia is crying....

Just enjoy the pictures of the walnut tree.

upstairs

2009-10-08T15:47:00.001+03:00

Sianna's room, now nice and plastered.

Olivia's room, looking towards her window.

Above is Alex and my room, looking from the door towards the tiny and weird balcony, and below is the shot from that tiny and weird balcony towards the opposite corner. Behind that wall is our bathroom.

The Stairs

2009-10-08T15:44:00.001+03:00

The stairs from as seen from the front door. Fireplace should go in the corner to the left.

We have a cool spot here on the stairs for a nice piece of art work....hint hint, Rani. ;)

And below is the view from the top of the stairs. Behind you will be the door to get to the loft which will be over the kitchen.

the dining room

2009-10-08T15:39:00.001+03:00

You got it, the dining room with the final plaster on it. The stone arch over the door will be cleaned off and stand out more.

Here are our cool niches, where we were able to leave the rocks exposed.

color options

2009-10-08T15:33:00.002+03:00

Here we go, things are cleaned up a bit and the final coat of plaster is beginning to be applied to the interior of the house. The reason why you see color in some parts and white in others is because while they are doing the interior, we are testing colors for the exterior. Alex and I decided to give the colored plaster method a try. If it sucks, we can always paint over it. So, rather then waste the samples that Christos mixes up, he has it applied to the interior which will be painted with primer and paint anyhow.

Above is the doors leading to the bathroom and the dining room, as seen from the front door. Below is the view of the living room from the end of the kitchen.

Here you see the front door from across the room where the bathroom and dining room doors are.

Ok, and below are some samples of colors. The tile on the bottom is from the roof, and we brought it down to see how it would contrast. That red tile is the darkest color the plaster can be mixed to. We have opted for something between #2 and that red tile. Should be up next week, if we are lucky.

door frames

2009-09-22T12:17:00.002+03:00

Like the title says, these are the door frames that are installed before the final coat of smooth plaster goes on. The workman was really good and timely, once we got him there...

pre final plaster

2009-09-22T11:54:00.002+03:00

Here are a couple of shots before the final smooth coat of plaster goes on.

Olivia's room is above and the view out of Sianna's room is below.

This is from Sianna's balcony looking up the street towards Louis' house.

2009-09-22T11:52:00.001+03:00

It has been a while! Again! Between diaper changes and bouts of illness, we have managed to get some pictures of the house together. Problem is, with the High Holidays the grant work etc... Alex is really busy to actually write anything down ... and I have a limited knowledge of the goings on at the site. All I know is it looks like it is moving along. We should be getting a plumber in next week, along with the final plaster coat on the interior walls.

We are currently debating whether or not to paint the house, or use coloured plaster, which is an old technique that gives more richness, depth and warmth to the building. We are leaning in that direction, but the down side is the up keep. It tends to crack and needs clear coat every two years, while simple painting can last 5 years.

Look... more frappe cups. Below, you see Sianna standing in the closet that fits under the stairwell in the guest bedroom. This is one of the spaces that the workers had to go in and rip out the new wall they had built...why...because there is no communication between anyone working at times, and the guys do what ever they think is right, only to be told---ummm, that is wrong. So, it is not the language barrier, it is plain stupidity half of the time.

2009-09-22T11:48:00.002+03:00

The final layer of plaster will be put on this week. So the next group of photos will show smooth walls that are ready to be prepped for painting. In these shots you can still see the mesh and the blue lines are the electrical lines that were run the other week. He finished the house in a few days, and we also had the guys who will install the underfloor heating/cooling system come in and prep the spots for some sort of a fan system that works with the system.

Below is a shot of Sianna's room. She has a little loft spot for storage, I guess...

This is one of the nitches in the dining room. We were able to save the stones around it, to leave them exposed. I am hoping they cut that mesh off...but you never know.

We have a roof!

2009-07-31T15:47:00.001+03:00

Yes, we have a roof. Not sure if it will stay natural or be white washed white. Alex is still deciding. But, we got the wood we wanted, very rustic looking, and the tiles we wanted, not the yellow that was suggested.

The tiles very in tones of terracotta and are a bit lighter then the typical ones around the area. Below you can see two of the roofers. They were really fast and hopefully really good too...I guess we shall see, once the rainy season gets here!

2009-07-08T15:47:00.001+03:00

The brick work is almost done and you can now see the shape of things to come. Plastering will be next, I think. Oh, and this is an old picture, as there is wall in that giant opening you see to the left and behind the dumpster.

Upstairs looking down to the bottom floor, where the loft and kitchen area are.

Sianna and Alex inspect the metal mesh work that will help keep the walls intact. Layers of plaster go over this...yes, covering most of the stones. But, it is safer in regards to earthquakes, and will keep the dust and small stones from falling on your food as you eat in the dining room, which is pictured below.

Where have we been???

2009-07-04T16:02:00.002+03:00

Since our last post, we have not been anywhere...and much has happened to the house. But, as is the way of Murphy, we had several unexpected problems with our communication methods to the outside word (also known as, anywhere off the island). Firstly, our laptop decided to die on us at the end of April, just before my (this is Jenn) parents came over for a 3 week visit. So, all of May we spent with no computer at the house. This was fine, since we were taking pictures the entire time and were very busy with Olivia and Sianna and my parents and Aunts that flew down from Germany. We decided, when things slowed down a bit, to go ahead and purchase a new computer and made the leap to Apple. No sooner had we set up the new iMac (that means plugged it in) then our phone and internet lines were cut. Really, cut. The construction of the house next to where we rent (which started the week Sianna was born and is not anywhere near being finished) rendered our phone line useless, and on a Friday0 OF COURSE! We were told by the kind people at OTE that a technician would be out first thing Monday morning. We were happy to see them the following Thurseday. So, we had no means to post or to set up photos. Then, I got the bright idea to take all the photos off the camera and set them up on the new iMac. We installed Picasa, so I thought I could atleast organize them for when I would be able to post them. WRONG. For reasons unknown to us, even though the proper camera software was installed, all our photos from May and June were rendered useless, save but a few not so good shots! Yes, that means 2 months of Olivia too. I was not pleased. If anyone knows how to fix messed up digital pics that were viewable on PCs but not on Macs...please let me know. Now, we reformatted the memory card in the camera and hopefully that problem is solved for future pictures.

As far as the house goes...well, lots of walls have been built and torn down, doorways have been made and rebricked, wouldbe closets have been closed off and reopened....don't get the idea that we are changing our minds all the time...we aren't. But, the lovely architecht and the construction foreman have not been communicating with one another, or us or the workers (that last one is the most dangerous!) There were points when they did things they were totally told not to do, just because the architect was nto considering our wants. Yes, it has been a trying couple of months. Now, we are up to the roof...yes, a roof is up there and waiting on tile. We had the hurtles of getting the wood and tile we wanted as opposed to the ones the architect wanted. That caused a small delay, but finally it will be the way we want it. We will be posting picures soon, with more details of the "issues"...I will leave that to Alex. Gotta run, Olivia is over this! See Ya;)

More from before Easter.

2009-04-16T10:46:00.002+03:00

Front of the house, scaffolding and mold to create a ledge that will go around the edge of the house.

Area where the stairs will go in. But, what is wrong with that SO VERY SAFE LOOKING ladder.

Upper floor looking down on what will be the loft area over the kitchen. Olivia's room is across from this shot. The roof slants here, and her window can be seen to the right. Below is a shot of the small balcony off our room, and over towards the storage room.

Easter Break

2009-04-16T10:35:00.004+03:00

Hi everyone. As titled... you guessed it, we had a "break" during Easter and these photos come from what was done prior to that break...which started on Tuesday before and ended Tuesday after. Now that is what I call a long weekend! This is Jenn writing, Alex has done most of the recent postings, but has a big project at work this week. I will do my best...as I have no clue what is going on. Above is a lovely shot of a fossil we saw in the rock that makes the corner of the front room of the house. The new wall is going in that spot, but we will try to see if the guys can save this and chip it out for us.

They cleaned up the area, and you can get a better idea of what things might look like. Above, we are looking from the family room area towards the kitchen area, the loft will be above the kitchen. Below you see the family room area, and the space that is waiting to be walled in. Yes, that is Sianna, surveying the work. Should I be concerned?

2009-03-17T17:08:00.002+02:00

Here we have a beautiful and serene picture of the aptly named snow capped White Mountains. How are they relevant to our building site you ask? Well, I have found that I have to often bring up this image in my mind while gently humming "don't worry, be happy", because...

Remember where our missing wall was? Well it turns out that the stones holding up all the pretty bricks we saw in the previous pictures could crumble since the mortar holding them together was not very strong, and it was just the sheer thickness of the wall that held everything up. So now we need to build a cement column to hold up the upper structure. Hmmm... "Don't worry, be happy now.."

(For those of you not in Crete, I just want to let you know that while I was writing this we were having a mild earthquake)

This is a look from the "guest suite" to where the stairs will be. I need to explain that we are using the term "suite" very loosely, here. It will be a small room with a miniscule bathroom, a window that may close, and a door. Still beats a tent, right.

Although I thought it may make for an interesting statement, alas the ladder will have to go eventually.

OK, were did the wall GO!!???

2009-03-17T17:05:00.001+02:00

Everything was moving along with the house until we came by one day and found that a wall was missing!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!

Alright, so the wall wasn't missing...

We had decided to knock down the wall facing the street in what will be the living room, so that we add some space and also to square off the room. Because up to this point there was no right angle to be found in the house. But it still came as a bit of a shock when we drove up and saw the gaping whole in the "living room".

On the other hand it does let a lot of light in...

This space will be part of the kitchen with a vaulted ceiling that is about 4.5m (15 feet), at it's low point.

The column, with the power meter hanging off of it at a jaunty angle, will be where the new wall will go to. It should add about 1.5m to the length of the living room.

While we were otherwise occupied...

2009-03-17T16:58:00.002+02:00

OK so we fast forward a bit...

As you can see, while we were busy with the new baby, the builders were busy at the site.

At about the time of "the" delivery, the builders got a delivery too.

Of bricks.

Lots of them!

These bricks then started to come together to form the exterior walls (almost as if by magic). This must have happened at night, because while we were there there was no one to be found!

There were walls going up everywhere. There were even walls built next to existing walls. It was like an orgasm of bricklaying (oops, the site just went to a pg-13 rating).

If things kept up at this rate we would be moving in by the summer (can you smell the irony????).

New Addition!

2009-03-08T19:45:00.002+02:00

...not to the house, but to the family!
Now we have to get this house done!

2 week "hiatus"

2009-02-20T11:08:00.002+02:00

Well, we have nothing to show- in the form of pictures or work on the house. It would appear, that our illustrious architect went out of town without giving the plans on the next stage of building to the actual builder. Apparently we were not the only project to be put on hold. As luck would have it, the weather has been complete crap lately, so perhaps it is for the best. He should be back this week, and walls should be going up on the first floor starting next week.

Hopefully there will be some progress, and photos at the end of the week, but with Baby #2 arriving midweek, you might just have to wait for an update.

more concrete... evidence (Ha! I kill me)

2009-02-09T13:55:00.002+02:00

These photos seemed to disappear from the last posting, so here they are again...hopefully.

Sianna and Jenn check out the progress.

I think we need to clarify that these images are not in order (the concrete was poured before we started to water the roof...duh). But we felt we need to add them for William (hey there William). These are some serious trucks afterall.

Pouring the concrete...how the trucks were able to fit through the streets, we will never know. We are sure it ticked off a few neighbors .

Happy "Home" Owner

2009-01-26T10:47:00.004+02:00

Somebody told me that if I water it, it will grow!!!????

Alex has forgotten to mention what he is doing in this picture. The fresh concrete needs to dry slowly to prevent cracking, so it has to be watered several times during the day. This task is the responsibility of the owner--NOT--the construction crew. Does anyone else find this really odd???

Things are Taking Shape

2009-01-26T10:42:00.008+02:00

As the scaffolding is systematically removed, you can start to get an idea of the size and shape of the rooms. The scaffolding for the floors will stay for at least a couple of weeks in order to set properly.

Now there's actually a floor to stand on!

However Sianna is not as impressed...

Rebar

2009-01-26T10:33:00.004+02:00

It may look like we were trying to recreate Saddam's bunker, but this is supposed to stop things from falling on our head in the event of an earthquake (and we're not talking about "if" we have one... but "when").

You will notice in this photo that there are actually several workers working... a plethora if you will. Off course there is the prerequisite guy hanging around smoking and watching the others. And if you think that he's the foreman you are wrong, that would be the guy in the white shirt, who's actually doing some work!

Something is going on.

2009-01-08T10:27:00.006+02:00

Can anyone tell what is going on here? Is there even a plan?

Oh, look, you can see the first layer of concrete on the floor in this shot.

Much has been said, and maybe even more written in the last few years, about Mediterranean style. But what really is it??? It goes much deeper than painting your house white with blue shutters. It's more than adding a Venus De Mylo statue in front of your mural of Santorini. It's in the architectural details my friends! And to help you achieve it we have added some photos above and below. You will notice the stone niche built into the walls. Ahhhh, but did you notice the details that distinguish this niche as Greek, as opposed to some other (dare I say, lesser)Mediterranean niche???!! YES! It's the Styrofoam cup with the frappe (extra sweet and with milk). A drink that exemplifies the "Greek Lover". If you've had one, you know what I'm talking about! ;-)

You mean, they did more work...

2009-01-08T10:23:00.005+02:00

It seems as if it has been-forever- since we have seen any progress on the house. And this is just prep work to the upcoming progress that we hope will take place. Basically, what you see here in the photos is the process of making scaffolding, and a mold that goes around the top of the existing walls. The mold is to hold the cement, which will also have rebar for reinforcement. This should make our walls safer for those pesky earthquakes that we get every so often. Of course, the walls have held up thus far, but they never have had a second floor on top of them.

I guess they know what they are doing, but it sure is confusing to me.

We're back....

2008-12-16T13:26:00.003+02:00

Hi there, we finally arrived in Crete last night after taking a week long detour to Athens. You know we can't stay away from some good protests, riots, sit ins, and strikes. As you all know, we were in Florida for the 3+ weeks before that.

So, what the heck has gone on with the house since then? Not much actually. They laid the first layer of concrete for the floor, but other then that....zilch. Alex went to check it out this morning, and apparently it was just too boring to even photograph. He will need to meet with the architect this week to make some logistical decisions and then the guy who will reinforce the walls for earthquakes etc... will be able to get going.

Other news, Sianna is doing great, adjusted back to the time just fine. My operation went well, despite the riots and the strikes, and the baby in waiting did just fine too. Alex is exhausted, since I am unable to do as much, for the time being. Kisses and happy holidays from us, we will post again once more happens regarding the house.
Jenn

More Demolition

2008-11-10T18:14:00.003+02:00

Before we left for Florida, the rest of the demolition was pretty much finished. Here are 2 of the workers in the main room. You can see the line behind the guy in the blue shirt, which is where the wall had been. The floor is higher behind him, and that will be leveled while we are away.

The main room from the other side .

The rubble that is left from the ceiling demolition of the guest room.

The stairs that were outside the "newer" building.

Also, before we left, Alex had his first experience at IKA...the public offices for paying insurance for the workers. He will write about that sometime when we get a moment at a computer and Sianna is not needing entertaining.

The walls came tumbling down...again!

2008-11-08T23:24:00.003+02:00

From the floor of the "old" building, looking up at what is left of the upstairs of the "new" building.

Here are our two hard workers cleaning up the walls of that upstairs room.

Looking out towards the street.

So, as of Saturday, almost the entire upstairs room has been removed. YES, they were working on a Saturday!!!

Hmmmfff...

2008-11-07T10:48:00.001+02:00

Ok, where did those pictures go? We will try to fix that, and get the new ones up, but things are very busy over here at the moment, since we are leaving for the US in a few days. Stay tuned....

Progress

2008-11-06T22:29:00.004+02:00

One more triangle to go. I bet there is a technical term for that...

Look, we have a dumpster. The crew has been really good about getting rid of scrap and keeping the street clear for our neighbors.

Nice shot of what the house now looks like without the upper floor. Shall we place bets on when the new upper floor will actually make an appearance?

Progress

2008-11-06T22:26:00.002+02:00

That lovely arch in the new bathroom.

This is the ground floor room of the "new" building, which will be a guest room. It no longer has a roof! The metal you see is the grid system that was used to help support the old roof.

The view from above.

From the upstairs looking over the "old" building. The triangle that created the pitch of the roof has been removed.

Progress

2008-11-06T22:21:00.004+02:00

This is the chimney in what was the kitchen and will be a bathroom.

Small niche in what was the fireplace.

The well that is in that same room.

Looking down that well.

Downstairs bathroom to be...

2008-11-01T22:25:00.001+02:00

Check out the rubble spilling out the door of what will be the downstairs bathroom.

Amazingly enough, the arch stayed intact. All the rubble is what was the roof.

See, no more roof, but the rotting wooden beams are still hanging on strong.

The funny little window survived the tear down of the roof too.

Down with the roof.

2008-11-01T22:14:00.001+02:00

The past week saw quite a bit of action. As you can see, they began tearing open the roof on the upstairs room in the "new" building.

Look, two workers this week, not one!

As seen from the road.

What the heck is this? A tiny bomb shelter? A metal barrel to go over the falls in? Whatever it is, it has become a landmark and we can not get rid of it, as this is how the workers find the house...given that there are no house numbers.

After the first week of work...

2008-10-22T12:40:00.003+03:00

We got through the first week of work, without too many headaches, and with some tangible results to boot. Can this be an omen of things to come? Did I just jinx it and it's downhill from here???? Only time will tell, so stay tuned...

The worker(s), was able to remove most of the crumbling plaster from the stone walls, and much to our relief, it appears that they are in fairly good condition. However as was pointed out by the contractor, they are more mud than stone :-(, but appear to be sturdy nonetheless. They will be reinforced with a steel mesh, and a concrete "crown" that will tie the walls together for added safety and quake proofing. Although the fact that they have been standing for the last 200+ years should be proof enough of their stability.

We also had our first encounters with public utilities these last 10 days. Namely the electric, water, and telephone companies. I have to confess my amazement on how smoothly (and gasp, even timely) things have gone. Especially if you consider that there is no street address to give them in order to locate the house. So we were able to get power hooked up, a new water meter installed and relocated, and the phone lines moved to prepare for the demolition of the first floor structure.

So now it is time to bring in some more serious machinery, in order to demolish the room on the first floor, as well as the ceiling of the guest room and bathroom. Hopefully without bringing down the other structures. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

* Just a quick note to avoid confusion: In Europe the ground floor is the ground floor, and NOT the first floor, as it is usually referred to in the States. The first floor refers to the first floor you reach as you go up the stairs, and NOT the second floor that the Americans know. I am sure this cleared things up!

2008-10-19T22:15:00.001+03:00

Entrance to the yard is opened up from the road. Both the wall and the strange cement basin have been removed.

The pillars that held the grapevine have been removed (as have the weeds from inside the house).

More exposed stone work emerges.

Just one wall left with plaster on it in the downstairs guest room.

Hardest worker in Greece!

2008-10-16T18:23:00.002+03:00

When Alex told me he had stopped by the house to see if the workers were there in the morning, I was less then pleased to hear that it was singular rather than plural. Yes, one guy, all on his own, was at the house removing all the old tiles from the "newer" building, knocking off plaster on walls to reveal the stones beneath and removing the walling that lined the upstairs veranda. Amazingly, this one guy is one hard worker, as the amount that he has gotten done is quite impressive.

2008-10-16T18:13:00.002+03:00

This is the view of the house from the street, the barn is in the foreground and the rest is in the back ground.

More plaster comes down inside the old building, here are the doors to what will be the dining room and the bathroom.

More exposed stone around the front door.

Just 3 days and 1 guy!!!

2008-10-16T18:08:00.003+03:00

See, no more wall around the veranda upstairs.

Look, all the tile is up, and all the plaster is off the walls in the guest room!!!

Here he is, hard at work....I really should find out his name.

He also removed the grapevine that was growing over the front courtyard, but don't worry, the trunk is still there and it will grow back in no time!

2008-10-14T16:54:00.012+03:00

This is the view over the top of the "older" house. The middle wall will be removed, to create an open kitchen/ family room, and the roof will be oriented the other way.

This is the upstairs room in the "newer" building. The wall with the door will be pushed back to create a larger room, and bath area for Sianna.

These exterior stairs will be removed and the room on the ground floor will become the guest room with private bath.

2008-10-14T16:48:00.001+03:00

cornerstone of house

Sianna surveys the area under the grapes.

Front of what was a barn, and is now a storage area (apothiki)

end of barn

Here we go...

2008-10-13T19:35:00.001+03:00

My husband bought us a house, well , sort of. It is missing a few key elements, like a roof, indoor plumbing or electricity. I think there might be an outhouse out back. There is, however, plenty of potential. Potential for what, you might ask? Good question. Potential for a great house, yes, potential for a mental breakdown or divorce...we shall see, but lets hope not.

Obstacles, well one big one is that said house is in a village on the island of Crete in Greece. If you have had the pleasure of traveling to Greece you will know just how well organized and punctual a place it is. Yes , it is beautiful. Yes the people are warm, friendly and hospitable (that is until you have a construction crew working by 8 am next to their house.) Other obstacles include intermittent strikes, permit issues and architects and engineers that go out of town every week or so.

Our first delay was an engineer who left for4 months to build on another island. We found someone else. Our latest potential delay was the electric company striking for a day. Luckily, Alex made it to both offices before the strike officially began and was able to get the papers processed. Yes, you read correctly, both offices....often you have to go to several public offices in varying locations to get multiple rubber stamps stamped onto insane amounts of forms.

I am Jenn, and Alex will also be updating these pages periodically. But, I will refer to my previous comment about "punctuality". Sianna, our cutie pie will drop in from time to time. You can list her under another obstacle, as starting this endeavor with an 18 month old is just pure insanity....but doable, right???

On to some before photos.

2008-10-13T18:55:00.002+03:00

A few interior shots of what was a kitchen. This room will become the downstairs bathroom. We will keep the arches and stone counters and maybe even try to find some cool Turkish tiles.

2008-10-13T18:40:00.002+03:00

A view into the back yard. It actually extends further to the left and to the right, behind our neighbors...very odd shaped property lines.

The door on the left leads to what will be the dining room, while the door on the right will be a downstairs bathroom. The wall to the left is that interior wall that will be removed, and a stairwell will be placed in that corner to get to the upstairs bedrooms.

A shot from the inside of what will be the dining room. It has a great domed ceiling, and we hope to leave some stonework exposed.

Sianna and Alex investigate the would be dining room.