Casa Rosales

Casa Rosales

Friday 16 May 2014

Work has commenced....

FR announced earlier this week that Juan the Digger would be coming on Friday. I knew something was afoot because he - and Ruy - had been drilling holes in the concrete in front of the house. It's in FR's nature to play things by ear (including the trumpet) and he really does believe that if we once talked about how we'd like the front of the house and the garden to look, then that is 'it'! No need to revise, clarify, check....And apparently we have had the definite discussion already....shame I can't really remember it.

SO! It was 'quite interesting' this morning when I returned from teaching (which I'm loving and more about it very soon...) and found my garden in a state of disarray. To put it mildly!

You only have to look at the header picture on my blog to see that our 'garden' needs sorting. It slopes and there's a lot of ugly concrete and rubbly bits. But after a year, we'd sort of got used to it. 

By midday, it looked like this:


And at one point, I was a prisoner in the kitchen as this was outside:


This was a lot of digging Juan was doing.


 Bit from here, a bit from there - oh sod it, let's just trash the lot!


Well, apart from that bit in the middle....how long will that stay, I wonder?


And if there's anything exciting going on in the village, you can be sure Sergio will be along to get a closer look! He has four HUGE dogs - or at least I used to think they were huge. Pippin is about as big as two of them but not quite as big as the other two - yet! However, by this time, a lot of the rubble and mess had been cleared away and there is the vague sign that it might all actually be OK....one day!



This is not the last you'll hear about this....but I'm taking this one day at a time. Juan will be back at 10 in the morning. There may be more photos....including the one of how our door looks now! You may laugh.


19 comments:

  1. I won't laugh...I've been there!
    Just don't let them get inside the house! I remember six months of hurdling two trenches between the kitchen and dining room.

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    1. I'm sure you have, Helen. They're not coming in. I've just slipped down the hill into our house just now....hurdling wouldn't help. Scree jumping is more like it. Axxx

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  2. Oh my goodness, nothing a spade and trowel won't sort then?

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  3. I should go away for a couple of weeks and hope it is all over by the time you get home.

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    1. Nice idea, but this is not an option, Rosemary. Axxx

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  4. Hello Annie:

    This looks to be some undertaking. And, as is so often with these things, once one gets started all kinds of other elements come into play. Prepare yourself for a long haul!! We shall be most interested to read about the next stage and are intrigued to know what your plans are.

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    1. I'm intrigued to know the plans too, Jane and Lance. I'm woefully ignorant of FR's grand scheme but am optimistic enough to believe it will all be lovely one day.
      However, FR is wandering around with a face of disbelief, muttering something about a nightmare....
      Axxx

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  5. I am sorry to see that FR wasn't driving the digger Annie ! I hope you have managed to get out of the house by now, and that Pippin has been released from his cage. Do you know if FR has a picture in mind of what things will look like at the end of all this ? Jxxx

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    1. I'm not sure if it would have been better or worse if he was driving, Janice. Possibly less earth would have moved - Juan was like a man possessed! Pippin is back in the garden but the hens haven't been out yet. As for what the end will look like - answers (and drawings) on a postcard please. Axxx

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  6. Hi Annie,
    I sympathise with you, but only during the building work. When the work is complete I'm sure you you will love the difference it all makes. Sorry to say it, but I am also convinced that it will get worse before it gets better!
    Hang on in there...

    So pleased that you are enjoying your new job. How wonderful that the timings have worked out well for you, and it must all have been meant to be, given that you passed up the chance of the job initially. Hope Sam is settling into her new life in Scotland.

    Good luck with keeping the dirt out of the house. Xx

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    1. Thank you for your very wise words, Gaynor! It's a big job and FR is scratching his head a little but I'm actually really glad it's started. I could see another summer going by without us being brave enough to get on with it. We COULD have lived with it as it was, but, heck, it could be so much better!
      The dirt may well come in...along with the flies and the mosquitos. One day, it'll all be sorted....
      Axxx

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  7. P.S. I definitely won't be laughing!! X

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    1. It's almost not funny....that's why! Ax

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  8. Replies
    1. Due to rain Tuesday. Unless there is something I can do to prevent it. Ax

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  9. It looks as though there's been an earthquake! The best thing is to try to pretend that it is all happening to someone else: an unfortunate neighbour perhaps : )

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    1. If only I could, Hita. I have a good imagination though and I am using to imagine how it WILL be....one day. Axxx

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  10. Stiff upper lip, Annie. It will all be worth it. :-) At least you have the sun and warmth to soothe you during the disruption. Here it would all be deep mud....

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