Week 13 of our new life

Monday, it is going to be a much cooler day today, this will be quite good as it has been so hot lately and it is meant to stay cool all week, I can do cool which is actually still temperatures in the mid 70s, nice.  Off to Olhao today to see if we can pick up some pool tiles, we still have a leak in the far corner so the pump and filter are working overtime, very hard to get tiles to match but we need to get something, nothing found in Olhao, so back to the drawing board.  Finally remembered to buy compost for the Geraniums new homes.  Up to the house and Adrian is now tiling the family bathroom and Ashley is getting on with the outside painting.  Antonio did not come for the gates today, but he will be collecting them at 08.00am tomorrow morning, if they are still hanging when we go tomorrow I think I will scream.  Douglas is feeling a bit depressed going every day as it does not seem to be going as quick as we thought, but it is taking shape and perhaps going every day does make you feel as if nothing is happening, I am for ever positive.  Saw a sample of the Granite that we are having in the kitchen, we are hoping for a more Glossier version but not sure if that is possible, we will scout around and have a look ourselves whilst we are looking for everything else.  Got an appointment on Wednesday with Carlos about the internal doors, at last I hope we can get what we want.  Swam my 30 lengths this evening so that is my target for the rest of the week.  No swimming for Douglas today, he said its too cold!!!!  Spoke to Jwow about our pool still being Green, he has assured us nothing to worry about once he cleans it this week it should be back to normal, and we must try and get the tiles!!  Also thinking of getting a moped just to let me nip to the shops and back lol, Douglas thinks an electric scooter could be a good idea, don't fancy that as I would have to pedal lol.

Scooter

Trying it for size!!

Tuesday, up and out early today to try and sort out the pool tiles and granite. Headed into Sao Bras as we had 3 places to visit for the pool tiles, success on the 2nd one although we cant match exactly we have managed to get an alternative, which wont be too bad as it is only a corner and it will save a leak, so saving us money until we get the pool resurfaced which will be phase 2, Then it was on to Ferreiras to the Stone Yard, we found it eventually, and no, Gloss Granite is not an option, so we have a sample, now need to speak to Adrian as they come and measure and cut it when the kitchen is finished, also Adrian has a sample so we need to see if they are the same then we can decide.  We then went into Albufeira to the Riviera Coffee Shop for my monthly treat, still did not have a cake, but they have strawberry tarts and cakes that are to die for, I will have one eventually, we then wondered down the strip as Douglas wanted to visit Albertos which is where he goes for a beer when he was coming over to play golf.  His buddies will still come over to play golf so he will still get to go.  Didnt go to our house today as we have an early meeting there tomorrow, we thought we would wait, plus we had to get back for Antonio delivering water to Mick and Paulines.

Granite selected

Another morning of being up and out early, meeting Carlos about the doors, Yes think we have cracked it, now just waiting for the quote and a choice of handles, so have chosen Mahogany Doors and I think Porcelain handles, Carlos does all the frames as well so everything will match, he can also do the wardrobe doors but I said not to bother as Adrian had them sorted, but now thinking a good idea as then everything will match properly, Douglas is whimpering at the thought of the cost lol.  After meeting Carlos was feeling very positive again, only drawback is a five week delivery, still that takes us up to the end of the project, we hope!!!  Adrian has tiled the suicide bathroom floor and started on the walls, so that's good and Ashley has started rendering the walls in Guest Bedroom 1.  The gates have been collected but this has given us another issue as the right hand wall is near collapse, so we need to get that underpinned, well all in all so far we have been lucky as we have not hit any real big issues, so we need to try and get this one sorted rather quickly.  We have another builder coming on board on Monday as Adrian is behind schedule so the extension can be started for the kitchen, hopefully he will be able to sort the wall as well.  We picked up the tiles for the pool today, the plain ones match exactly it is just the patterned ones that do not match so hopefully in the corner it wont be too noticeable.  Also picked up the paint for the gates so we are going to go and paint them at the weekend.  Went into Santa Barbara for lunch and met Julian and Marcia, so had some good banter over lunch, also got an email from Jan and Phil so hopefully we will catch up with them shortly.

Favourite Doorknob

2nd Place

Suicide Bathroom

Guest Bedroom 1

Thursday, let Douglas get a long lie in today to make up for being up early 3 days in a row.  Then it was out to try some furniture shopping, found a lovely dining room table and chairs, but when we measured up it would be too big to go in the space where we want it, think it probably best to wait until house finished then go furniture shopping.  Am looking for beds for the spare rooms but no luck with those, although we did buy a Travel Cot, haha Eilidh and new baby will have a bed to sleep in but their parents wont LOL.  Up to house and good to see things happening, the suicide bathroom floor is tiled and half of the hall is tiled, bedroom 1 was mid way through having the floor cemented.  We had some rain today along with some rumbles of thunder and a tiny bit of lightening, lasted about 45 minutes and then back to normal.We were swimming while it was raining, very bizarre but very enjoyable Oh the joys!!!

Cement Going Down Bedroom

Cement Mixer at Work

Hallway to Paradise

Friday, spent the morning sorting out emails etc, and then went for Lunch to Almancil.  Then off up to house to meet up with Jwow and discuss the repair of the leak in the pool, gave him the tiles we bought and he had set to work while we were there, the pool is now back to half blue and half green!!.  The lads were still pulling up trees, and they had also put the geraniums into their new houses, well one, as they broke one pot so will now need to go and replace it.  Our gates and pump cupboard door and pool house door have been returned and replaced, 4 days Antonio took and job done, we are going to start painting them tomorrow.  Need to wait for electrics to go on gates as Adrian has to put the power in and also rebuild the wall.  Bedroom floor has been cemented and half the suicide bathroom wall tiles are up.

1 Happy Geranium

Restored Gate

Jwow at work on the pool

Saturday, early start today to do some painting at our house. I started on the panels around the pool and Douglas started on the gates.  Two and a half hours for me to do one panel and then I helped Douglas with the gate which took 6 hours, it was a long hot shift and I do admit to getting very crabby towards the end, the heat was so intense and the sweat was dripping off both of us in buckets.  But we achieved a very pleasing result.  Lesson learned for tomorrow we are going to go up earlier so that we can start painting while it is cool and then take a siesta during the hottest time.  We also found time to restore our lampshade, and found we need to shorten it so it does not hang too low from the ceiling in the Living Room.  It was nice just us two at the house.  Joaquim came to deliver some water, and Jwow came to repair the tiles on the pool, so Joaquim needs to come back tomorrow morning now to top up the pool as well.  Finally got back for a swim at 7.00pm and we both managed to do our 30 lengths.  Quote came in for our doors, and it makes sense we should get the same for the wardrobes in the two bedrooms, so Douglas is negotiating, fingers crossed as they are lovely.  It is the White Knight Festival in Loule tonight, everyone dresses in white and it is a Dancing/Cinema experience under the stars which goes on until 2.00am.

Me painting in the corner

Douglas at Work

Pool Repair Complete

One Red Gate

Sunday, a very early start today up to our house and painting for 8.30am, we were on a mission to finish off the panels around the pool and the other gate we finished at 7.45pm, by the time we got back to Mick and Paulines it was 09.30pm, we are both exhausted but pleased that we got them all finished.  Got our pool topped up today and yes no leaks so that was a good result also.  Jwow will be up tomorrow to give it a good clean.  Got a reply back about the doors and Douglas negotiations, seems quite positive anyway.
So the end of another good busy week, and things are at last coming together.
Another builder coming on board tomorrow so we will see what next week brings.  Slight hitch for the next couple of weeks as the road to our house is being closed, as the pipes are going in for Mains Water, there is to be a diversion of sorts but here in the Algarve who knows where that will lead to, haha will update you all on the next blog.

Panels finally completed

2 Red Gates