Just three weeks ago it still looked like this. And now… the builders are moving out this Wednesday! That is – in two days.

You can tell by the lack of posting that things are rather busy. An overview of things changed are below.

Just to illustrate how I’m spending my days – as I’ve edited and posted all these pictures and while writing this I am on hold with Croatian telecom – to try and see about that 10Mbit connection. It’s been good half hour so far. Apparently the call is free and the annoying voice is on speaker as I write. “Your call is very important to us” my backside. Urgh.

The stone (there is still ton (probably more) of it left and it all came from digging the pool and septic tank) has been laid on the terrace and around the pool. To start with we did only bits (it is pretty costly that) and the rest will be gravel – what has been done looks amazing.

“Our” apartment/house looks very cute – the shutters are in and the old stairs have been covered in stone as well. Details like these (full terrace and stairs) have been done “thanks” to Zdenko – and “easily persuaded” me. I am now at the final stage of money counting and stopping any new work for which ideas keep coming left, right and centre. Of course, it is easy to say “better to do this now as you’ll have to do it one day anyway” 🙂 Luckily, the work is actually stopping very soon (at least with this crew). I hope some of you reading this will be willing to pay for the privilege of clearing some wood, laying down stone, gardening and some such 🙂

The pool is probably finished by now – water will be in when we finally move down there. Current date is 16th. I think 🙂

Pool machinery is impressive. I said to the guy that was installing this how “this is pretty large tank” and he said “well, it is pretty large pool as well”. Indeed it is.

Drainage details are finished.

Almost all the shutters are in. Shame about that plank above – was too heavy for me to move it just for picture taking and others were somewhere else at that moment.

Some are even asymmetrical – there is reason for that other than visual. They wouldn’t be able to open without overlapping in the middle otherwise.

The stone wall above is an existing one – uncovered and repaired by the amazing Damir the stonemason. I couldn’t imagine it will look this good. Outside shower will be in front of it one day soon.

Last two Saturdays Vanja (Van as known to some) and I drove some of the stuff we gathered for the apartments in the last two years. Adventure. We needed bigger van, but fun was had.

These are boilers (for hot water), stuff for bathrooms and some pillows and bed linen I started buying.

Chairs indeed are very important and these two fit the space particularity well I say.

I climbed the gallery last time (we are still waiting for the stairs to be put in) and took few more pictures of the view.

Sadly, flies and butterflies get in and can’t find their way out so they crash into the big window and die. Solution for that will have to be found very soon 🙁

This is, for some reason blurry, picture of the sink – provisionally put in so I can see how it may look. I had some good ideas about using old beams for these tables, but then it was a bit too complicated to arrange quickly so we simply cut the old table that I bought for some other purpose in two and got two consoles. They could have been a bit bigger/longer but will still look OK I think. You can see how electric sockets are outside table surface as the table is smaller that what I intended in my drawings – so will have to improvise something there for hair driers etc.

Final door handles are in.

The floor saga in “our” apartment is finished with “acceptable” results. In the end, the guys added some black pigment to the final coat of sealer. It is a bit too messy looking for my taste, but as Vjeko said, perhaps I would like it better it this was the first look that we got and not the 4th. I’m sure some would pay to get exactly this effect 🙂 And, when furniture is in you won’t even see the floor much.

Few more bits to clear in front of the house, lay the gravel and this is it! We will really, actually, move in it seems 🙂

About that additional work I mentioned above – how could I not put a few benches like these in front of the house?

And, if we ever get bored with Lovrinići (as if that is likely) there is so much beauty in Istria – we were passing by Višnjan Observatory on one of the two moving Saturdays – this perfect tree with perfect table and benches was very inviting.

PS Update from Croatian telecom – I finally did get through about halfway writing this and they say we will have 10Mbit connection – yay!