Huff Puff "Can't blow this house down"

We are obsessed 😍 Front Door 

  Trades have been hard at work, some working seven days a week.

    Time is of essence, feeling of urgency is palpable.  House must be buttoned up, before cold rainy season hits Ikaria with its full force.

 

  Winds on Island can be ferocious during the winter. Rainy season can start early as October, bringing with it torrential downpours, continuing through March. Making it extremely challenging to work outside. 

  Thanks to our Albanian stone mason's, who are here faithfully all week,  first floor fully enclosed, minus doors, windows. If the weather holds they plan to button up 2nd floor. We have our fingers crossed. If anyone can do it these guys can. 

A TEAM

  We had hoped our carpenter Petros  & brother Vasilis would have doors & windows installed by now, but that was wishful thinking on our part. After all this is Ikaria. Ikarians work at their own pace. So our plan is to cover them with plywood for winter to keep element's out. 

  In all fairness most Ikarians not only have their primary jobs, they also have their gardens, vineyards, olive trees to tend to. Fall is harvest time for them.

Teddy  helping harvest 🍇 

We have hired Ari &Panagiotis, two locals to raise roof. Teddy has been told, they are best on Island, from what we have seen so far, we tend agree.

Panagiotis & Ari
Roof Maestro 

  Teddy ordered a crane to lift heavy center beam onto 2nd floor. Joist is 13cmX30cm, is carefully guided, put in place by Ari & Panagiotis. 

  If I were to be honest, I couldn't watch, or take photos, as huge, heavy, center beam was hoisted up, swinging freely too and fro, with only two guys on staging high up in air to receive it.

 After that hair raising experience. Rafters are  carved out to fit perfectly.  Carefully positioned into notched openings, allowing them to nest securely in place. 

Nesting rafters into notches

  Rafters are 3 meters long, weigh approximately 100 kilo, 220 pounds.

 One by one rafters raised up, put in place by Ari & Panagiotis, whilst standing on staging high in air. A feat not for faint-hearted.  To our amazement, trepidation, at no time, harness or any other safety equipment were worn. Icing on roof will be beautiful red Terracota tiles.

Studio apartment 
1bedroom with balcony-sleeping loft, kitchen,bathroom
Large terrace  alfresco dining
Views Island Chios & Turkey 🇹🇷 

 Teddy and I continue to be awestruck, witnessing lost arts, trades. Jaw dropping accomplishments with simple, rustic techniques, tools,ingenuity.

Rustic ladder

  While Teddy continues to manage, mason's, electricians, plumbers, roofers.

 Master Bath well under way, beginning to take its form. We hired Albanian named Christo, his specialty Morrocon style bathrooms. We are impressed with his ingenius, unique methods, we hope end results will be beautiful. 

  I will take you  from my crude sketch too his finished work, in my next blog. 

The beginning of 💡 Idea
Morrocon  bathroom

  This weeks glitch, one of many, involved an ordinary white ceiling light for master bath. 

  We have a small electric store that carries light fixtures. We stop by, only to find store owner wife who runs it wasn't there. Please check back later, husband says.  Later that afternoon we swing by only to find shop closed.  It's customary shops to close for afternoon naps 😴but never with a set schedule.

  Following day, store is open. I'm sorry, wife still not here. He offers us a manual to take home, maybe as a consellation prize.

  We find a fixture to our liking in catalog. Following day we return to order light fixture, eureka I see wife outside shop. Pull in, pull in, I excitedly say, afraid Teddy might not see her drive by.

  Upon parking, existing car she yells, don't come any closer, our son has covid I must quarantine for 5 days. Come back next week. We let out a joint Sigh 😕 drive away. 🚗 

  We look at each other to say, now famous saying.

                                  "ONLY  in IKARIA "

Chestnuts Galore