Our stone house doesn’t have normal staircases. For over eighteen months, we’ve had exposed treads and no handrails. A bit like a big version of a stepladder. We have two of these – one going to the upper floor (the more sturdy set of stairs) and one down into The Snug (the less sturdy set […]
It was only two days, I wrote about the windows and how they are now our focus. How all were going to be sealed and no more draughts would sneak in. Yes, yes – it’s all still ongoing, but as ever, we guesstimated how much seal we’d need. And guess what? We under-guesstimated. So, until […]
We’ve spent a lot of time working on our windows. A lot of time. They had all obviously been hurriedly installed and only benefitted from one coat of paint, which by the time we got round to dealing with them, was faded and flaking. Some were in a much better state than others, but all […]
It seems like only last week that we were enjoying long days of unbroken sunshine and at times, quite searing heat. Having to actually escape indoors, to sit in front of a fan. And knowing that largely every day, throughout the summer, would be like this… But, half way through November – how did that […]
We’ve been in The House now for over a year and a half, and whilst we have made some massive progress, renovation wise, we are still getting to know the house. It’s an old house, like many houses back in England are – but, and it’s a very big but – has been built in a […]
We’re finally beginning to tackle the room which we’ve rarely gone into – the indoor cellar. ( *indoor* because we also have an outdoor cellar). This room sits under the living room, but feels joined to the house because the staircase down, is open. We had thought this would be a problem, heat-wise, but it’s […]
OK, so those of you who have visted us, will know that our garden isn’t very secret at the moment. Although not overlooked, and quite spacious, we have no boundary walls (but shhh…don’t mention the *b* word in case our obsessive neighbour overhears!) and so it’s all quite open at the moment. There doesn’t appear […]
The intense heat of summer seems to have receded. Fans are no longer constantly whirring and the early morning sunlight is not quite as blinding in our bedroom, which is blessed with the most gorgeous sunrise views. Summer is still clinging on though – it is very warm during the day and we haven’t seen […]
Initially, it seems that *everything* in Croatia is complicated and fraught with much dramarama. Getting utility bills put into your name, buying a car, finding where to buy paint and white goods and furniture, getting car & house insurance, knowing how to hop across borders, opening a bank account, arranging a mobile phone, getting residency […]
We’re at the stage in our house renovation, where we can now be quite a bit bolder in terms of decor. We’ve taken on an Istrian stone house, which in parts, is over 200 years old – and possibly more – so there is a wealth of history and tradition attached to it. Houses in […]
For the first year of living in the house, we made do with the bathroom we inherited. OK, we tarted it up a bit – everything painted white, essentially – but it was still quite poorly laid out, with a tiny shower cubicle and not really conduicive to a relaxing experience. So, the decision was […]
So, last weekend saw us returning to Rovinj to watch the World Cup Final. We’ve stayed in Rovinj a few times since we arrived in Istria and although The Adriatic Hotel is our favourite place to stay, we just can’t justify the prices in high season. But, it gives us an opportunity to explore and […]