Back at our villa, the team have been finishing off a few jobs. We’d been repairing some cracking/broken tiles, and it was time to waterproof them. All houses have their own little quirks, and we have one drainage area where a pipe seems to regularly break. It was getting annoying, so the boys replaced that section of pipe.
 Our last big project has been building our back wall. After building the support sections for the wall, it was time to add the glass. The glass team cut in a thin track and glued in brackets before adding the glass. And just like that, we have a glass wall that will keep our kids and animals safe, while still letting us enjoy the view.
With one job finished, it was time to start a new one. This one we had been thinking about for a long time.
We often eat dinner outside in our courtyard as it’s nice and breezy. It would be wonderful to have a spot to eat during the day right next to the pool. Even though we have an open area right next to it, we never use that space because it’s too hot during the day.
So, I’ve been thinking about building a covered gazebo in this spot so we can utilise the space. It’s a bit of a balancing act because I want to the gazebo to create some shade but I also want it to be open so that it lets in the breeze and the gorgeous view of the neighbouring ricefield is not blocked.
First up, we sat down with our team and showed them my hand-drawn plans and some guide photos of what I wanted. We’ll keep with the motif of using white concrete for the sofa in the courtyard. This time, the sofa will be U-shaped, and include a couple of side tables.
As usual, our workers listened carefully and asked a series of questions to get a more complete understanding of what I wanted. They’ll often think of things that had slipped my mind. Electricity outlets and a fan? Yes please! First up, we needed to build some stronger foundations.
Then it was time to build the 4 columns that will hold up the roof.
Next, they built the outline of the U-shaped sofa. Then we filled in the sofa by using some of the construction rubble that we’d previously dumped on our front driveway.Â
Obviously, there’s still a lot to be done (hello roof!), but it’s coming along nicely so far.
Sheila
