First steps

Sorry for the brief interruption in blogging.  The menu in blogger disappeared and it took me a bit to figure out how to post.

Just got back from viewing progress on the ruin.

The east and southern walls were completely collapsed/half height, so were replaced with brick faced in the original stone.  This gives us the opportunity to add some insulation.  The north and west façades are being renovated, filling in some doors/windows and expanding or opening others.  New floor has been poured.

We´re quite pleased with the stone work, which is harmonizing nicely with the original.  The granite framework around the windows and doors is more posh than we were expecting for our rustic farmhouse, but not as white and shiny and uniform as you often see. 

They filled in a doorway to the road and will put in a new window high on the wall.  The house already has two entrances and it´s the northern exposure and shaded by trees, so we weren´t going to get much light anyway.

West wall - new window for the main bedroom.  The doorway will be raised and widened to accommodate the new ¨front¨ door.  Two new windows openings in the kitchen.

South wall, future kitchen and laundry/pantry.  Should be pretty bright, given Galician weather, with all the new openings for windows and the french doors.

Looking toward the laundry/pantry end.

Toward the kitchen end.  An opening will be created in the stone wall on the right to enter into the living room directly.  The wood cooker and modern range will go against the stone wall, sink and fridge to the left, table at the end.

Doorway to the bedroom from the living room that will have a matching opening opposite to the kitchen. (Door project here.) Good to see the tree finally gone.

We´re trying to maintain the wall that were the feeding areas for the animals.  The door on the left will probably be filled in because once the finished floor is in, it would be about 6 inches too short for V to pass through.  The woodstove will probably go in that corner.  I think one of the openings may be ideal for wood storage, or shelves, or whatever occurs to us.

Lots and lots of stone and infill left over.  I know what we´ll be using for outbuildings, patios, retaining walls and paths.

It was a year ago in the plans were submitted to the City for approval and with one thing and another here we are.  The contractor is pretty hopeful that with good weather we´ll be getting the roof on in another month or so.  It´s so indescribably exciting to finally see some progress after going on two years from actual purchase.