Completion of the hovel in sight

This weekend's visit was the most encouraging so far. There were signs of progess on the Lamia House* not least of which was workmen on site doing banging and hammering. Previous visits have been marked by a noticeable lack of any activity or progress (see "Trulli update for April 06" and "Trulli interior").

This is partly due our friend Anne learning from our experience. She commissioned Daniele, our architect, to install a pool for her with stiff time penalties, to whit: if not complete by the start of the season you don't get paid. So now that her pool and terracing is all but done the squad have transferred their allegiance back to us.

This is a bedroom in the Trulli House which is compact - don't be fooled by the wide angle lens. We went for minimalist furnishings, a small canvas covered, pine mini-wardrobe and a hat stand. The joy of these rooms is that, lying in bed, you look up into the interior of the cone.



In the Lamia house we now have internal doors with elegantly slim metal frames and glass panels with hooks for curtains. They are really well made and clunk nicely into place. We have kitchen worktop with extra-thick (6 cm) marble. We have a bath where previously was a hole and pipes poking out of the wall. The electrician was doing final wiring so the plasterer could come in the following day and do the last decorative coat.



All in all it look like it might actually be ready for our holiday end of June. In terms of the old triple constraint we are way over time (18 months), way over budget (don't even ask) and over quality (but that I can happily live with).

Daniele keeps pacifying us with "It will be worth the wait" and it is true that he has done a wonderful restoration in a most sypathetic and authentic manner. He has been collecting and recycling old stones for the courtyard so that it will look original rather than a smooth, modern intrusion.



Finally a view across "our" valley from the roof of the Lamia House. What you will not see is any houses. What you cannot hear are the cow bells as the herd across the valley wander homeward for the evening milking. This valley is so quiet we do not even get the nightly Italian dog chorus echoing back and forth. I am really looking foward to our proper holiday at the end of the month, two whole weeks of this :-)

* There are two halves to the property. Five cones make up the "Trulli house", two cones plus a rectangular agricultural building or "lamia" make up the "Lamia house".