Back to the House

Sunday/Monday 21^st/22^nd January

We checked in for our flight in good time (about 3 pm), but our plane was delayed by 1½ hours because the incoming flight was late, and we got to Malaga about 9.30 pm. As there was no Shuttle, we had to get a taxi to the Hostal Hispanidad opposite the new train station.

Monday dawned bright and clear, and we walked to the nearby Bus Station and caught the 10.15 bus, a 45 journey to the town. We were greeted to the sight of Ricardo drilling off plaster from the front of the house…….great we thought…..he must have finished inside, and is now starting on the outside……little did we know !!

As we entered the front room, there was little difference , in that it still resembled a builders yard, except the curtain walls are finished and painted, with air vents in the wall…..top and bottom, which looks a bit unaesthetic, but they serve a purpose in trying to contain the damp (air circulation). Same for the next room, the main feature for both rooms being that the electric sockets and switches remain unfinished, with wires protruding from sockets and junction boxes.

On to the Kitchen, where the floor is tiled , walls finished and painted, and the water boiler in situ, and not as big as we thought. J was very pleased with this , together with the patio, which has its little “garden”, and also floor tiled (not quite the small rustic tiles we had specified), with most of the wall tiled with the andalucian patterned tiles, with a few missing. However, the door is very stiff, and the handle knocked the side of the door frame…..a feature we to find with the other 2 doors. The bathroom is also tiled, although none of the sanitary ware , shower or sink was fitted, and the mirror was not cemented in the wall as requested.

Up to the next floor, and again, the bathroom is tiled with the mirror in situ here, and the toilet, sink and shower in place, and looking very nice. However, the toilet did not seem to flush.

We then went out on to the middle terrace through the new door, which was very stiff, and opened outwards the wrong way, rather than against the wall. The terrace was tiled and looked good. Then up on to the roof terrace via the new glass door…..again very stiff. However, it does let in a lot of light to the hall.

Ricardo was obviously on good form and happy with progress, as were we, but that feeling was short lived. Ricardo promised we would have light in a few rooms today, and set about sorting out the wiring, whilst we made up the bed in a very dusty bedroom.

We spent the rest of the day doing a big clean as best we could working around them. By 4 pm we had 2 lights downstairs (kitchen and small back room), no hot water, no lights upstairs but at least a working toilet upstairs.

We decided we needed more light and popped out to the light shop at 6.30 pm ….as one does in Spain, to buy an anglepoise light and a torch …..essential for negotiating upstairs in the dark.