Its moving along. Slowly but surely.

The big stuff is being tackled – we now have a bedroom in what was a huge living room. The bar has been moved aside and is looking for a new home – a huge task cause who has room for a big bar these days? Greece isn’t like Australia where men have man caves to hang out in.

The huge couch has been gifted to my cousin but now she’s having second thoughts. I’ve listed both on FB market place but no takers so far. sigh.

The walls have been wired for outlets and light switches. The kitchen layout has been designed using cabinets from the old kitchen and a new benchtop.

The executive decision was taken to not install a cooktop and oven since it would mean I need to buy an underbench oven as well. I bought the cooktop (long story*) but if I simply leave space for an upright stove, I save money.

*The cooktop story: I was originally going to just patch up the house as it was so I bought a double electric hob to replace the broken one. Then I decided to remove the double gas hob as well (since it meant carrying gas bottles up and down), so swapped the 2 burner to a 4 burner all electric hob. Now I’m not putting a stove in at all, I need to return that now and buy something else I need… or get a store credit. Or money back (unlikely). Still, thats ok. At some stage I’ll need a new laptop…

Why is it that money spent already feels like bonus money when you want to buy something else? I wonder if I want an air fryer? Or one of those glass oven thingies which Wayne used so much in Australia. The call those robot ovens here… hmmm. Or a food dehydrator… I dont NEED anything like that… but do I want it? … hmmm.

Nah. A new laptop would be the better bet! Something to take the place of this ancient tablet – more efficient, more flexible, small enough to travel with, and with the ability to connect to the large monitor I have at home.

Anyway, back to reno matters… Unlike in Australia where houses are rented WITH a stove but without a fridge and washing machine, here a renter usually brings his own stove, fridge and washing machine unless you rent a place as furnished. I do have a washing machine, an old fridge and microwave I could provide to a renter if they didn’t have their own, but most people have their own, hence… saves me a bit of money right now.

On Sunday I return to Paros for a while. I want to go home for a bit. I’ve been living in a construction site since I got here before Christmas. And soon as I leave, the only working bathroom upstairs will be demolished and rebuilt. Ideally there will be a new, working bathroom by the time I return… though, since the only furnished bedrooms will be on the other side of sealed walls… I don’t think I’ll be able to shower upstairs any more. ugh.

Renovations are such hard work.

z