6 months...

We have now been in Portugal for exactly 6 months, what have we accomplished?

When we arrived in May, the house was stripped of its roof and inner walls on the 2nd floor. Followed by the making of the holes for plumbing and electricity in the remaining walls (which were then also so filled with holes that you couldn't really tell what they were planning with them.) Windows were removed, floors were removed (tiling as well as the cement in several places), and what made the biggest impression from outside was the removal of the paint(which left our house yellow for several months). After this, plumbing and electricity were inserted into the holes, floors were remade, holes were filled, and walls were built. Now, several months later, tiles have been placed (floors and bathrooms), the house has been repainted (from the outside by the workmen and about a third of the inside by us), several bathrooms have been installed, windows have been replaced, doors have been refitted, AND last but not least, we have electricity and water (only cold so far) on the 2nd floor! All this leaving us with a house that, if all goes as planned, should be finished by Christmas time.

Besides the work on the house we've been quite busy with other things too, least fun of all, we've had paperwork to take care of but our car is now officially imported and we are residents of Vila Nova de Poiares. Besides that though, we've also had visitors (family and friends) and we've taken some time to enjoy Portugal, with all its beautiful landscapes, amazing food (sardines being one of our favorites!), great wine and porto, friendly people, and last but not least, all its sunshine!

If the next 6 months are anything like these past 6 months, we'll have had an amazing first year in Portugal!

ps. for those of you that are new to the blog, all pictures from the beginning of the works until now can be found in the slideshows to the right.