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Post by onlyMark on Apr 23, 2015 12:00:53 GMT
These 1 euro solar lights are quite effective in the arches around the pool -
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Post by Kimby on Apr 23, 2015 12:07:39 GMT
tod, it is a million miles away from how it was originally and we are quite happy with it. When you have time, Mark, it would be fun if you could post some before&after shots. The transformation has been so radical but gradual. You are a man with a vision, and it's coming to fruition before our eyes, thanks to your willingness to share on here. Well done!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2015 14:03:25 GMT
Mark, I have intentionally not read this thread/update for a number of reasons. I had followed in from the onset when originally posted on another forum and have been all throughout completely rapt and impressed with your vision and the execution of it. Not to mention how sick with envy I have been but, it being you and the vision you have had and so superbly executed makes me feel better.
From the get go, the location, how primitive and or neglected a place it initially presented itself as, I am in total awe and admiration at your perserverence, good sense, and aesthetic throughout the painstaking process, especially in lieu of having to be in absentia much of the time.
BRAVO to you and yours!
I hope to be invited someday should I ever happen to be in Spain.
P.S. what type of tree is being planted on the patio?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2015 15:32:35 GMT
The tiles and the solar lights look really great. Do the lights stay on all through the night or does their power fade as the hours go by?
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Post by onlyMark on Apr 26, 2015 15:48:48 GMT
I'll certainly in time try and sort out the before and after things.
Kimby/Casi - As regards having a vision, it's more Mrs M who has it. I just make it happen. She's the brains, I'm the brawn (mostly).
k2, the lights are from Carrefour, are Euro 5.95 for a box of six and... are supposed to last for 12 hours. At the moment they are coming on themselves as it gets dark around 9.30pm and go off as the sun is rising as 7.30am. That is fine by me and good stuff and I'm surprised they last that long.
What type of tree will be planted in the patio? Good question. When I'm told I'll buy one and plant it. Until then, I've no idea. Any suggestions? Of course, when it is finished (in a couple of months?), it will be open house for all who want to call round. Specific invites not needed.
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Post by bjd on Apr 26, 2015 16:56:08 GMT
I think a citrus tree (lemon or orange or whatever grows in the area) would be nice, but they do need water, so might not be suitable if you are often away.
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Post by mich64 on Apr 26, 2015 17:45:42 GMT
The tile work is super! I do enjoy accent lights in the evening, it must be lovely by the pool after dusk. We have solar lights along the path down to the lake, they are helpful when docking the boat after dark.
You both have created a beautiful holiday home for your family to enjoy for a very long time.
Now that it is completed, will you hire a maintenance company to check in on it when you are away? For insurance purposes, we have to have someone check inside the house every 4 days when we are away on holiday.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2015 18:39:08 GMT
I too, would suggest a citrus tree. Depending on the species and cultivar, please bear in mind (and trust me, I found out the hard way), choose a tree that has been properly grafted by someone who knows what they are doing . I would be more than willing to help guide you in this process.
Again, I am most impressed and thrilled with this endeavor.
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Post by onlyMark on Apr 26, 2015 18:44:13 GMT
I have planted, just to see how it goes, a cherry tree around the back of the house. I like the idea of a fruit tree but the water thing could be a problem after next year when we leave again for an unspecified number of years. We have quite a few pine trees doing well on the land behind us so we might just end up with another one of those.
mich, we don't necessarily need a man to check it every few days. The insurance we have doesn't require it. Though I do want to get someone local to have a key and keep it sorted for the times we're not there/here.
casi, thanks for the offer and for the kind words.
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Post by mossie on Apr 26, 2015 18:57:16 GMT
Congratulations on a super, well executed project. I can almost see the deep thumbprint on the back of your neck from here
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Post by tod2 on Apr 27, 2015 11:46:20 GMT
Mark, the lights looks beautiful. I bet they look spectacular from other properties towards your house - shining through the holes in the tile work.
What ever type of tree you choose I hope it does not start lifting your lovely tiles as it grows and matures. Our Fever Trees here look fantastic but their roots have lifted the tar when planted near roads.
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Post by Kimby on Apr 27, 2015 13:02:17 GMT
Olive trees seem to thrive on neglect. Might be messy though.
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Post by onlyMark on Apr 27, 2015 18:39:25 GMT
mossie, the thumb print is on the top of my head and I'm underneath it. tod, there are no other properties around me for some distance though we can be seen from the minor road that goes to the village. It is a thought for me as to what will happen when the tree gets bigger as regards the tiles. kimby, an olive tree would be the very easiest option, easier than a pine tree, and worth considering, but with twenty seven gadzillion of them that I can see from my window..............
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Post by Kimby on Apr 27, 2015 19:05:25 GMT
Ah, but yours would be expertly pruned to the most pleasing shape and lit from below. Or strung with sparkly lights....
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Post by onlyMark on Apr 27, 2015 19:24:42 GMT
Now that's an idea....
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2015 17:26:17 GMT
How about an acacia tree... Drought tolerant, wonderful scented flowers.
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Post by onlyMark on Apr 28, 2015 18:04:19 GMT
I'd have trouble getting one locally and I'd rather not have to send away for something, but it'd be just the thing. Apart from the thorns dropping onto the courtyard I suppose.
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Post by bjd on Apr 28, 2015 18:19:27 GMT
Get a giraffe to keep it trimmed.
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Post by onlyMark on Apr 28, 2015 19:24:23 GMT
I could fence in our hill behind the house and make it into my very own African savanna and game park.
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Post by tod2 on Apr 30, 2015 8:22:34 GMT
The Fever Tree is an Acacia. Planted out in the open without restriction results in the most beautiful tree imaginable. They are truly equisite. They are easily grown from seed so I could pop some in an envelope and post them to you Mark. Here is something about them: www.plantzafrica.com/plantab/acaciaxanth.htm
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Post by onlyMark on Apr 30, 2015 12:10:59 GMT
tod, it'd be a good addition but reading through that site reveals to me the following - "The fever tree occurs mainly in depressions and shallow pans where underground water is present or surface water collects after summer rains. It is also found in low-lying swampy areas, along the margins of lakes and on river banks. It often forms pure, dense stands of closed woodland in seasonally flooded areas on alluvial soils."
If it said something like, "Grows well in poor, rocky soil where there is no swamp within a few hundred kilometres, no underground water nor surface water that collects after summer rains, in fact grows well where water just drains away as soon as it falls, doesn't have thorns that will drop directly on to a car parking space, will establish itself so doesn't need and attention in about a year and a bit............"... I'd go for it like a shot.
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Post by tod2 on Apr 30, 2015 17:27:23 GMT
Mark, you would be staggered at where these trees are growing. In the Kruger Park your descriptions are accurate, but here in our city they are grown along the roadside, in carparks and out in the savanna. If you were to attempt a couple I would choose the lowest lying area. That of course gives them a chance for moisture. Would be astonishing to see them in Spain and a shock to the agricultural format. I personally think they will thrive. Maybe I can gather up some photos of ones in weird places for you.
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Post by onlyMark on May 6, 2015 15:59:53 GMT
Well, the workers have upped and left. It seems there has been a miscommunication. They've done all they can until the next step, which is to tile the pool, put the pool fittings in with the pump and solar panels to run it and the grills to let the water in around the side. For some reason the boss thought he had to wait for Mrs M to arrive (in a couple of weeks) before doing it. He's not yet given us a quote for that work and I told him that without a quote the work doesn't start. So he's now scrambling to organise one so that the workers can come back. Life goes on though. Firstly a quick photo of a sunny day in the local town - Some bulbs I planted in some rough ground are starting to appear - My little cherry tree is trying hard to grow - I made a little enclosure to start sorting out compost - The tiles around the pool have been mostly laid, apart from the edge where it'll butt up against the grills for the water around the edge. They are still quite filthy from the workers and need, as usual, a good scour to bring the colour out - Also the small walls have been built on the edge of the pool surround so that nobody can fall off into the courtyard and dirty yard. To the right you can see the metal posts that will have the 'fence' attached to them so that you don't fall either on to the track or past the doors of my workshop into the olive trees. The fence will be actually just a couple of steel cables so as not to interrupt the view from the pool or sundeck - I'll let you know how I get on with any more progress. By the way, I about shit myself when I took the photos because a rather intimidating horseshoe whip snake decided to bask on the tiles for a while. I stamped around and it shot off.
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Post by tod2 on May 6, 2015 16:30:52 GMT
My goodness Mark...That first photo looks like two old French gentlemen taking a morning stroll. What a divine avenue! With all that water in the pool would you have to leave it drained for a couple of days to dry out so that the tile adhesive can bond?
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Post by onlyMark on May 6, 2015 18:59:59 GMT
Just out of shot to the right is the entrance to my daughter's school. I often walk up that avenue as there are a number of cafe's further along and one just at the entrance. The son of the builder came today and gave me a quote for the pool to be finished. It is the same price as when he gave me one last October so I've told him to go ahead with it. I've also told him it is no use any workers coming until Monday as I've got to drain the pool and let it dry for a day or two, if that answers your question. I've also asked him for a quote to cover the large front wall outside where it adjoins the track. At the moment it is just bare brick and concrete and I want it tarting up a bit to make it look decent. So, I've been dabbling in a couple of things whilst the workers have been doing their bit. I've just about finished my wardrobe but need to adjust the doors more when it has settled down a bit. For some reason I've made it big enough for not only all my clothes but I'll probably have to fill it up with some tools as well. You can see the small plastic one at the side I've got all my stuff in for now -
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Post by cheerypeabrain on May 6, 2015 19:11:33 GMT
Mark...I have just caught up with this splendid project dearie, it's all fantastic...I really love your courtyard, especially the marble compass design You have worked soooo hard I am terribly impressed. Beautiful...and my OH is well impressed with your woodworking skills, as am I.
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Post by onlyMark on May 6, 2015 20:36:09 GMT
Woodworking skills, huh... they are the second set of three doors I made for the bloody thing. The first set just ended up not matching, not fitting and were generally crap. The carcass is easy enough, it's the bloody doors and hanging them that get me every time. Then I have to keep adjusting them as the wood acclimatises to the room.
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Post by onlyMark on May 13, 2015 10:08:47 GMT
cpb, just to mention that the firm who provided the tiles for the courtyard has now been in contact with us after the builder sent them, at their request, a phone photo of the finished product. They want to send a proper photographer to take some better ones with a view to putting it in their brochure. I may have covered this before but can't remember. But I find these things interesting so I thought I'd mention it. The question is - when you build something you need to make it as level as you can, no? How do you find an exact horizontal? In this case we needed to find a reference level for tiling the pool, fitting the grills for the water to go down and to marry it all up with the rest of the patio, so that it is all level and not cock-eyed. You can nowadays buy laser operated levels that will sketch out a line for quite some metres. You can use a spirit level over short distances. But over anything from a couple of metres to any distance you care to need, there is nothing more efficient, cheap and - 'old school' - than a length of transparent plastic pipe nearly full of water. Put one end on a reference point, extend the tube and as water will always find its own level - which is perfectly horizontal - the water level in the tube at the other end will be exactly the same as at the start. Here you can see the workers starting off at one point and with the other end marking off various other points around the inside of the pool. The guy in orange (the labourer) has the reference point and has to stand there. The guy in white (the Technician) then moves around the inside making various marks - The man in red is the son of the owner who labours part time to earn money whilst at University. Now you have a number of pencil marks on each face of the pool. You then use a device, which is a spool of strong string and contains blue chalk that impregnates the length of it, and stretch the string out between all the marks. If you've got it right than the last one joins up with the first one - which it did - And there you have it, a horizontal level to build from.
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Post by tod2 on May 13, 2015 13:58:17 GMT
Thanks for the photos Mark. That is the way we do it here also! The result is as perfect as perfect can be.
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2015 17:21:16 GMT
I have always been fascinated by those blue chalk strings.
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