So, 2020 is drawing to a close. I’m guessing no-one will miss it. It’s been a strange year for us, as for everyone else. But what can you do except get on with the things you’re still able to do?
In June I mentioned that we’d had the straw bales delivered for the house, and that we were putting in the upstairs floorboards. Here’s a quick visual update on those two things.
We’ve had surprisingly many guests this year. Perhaps because we’re a relatively isolated hotel out in the countryside, people see us as a safe place to get away for a while? Anyway, we’re grateful for the business, and we’ve tried to repay everyone’s confidence in us by being super-careful about social distancing and room cleaning.
Every now and then we make the time to get a change of scenery ourselves. Nothing as big as an overnight trip, but driving around the local area is always rewarding. Here are a few photos from a drive we took one evening last summer. (Whenever we do this we ask ourselves why we don’t do it more often.)
Just like last winter, we’re using the quieter times to get construction work done. With that in mind we’ve been officially closed since November. Sadly this turned out to be excellent timing as Turkey, like many countries, is experiencing a second wave of Covid cases. A good time to stay home and make things out of wood.
The big job, though, was working with straw. Turning what should be our final batch of straw bales into actual walls for the house. Step one was to nail up some plastic sheeting to keep the walls dry once the rains come. (Editor’s note: as of tonight, the rains are now here.) Then we dusted off the electric chainsaw and the baling twine and got to work.
I might have mentioned before that straw isn’t always the nicest material to work with, especially not when you have to lift the bales above your head. But it’s worth the hassle because, as the layers build up, you get a real sense of how your future living space is going to feel. It starts to look like a proper house, in other words!
We’re now really pleased that we went with Sirem’s suggestion of taller windows in the main room. It feels as though there will be plenty of light in there on winter days.
Nadire, Çisem, and Sirem working hard.
Effectively it will be a house in three parts: first there’s the big open space of the main room, shown in the photos above. Second there are the downstairs rooms such as the bedroom and the study; the lower ceilings make them feel cozier. And finally the upstairs loft space, which might get too warm to be a great living space in summer but should be perfect in winter.
This is our third building so we’re getting better at doing things in the right order. For example, remembering to leave a big lump of wood inside the inner surface of the bale wall so we can screw in some shelves later on. Or putting pipes through the walls now to make life easier when installing air-con or exhaust fans or ethernet cables. With the windows we’re taking the time to set up for lath-and-plaster work so we can get nicely defined window openings that “fan out” slightly to bounce light into the room better.
We always wanted to try putting a niche into one of the walls but never found the right spot for it previously. This time we think the staircase could be the perfect place: you have to imagine the niche with plaster, obviously, and the right light fitting.
And that’s about where we are with the house. The only thing to add is that over the last few days we’re putting heavy-duty cables into the walls to prepare for all the electrical connections and lighting. (Don’t worry, we’ll get a real electrician in to check the work and wire up the main board and the circuit breakers.)
What else?
The garden has had another year to grow and is looking more and more like a proper established thing which is great. Here’s an angle that I’ve shown you many times before but I really like how green everything is looking, especially that area on the right in front of room three.
We’re happy to report that all the animals are doing well this year. Leo was just an annoying kitten last time but now he is an annoying cat. He has graduated from special treatment (i.e., being in our arms all the time) and has been released into the general cat population. Which means he has to deal with all the other cats who are equally convinced that they should be the centre of attention.
Hey Coco, what’s up? 
Ginger freak! I’ll kill you! 
Run away!
Luckily the dogs are always patient and diplomatic and rise above the constant cat politics.
I will leave it at that. We miss you all. Here’s to a successful vaccine and a more normal world in 2021.
I’m super impressed as always with you two! You are so talented and hard working. I love the windows and the idea of the wood inside the bales for shelves later on. That’s so clever. Your house is really a Grand Design! It’s going to be a work of art when it’s completed. You have done so much in such a short time. It’s wonderful to read that you have had guests this year. What a perfect place to escape the cloud which hangs over all of us.
Today 8th December, 2020 we watched with delight the first person to receive a vaccine. A 91 year old lady in England brought the message of hope to the entire planet. Hopefully by mid 2021 we will all have received the vaccine and we will live to see the end of this cruel virus.
Your cats and dogs look so healthy and content. They won the lottery when they found you! The garden is mature and has settled in so well. It looks like it has been there for years and years. Thank you for all the photos. I wish you both continued success in everything you do.
I wish you and your family and everyone reading this a safe, healthy and Covid free 2021.
Love from your friends in Ireland.
Thanks, Noreen. You’re very kind!
Absolutely agreed: here’s hoping this is the beginning of the end of the coronavirus era.
All the best from all of us.
Thank you for your news, it is always joy to read and look at the pics!
Cheers, that’s nice to hear!
Look at the house now!! Vividly remember standing on the beams that were the loft floor and wondering how it would all get done. Congrats guys – you are on the homeward stretch. Imagine having a real house to live in??!!
Ha, yes, it looked a bit different then! :)
It does feel much more like a house now. You’re right, we won’t recognize ourselves once we have a proper house to live in again. Getting there…
Looks lovely as ever. Looking at this is a bit like watching a holiday programme on TV, sunshine and escapism! Hope you are all well.
Happy to provide a bit of an escape in these dark times. :) And we’re doing OK, thanks!
Hi You Two,
It looks absolutely fantastic. Evidence of the enormous amount of work you’ve put into it. We look at it and very much regret that we can no longer travel to see you both and benefit from what has to be a fantastic experience.
Keep at it, you’re doing a magnificent job!
Cliff & Diana
Thanks!
It is indeed a shame you can’t get over here. We will try to give you the next best thing with plenty of updates.
Hope you’re doing well, and best wishes for Christmas to you both (and to the neighbours).
Hi Jason and Sirem
Hope this finds you well.
The progress with your house and the way you have turned concepts into realities since we were there in October last year all looks fantastic – as does the development of the gardens.
We will get back to see the finished product, but not sure when at this stage.
Cheers
John & Marg
Thank you. And yes, it’s all a bit up in the air re travel at the moment isn’t it? Would be great to see you back here once the world opens up again.
The place is looking amazing!! But I can’t go past the animal shots
Thanks! :)
It’s never-ending with the animals here. Might have gained a new kitten and a new dog in the past few days, assuming nobody else can be persuaded to take them.
We’re a lot closer than we were last year! We are loving Berlin & I never want to fly again, but hopefully we can visit you by train one year :-)
Enjoy Berlin; we still miss it 20 years later. :)
Would be great to see you both. I think a train journey to get here is possible. A ferry ride across the Sea of Marmara would shorten the rail journey quite a bit, if you’re OK with that.
Hi. Jason & Sirem,
We love browsing through your beautiful photographs. Makes us feel so nostalgic about being there with Barry & Di, enjoying those tasty breakfast with you guys, wandering around your village, and the unique surrounding country side, going back in time at the many and varied historic sites. We enjoyed Turkey SOooo much. Ionia is looking so homely and lush, love seeing the lucky animals obviously feeling so secure well loved. Can’t wait to see the pics of you guys in your fully furnished mansion.
Believe me, we can’t wait to see such pics either. :)
Thanks for the lovely thoughts. Hope you have a great family Christmas and please say hello to everyone from us.
Wonderful update. Particularly love the view from the four windows. Have you used an architect?
Thank you!
Also, between you and me, we live for that question. :) No, the architect was us, although we did talk to a structural engineer before starting work, just to make sure our plans weren’t ridiculous. The silver lining in taking so long to get to the house is that we’ve learned things from the first two buildings and so we have made little changes to the original plan to try to make it more liveable. Same overall shape and size though.
I’m blown away. It’s all so incredible.
Thanks!
Sorry for the incredibly slow response. I’ve been neglecting the blog for too long, just working on a new post today.