The House: Before and After

Lucia and Jonathan now count the days until their departure from Greece—seven weeks have passed in a blink of the eye, and yet their time here has been fulfilling and enlightening. Work on the house continues on a daily basis, cutting into precious “beach time”—but the results have been well worth the effort. The little house and property have been transformed into a very special home. “Sanctuary” is not too large a word.

Manna from heaven, melons from the gypsies

The house is located on a sharp bend in the road from Koroni. Each day, the gypsies pass by in their trucks piled with watermelons and cantaloupe, and invariably a few melons are lost on the sharp curve. This morning, while Jonathan and Paul were painting the front exterior wall, a truck rounded the corner and a large melon rolled off the pile landed on the road, rolled on the property, and came to a stop at the front door. “I guess that’s your melon now,” said Paul from the scaffolding. The melon was promptly added to the ice chest.

Planning the first party

On Sunday, while enjoying a day at Tsapi beach, sitting with a large group of English friends, Jonathan mentioned his wish to have a house-warming party. Their friends jumped at the opportunity to plan a party, which is scheduled for Friday. A dozen or so guests, a whole roasted pig (a Messinian favorite), and variety of food, music, and entertainment were planned in a matter of minutes.

By early today, the number of guests had risen to over twenty—local Greek friends, foreign residents (British, Dutch, and others), and long-term visitors from Europe and beyond.

The koumbaroi head for Athens

The one-week visit from Athens friends (koumbaroi—Jonathan and Ann’s best man, his wife, and their daughter) ended on Monday. The three of them headed home via Mistra, the ancient Orthodox center near Sparta, and Monemvasia—the medieval Byzantine city perched on a rock in the eastern Peloponnese.

The house—before and after

In a matter of one year—but mostly in the past seven weeks—an old and delapidated agricultural house in a weedy field has been transformed into a real home. Jonathan has spent countless hours, with the help of both friends and hired workers, to turn an impossibility into a probability…and then finally into a magical retreat in southern Greece.

With a fondness for the “before and after” effect, these few photos are offered.

Seven days and a long list

The next week promises to be a busy one—there is painting and stuccoing; cleaning and organizing; planting, trimming, and watering. And then there is the aquamarine ocean beneath a cobalt sky, the ultimate daily draw. Now, in late July, working much before noon is an excruciatiing task. A morning of housework easily yields to an early afternoon of swimming, then eating. And of course napping. How else could Jonathan and Lucia survive their late nights in the village?