USVI-On-Line

Just like to tell, what I’m using a lot time with in the moment: We are going to build a new cottage!
(or house? not sure about the difference between a cottage and a house)

As I have told before, we have a cottage near the fisher village, Boennerup. We have had it for many years, we love the place, and we love the life, we live there in the small simple rooms, we have.

But we have to realize that our friends are growing older (not us of course ). So if we have visitors, it’s not so fun anymore to sleep on the floor or in the playhouse we built to our son, or to go outside to come to the bathroom. And if our lively grandchildren visit us, it’s not fun, if it’s raining, and 6 people need to have the meals inside.

So after a couple of year’s discussion we have finally decided to build a new and modern cottage, (being optimistic and hoping that the stock market will be better). It’s not a good investment at all. With the low prices on vacation houses just now, it would have been much better to buy a house in another place. But “our hearts belong to our place”, and we feel that we have to follow our hearts, not the money.

The beginning of the new life wasn’t so fun, because we have knocked a part of the old cottage down. A lot of work in the weekends and a lot of sentimentality.

The house with the sleeping room and the toilet is still standing, we have the kitchen in our tool shed, and depending of the weather we have our meals in our 44 years old tent. So we can still live there.

Even though it’s a little sad to knock the old house down, we of course are looking forward to the new one. We have made the raw sketch to the house ourselves, which have taken a lot of time to find out. It also took times to find the right building firm. But we are ready to build now. Just waiting for the official permission, The house will be about 10 times bigger than the old house, very modern, a low energy house with geothermal heat and also using the heat from the air. Very little maintenance with no wood outside - windows in aluminium outside and tree inside etc.. The bricks we have chosen are in white, grey and black. Very similar stones on a beach. We hope it will be a pretty house, which our family will enjoy for many years.

It has been very exciting to plan the house, but it’s also very exacting and we have had so many discussions and have used so much time. You have to think of every little detail. And we are not finished. Don’t now yet which kitchen we will have etc.. So it will still take a lot of time the next months.

Here son and hubby are starting to knock the house down.

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/lh/photo/fre ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4aSBK_jB-gs/SjK0k ... 2.JPG"></a>

The kitchen and the "dining room"


<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/lh/photo/j9t ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4aSBK_jB-gs/SjK0i ... 7.JPG"></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/lh/photo/S0d ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4aSBK_jB-gs/SjK0j ... 1.JPG"></a>


<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/lh/photo/_jJ ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4aSBK_jB-gs/SjK0h ... 6.JPG"></a>


So that's what left

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.dk/lh/photo/lKz ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4aSBK_jB-gs/SjK0l ... 4.JPG"></a>


After all this work we need a vacation. So Tuesday we are going to Spain for 3 weeks .

Linne

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Best of Luck with your project, please keep us updated with the progress.

And have fun in Spain, 3 weeks? I am jealous

linne,

I loved reading about your new "cottage" ...of course follow your heart; that place holds a history as well as the hopes of the future. Ten times the space will be so nice for all of you to gather and enjoy. Best of luck with finishing the plans and getting it under way.

...and have a great rest in Spain!

Hi Linne...

I love your spot for your "old/new" cottage! It's beautiful. Even though I've lived in the states here for many decades now I confess I miss the "European lifestyle" I once had. It's with fond memories I think of our multiweek vacations on coast of Spain when I was much younger. Left all that behind as life in the states doesn't come with a Work to live philsophy like many countries in Europe...it's more like Live to Work and we live especially for our one week in STJ! The cultures are so different. In Europe you start out with 4 weeks vaca per year and add onto that, in the US you have one week vaca your first year and go to two after five and after fifteen you might have 3 or 4. Not complaining...just miss the laid back life of Europe. Actually lucky to have had the chance to give it a whirl!

Best of luck with your new cottage

quote="SJfromNJ"]
Yes, it does stimulate the economy, but I will also get a tax break for installing new energy efficient windows and doors.

[/quote]

Yes you are right SJ, it's also good for your own economy not using too much energy. I feel that the Americans more and more realize that. Good luch with your project.

Berlingirl wrote:
In Europe you start out with 4 weeks vaca per year and add onto that, in the US you have one week vaca your first year and go to two after five and after fifteen you might have 3 or 4.

I can understand that you miss the vacation, Berlingirl! I love vacations



Thank you for your good wished. I will keep you updated.

Linne