Ingenious Building Style.

Eternally grateful...

Despite or rather because of not having electricity and all the mod-cons we lot are want to use, the person who built our house was way ahead of many a generation and penny wise too. Our house has walls that are about 60 centimetres thick and those do the trick.

On top of everything else we are having a horrendously ( to me at least ) summer with today being the hottest day so far. A hefty 36 degrees so far and no signs of abating. Bad luck for those who usually seek oceans to cool down, but good luck for our local economy as everyone spends their roubles at home.

Bob and I spent the morning in Oberwart for odds and ends and came back home about an hour age. Oberwart wasn't designed to counter the heat as finding big trees along the road or in parking spaces is near impossible. The ubiquitous addiction to having everything look aesthetically neat and tidy has made shopping in tropical temperatures a nightmare.

Well, the moment when we got back home and stepped into our house the cloying heat was left behind. It almost felt as though we had an air conditioner set at full blast. Wonderfully cool and comfortable enabled by our thick walls and airing our house twice a day. During the day I close most of our curtains and that aids the coolness even though they are not lined and rather see-through.

Our house must near its centenary soon and that makes this feat even more admirable. Back in the day it was built hardly anyone would have had electricity in our village and thus they used their common sense while building houses. Our neighbours who have built a modern house two years ago have had to install an air-condition as the heat was unbearable. Two words...thin walls!

There are many instances when we tend to scoff at the habits and customs of the older generation but, as I am realizing more and more, they knew their stuff and lived long and happy lives without our mod-cons...instead of tearing older houses down they should be cherished and held in good stead for the next few generations who will battle living with the hotter weather more and more.

Biggi