Hey there, it’s Aksel! Welcome back to another update from our little slice of paradise here in the Philippines. Today is a beautiful Sunday in the Ronda mountains, and I wanted to give you a real, boots-on-the-ground look at our new living situation and how far we’ve come with our "temporary house."
I know I’ve been using that term a lot, and I see the comments! People are asking, "Aksel, what do you mean by a temporary house?" or giving me advice on using thicker plywood and ceilings. Guys, remember: this is temporary! We are essentially living in what will one day be our laundry room and balcony area. We’ve just dressed it in with some temporary walls so we have a comfortable place to stay while the main house is under construction. It’s not meant to be a permanent masterpiece; it just needs to be functional for now, and for Jessa and me, it’s more than enough.
The view from up here is absolutely stunning—my "million-dollar view"—but the land itself still needs a lot of work. We’ve been busy picking up garbage, though we have a bit of a "bandit" (a stray dog) who likes to drag things back out at night while we’re sleeping! There’s still a lot of small trash to get through, but we’re making progress. Since it's Sunday, we’re taking a well-earned rest today because, honestly, we’re exhausted.
Inside our temporary quarters, things are starting to find their place. Our "washing room" is currently pulling double duty as our office. Jessa has her computer setup on one side, and mine is on the other. We’ve got the fridge in there too. It’s a bit cramped, but it works! Our sleeping area is right next door—it’s where we retreat when it’s raining or when it’s time to call it a night.
One of the best additions Jessa made was building the bamboo kitchen slightly outside the main wall. It gives us that extra bit of space we desperately needed. We originally thought about starting the main house right after summer, but we’ve decided to push it back a bit—maybe November or even early next year. We want to take our time and only start when we feel truly ready. Right now, we just want to live and relax for a while.
Liam is with us, of course, though he’s a bit moody and clingy today. He was swimming all day yesterday, so I think he’s just a little tired.
Starting Tuesday, we’re back at it. We need to take down the old tent, finish connecting the water to the kitchen and bathroom, and sort out the storage unit, which is currently overflowing with stuff we haven't had time to go through yet. I also need to get some safety gear so I can start using the chainsaw to clear those big fallen trees from the typhoon.
The main house, when it’s finished, will be about 120 square meters, I think. We’re fitting the house to the land’s natural shape rather than trying to force the land to fit a house, which saves us a ton of money. It might lead to some unconventional solutions, but I think it’s going to be incredible.
Thanks for following along with our journey. Every little bit of progress feels like a win. See you in the next one!
