Hola! Two things happened this week at Cortijo Renacer that we’ve been quietly waiting for — one planned, one a beautiful surprise.
We got hot water. And we got a dog.
🐾 Meet Patch
The newest member of the McGlynn household is Patch — a rescue dog we picked up along with his sister Lola. Their mum was found in very poor condition, but thanks to the incredible work of the rescue charity she’s now doing much better.
Patch is staying with us here at the farm. Lola is heading to Jem’s sister back in the UK — so they’re not far apart. For now, both of them are with us while they finish their vaccinations, and then the real farm adventures begin.
He is, in short, perfect. Even Callum agrees.
🚿 Finally — Hot Water
We’ve been heating water in a bucket on the hob for showers since we moved in. That’s not a complaint — it’s just where we were starting from. But this week, a local plumber came in and installed a gas boiler, and everything changed.
We couldn’t go with an electric water heater because in winter there simply isn’t enough solar power available. Gas was the answer — but the regulations around gas boiler installation (exhaust pipe direction, length, placement) meant this wasn’t a DIY job. We’d been recommended a plumber locally — thanks to Kane and Vicki for that — and he was excellent.
One small complication: the position where the previous owner had their old electric heater couldn’t work for our gas unit, because the exhaust pipe run was too long and the direction didn’t comply. So we found a new spot on the wall, and the plumber made it work.
While he was there, the job expanded in the best way:
- A new outdoor tap added to the exterior wall — for watering the garden and washing down the cars
- A water connection run to the caravan — which will eventually make the guest accommodation properly functional
For the caravan water supply, Callum dug a trench across the car track to bury the pipe so it doesn’t get crushed every time a vehicle comes in. Not the most glamorous job. Very necessary.
The boiler went in. The pipes ran. And then Callum stood there and said what we were all thinking: I can’t wait for a nice hot shower and not having to use a bucket.
Neither can we.
🔧 Making Space in the Kitchen
With the plumber also removing the old bidet, a bit of extra wall space opened up in the house — enough for a unit Jem had been trying to find a home for. Callum was less enthusiastic about the unit than Jem was. The unit is in. Sealed around the bottom with a generous bead of sealant. (Dad’s tip: soap on your finger stops the sealant sticking. Works a treat.)
💡 The Andalusian Lights — A Three-Part Negotiation
When Jem’s parents visited recently, there was a charity shop outing. This resulted in three Andalusian clay lampshades — beautiful, terracotta, exactly the kind of earthy detail that makes this house feel like it belongs here — for €10 each.
Getting them installed required a multi-stage process:
- Ask Callum. Be told they’re horrid.
- Clarify that they are in fact beautiful.
- Agreement reached. Callum says he’s coming.
- Wait.
- Still waiting.
- Discover the hooks are missing.
- Go to the hardware shop.
- Install all three lights.
Once they were up, even Callum admitted they looked right. He declared himself done for the year. We noticed he’d already started suggesting where to put the kitchen one.
(A sensible switch was made: the brighter Andalusian shade that throws light up and around went into the kitchen, which only has one ceiling light. The bathroom has additional lights and can manage with less. One bonus discovery: the old wiring from the previous lights had two cables taped together, which was almost certainly not safe. We’re glad we changed them.)
Three lights. €30 total. The difference in how the rooms feel is significant.
🪴 Plant Pots at the Gate
One more small thing — two plant pots at the driveway entrance for €15 each. They’re there partly for decoration, partly to mark the corners of the drive for visiting cars so nobody accidentally reverses into the storm drainage ditch. Both things can be true.
Jem modelled them for the camera. They looked great.
📣 What’s Coming Next
A note on the next few episodes: the upcoming videos were actually filmed towards the end of last year — we’ve been slightly behind sharing them while focusing on the most recent farm progress. But they’re special family memories that we still want you to see.
So over the next few episodes, we’re heading back into the Life Between Borders travel series — Phi Phi Island, Krabi, and South Africa — before returning to the farm for more updates.
We can’t wait to take you along.
📺 Watch the Full Episode
👉 Watch this week’s Cortijo Renacer update on YouTube
📲 Follow Along
- 🌿 Instagram: @renacer_mcglynn
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- 🛠️ YouTube: Renacer McGlynn Channel
¡Hasta la próxima! 🌻