When I had my house refurbished before moving to Motovun, I asked my builder to make a few changes on the terrace wall facing north. Although there is an empty lot next to the house, and although the next house facing west up Borgo is not very close, I wanted to protect the terrace from view. Two stout stone pillars were added, and a simple metal fence was installed between them, so that the creeper that grows by the northern wall of the terrace could provide more privacy. So far, the whole thing has worked rather well. Even though the tourists regularly come to the empty lot to admire the view of the Mirna valley, they cannot see the terrace when the creeper is in leaf, which is between April and October. Besides, the house next to the empty lot has not been occupied for all these years. And so I almost forgot about the fact that my terrace is in full view of anyone standing or sitting on the terrace of that house. Until a few weeks ago, that is, when a couple from Rijeka bought it. When I met them, they also told me that they planned to live in Motovun full time. It did not take me long to realize I needed to make further changes on the terrace wall facing north. The fence needs to be replaced by a much taller and thus sturdier one. And so I designed it. As well as found someone to make it as quickly as possible, so as not to interfere with the creeper when it wakes up for the new season. We will meet tomorrow afternoon to agree about all the details. If everything goes according to plan, the new fence will be in place within a month or two. I am quite happy about the whole thing, but I also feel ever-so-slightly uneasy about it. The truth be told, I am almost embarrassed by the speed with which I have reacted to the new next-door neighbors. They seem to be perfectly nice people.

Addendum (March 3, 2007)

The new neighbors are perfectly nice people, indeed. We have become quite friendly in the few weeks. Thus they teased me about the fence when it went up today. Tall and sturdy, it looks rather formidable, too. It will look less so when the creeper turns to leaf, but that is a few weeks off still. In a month or two, the fence will become quite invisible. And so will my terrace. The last vestiges of my embarrassment will vanish at last.