Much of March is taken up with Green Building Council matters. After our regular Board meeting on 1st, we are heavily into organising a seminar in Podgorica on Friday 16th. James presents the Passive House concept, naturally with particular mention of our own house. All the other speakers are Montenegrin. We had planned for about 60 to 70 attendees. In the event, over 120 turn up (and stay), so it is highly successful. Then at the end of the month, we have the annual Assembly meeting (AGM) with a meeting of the newly elected Board, which again means James preparing all the paperwork.
Movement continues on the house front. Elisabeth and her assistant Oliver produce a revised design to meet the UTUs and local architectural preferences. This concerns mainly the roof, which is now a simple two-sided sloping roof, facing south and north. They manage to satisfy most of our wishes in the required space as well, amazingly.
Among all these activities, Anke finds time to make about 5kg of delicious marmalade using up the last of the season’s oranges from the trees around the stone house, including some grapefruit we were given. On the plot we find that the vine which had been removed last year has re-sprouted from its deep roots. We are thrilled about this, as Vasko tells us we can make use of ‘Le Beton’ and reshape it, so the vines can stay. We still have some of the grape jam made two years ago – eaten sparingly as it is seriously delicious.