The Windows

Regular readers of this blog know that our house in Sibulan is in need of renovation. There's plenty of work to do , but our budget only allows us to do a little at a time. Our next project is making and installing the new windows......one for the kitchen, one for the living room and one for our bedroom.

When we first discussed what type of windows would be installed, it was decided that we'd put in sliding windows with screens. However, a few days back, my wife said she'd like to put in the type of windows that her aunt has in her house. With her Filipina accent, it sounded to me as if she was saying she wanted "jealousy windows". I asked her more than once, to repeat herself and each time the words sounded the same. I had no idea what a "jealousy window" could possibly be, so it was off to her aunt's house to see for myself.

These windows were a type once popular in Georgia - before the days of central air conditioning. The windows are a louvered window with glass panels. I vaguely remember my mother calling them "Florida windows".

Out of curiosity, I Googled "louvered windows" to see if I could find out why the windows are called what they are in Philippines.

It turns out, the correct name for this type of window is "jalousie" window.

Looking even further, I discovered that jalousie is a corrupted, American version of the Italian name for a louvered window, gelosia ; gelosia being the Italian word for jealousy because louvered windows can "afford a view while hiding the viewer".

Our windows are being custom made by a company in Sibulan. The space is rather large, and I hate to guess what such windows might cost in the United States. Thousands, I'm sure. Here, we'll have the windows made and installed for about $300 USD. Oh, yeah.....that includes screens for the windows as well.

It's all basically tied in together. The space outside the bedroom window will be where I'll plant my bell peppers and tomato plants. The seeds for those will arrive in the next balikbayan box. So, I'll still have a little time, after the windows are installed, before the plot needs to be made ready for the plants.