I’ve been lucky to work with a great team, but it has been no accident of fate. After reading everything from Consumer Reports (my ‘go-to’ for all material things) to Fine Homebuilding, Angie’s List, Houzz and personal blogs for recommendations on how to go about building my own home, I added the “me” factor to create a reliable and responsive team for my project. I … Continue reading Nuts & Bolts: Assembling Your ‘Build’ Team
I host three pets: my former step-daughter’s dog, my youngest daughter’s ‘kitten’, and a Ranch kitty that adopted us. All made the 1000+ mile trip from Northern California to our PT digs. The wonderful Annie dog went with John. It’s my nature to love ‘my’ pets, but each poses ‘issues’. The dog, Chibi, is aging (who isn’t?), itchy (apparently allergic to the little bit of … Continue reading The People v. Pets
Ha! I’m 60. Here’s what I’ve learned and YOU probably don’t know, if you’re not: That heartache for ‘the one who got away’ will stop stinging someday and become sweet, forgiving love. He or she will visit your dreams, still young, until you understand why the fates did not put/keep you together. You will somehow manage to dig out from the financial mess you made … Continue reading Ha! I’m 60!
I am blessed to be always surrounded by books. I inherited my mother’s edited literary research collection and my father’s exhaustive library. Both were added to my own. My mother let most of her things go when she moved into a ‘senior living’ apartment, keeping only one bookcase full of ‘must have’ tomes. My father continued to add books of every subject that took his … Continue reading Book Shelf
No, the instant won’t cut it. Make them from scratch. I use Russet potatoes, one and a half medium size potatoes per person. The large, uniform Russets you see set out individually are best for baked, double-stuffed or wedges. They typically cost more per pound than bagged ‘taters. Buy bagged for Mashed. You’ll need heavy cream or 1/2 & 1/2, unsalted butter, and Knorr chicken base. … Continue reading Oh, Teacup, Mashed Potatoes?
Yes, power outages affect everybody, not just you. Worst possible time? Of course. So, here’s what you need for next one: Flashlight – a real one, not your cellphone app. You don’t want to run down your phone’s battery. You’ll need your phone to call Power company for an update (add their Emergency and/or Outage Information number to your Contacts) and me to reassure me … Continue reading Oh, Teacup, a Power Outage?
I don’t know when I got it into my head that my new house would be French. But, just like an expectant mother, convinced she can intuitively glean the gender of her baby months before it is born, I am certain I am carrying a little French house inside me. France and I go way back. My mother, who could read several languages and speak … Continue reading La terre mêlée au mer
All my life I wanted to live on the Northcoast. A third-generation Californian, the Northcoast was any site north of Tamalas Bay and south of Alaska that looked out on the Pacific Ocean. Even Canada was in the running, if I could qualify for a guest pass or whatever. I managed to land in Eureka for a year before settling a mere two miles from … Continue reading Finding my Way to the PNW
In planning my LHBB, Pinterest is both indispensable and deadly. Given nearly limitless glorious photographs and diagrams from all over the world, one cannot easily return to the ho-hum practicalities of less expansive, more locally-available choices. Even pretending my budget and resources allow, I recognize siren song when I hear it. No, I cannot invest the time, (money), and artistry of 200 years ago, today. … Continue reading In Planning…
What do I believe? My best, oldest friend and spirit guide invited me to ask myself this question. I was seeking her advice, insight, answers to one or more of Life’s typical conundrums. And I could only respond with what I want to believe. Want. Desire. Wish. What transforms intention into faith? For at least fifty of my nearly sixty years on this planet I … Continue reading Fashioning Faith
The InConstant Muse 