The house build proceeds. As the ‘homeowner’ the process reminds me of riding a roller coaster. You strap in. You wait while others are strapped in. Then, the jerky movements that gain you a few feet at a time, throwing your head back with their abrupt halts, begin inching you toward the mountain of track ahead. Finally, the snake of cars in which you are … Continue reading Rollercoaster Ride
The plethora of lighting options for new builds or replacements in existing homes confounds the mind. The lighting industry is huge, delivering products from one shop artisans, conglomerate electronics lines and age old foundries. Shapes, materials, accents and functions are seeming endless. Ceiling mounts, pendants, wall sconces, table lamps… How does one choose? Allow me to illuminate my criteria. (ha, ha) I’ve spent hours ‘oohing’ … Continue reading Lighting
The LHBB (Little House Big Build) is all about shrinking my footprint. Both my conscience and life stage have led me to understand it’s time to reduce my material presence. What does that mean? My ethics are rooted in conservation of available resources; they underpin my passion for saving and restoring old, historic properties. But old homes inevitably require more energy and product to properly … Continue reading Shrinking my Footprint
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
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
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…
The InConstant Muse 