Settling In: Blank Page Syndrome

Don't Waste That! I find a blank canvas to be very daunting. I was in grade school when California's Proposition 13 passed; it froze property taxes at 1976 levels for houses that remained in the owner's hands, or the hands of their heirs. That meant that school funding was suddenly stagnent and budgets tightened immediately. … Continue reading Settling In: Blank Page Syndrome

New House Chronicles: Filling a Beautiful New Shell

When we closed escrow on our new house, the sales agent said, "You've built a beautiful home!" It took some restraint to not laugh in her face. WE didn't build anything. We were offered some design choices, but our new house in a new development looks nearly identical to the one behind us, and the … Continue reading New House Chronicles: Filling a Beautiful New Shell