It has been a month of learning about how to be a home owner, first legally and financially, and then logistically. We finished moving into our house Sunday night and even have the pleasure of houseguests already. We have met a few neighbors, and have wondered about a few more. We have pest control and help with our lawn, and have already learned about our water heater and electrical system, through surprises and research. Our house is old-new, first built in 1930, but stripped to the studs and rebuilt last year.
September 27, 2012
September 14, 2012
September 02, 2012
August 28, 2012
Isaac
Almost exactly four years ago, my husband and I evacuated from New Orleans, in order to get away from Hurricane Gustav. Residents of the Gulf Coast accept hurricanes as part of life; since I had never evacuated before, and didn't know the first thing about hurricanes, I found it scary. Instead of packing, I wrote about what I should be packing.
When Katrina hit a few years before that, I still lived in Minnesota. Up there, I know that I was not alone in wondering why more people hadn't evacuated, but when faced with an evacuation myself, I began to understand it better. Now, I believe that most people, when faced with a significant threat to their home and possessions, would feel tempted to stay home, where they are most comfortable and also where they can see exactly what happens. Not only is evacuating an unexpected travel expense, but it is also packing as an extreme sport, not just requiring selection of garments, but instead necessitating that favored garments be pitted in the competition for space against favorite photos, important papers, and family heirlooms. Especially maddening is the unpredictability of hurricanes; you can feel a little silly for packing up the family silver and driving to your cousin's house, only to find your house perfectly snug and intact when you get back.
When Katrina hit a few years before that, I still lived in Minnesota. Up there, I know that I was not alone in wondering why more people hadn't evacuated, but when faced with an evacuation myself, I began to understand it better. Now, I believe that most people, when faced with a significant threat to their home and possessions, would feel tempted to stay home, where they are most comfortable and also where they can see exactly what happens. Not only is evacuating an unexpected travel expense, but it is also packing as an extreme sport, not just requiring selection of garments, but instead necessitating that favored garments be pitted in the competition for space against favorite photos, important papers, and family heirlooms. Especially maddening is the unpredictability of hurricanes; you can feel a little silly for packing up the family silver and driving to your cousin's house, only to find your house perfectly snug and intact when you get back.
August 26, 2012
August 24, 2012
Michael Pollan Diet
Like many women I know, I am trying to get back into a pair of pants. Congratulations to those of you out there who are happily wearing their skinny pants from back in the day. In the meantime, the rest of us try to make sense of competing nutrition information while simultaneously working to reform bad habits, and maybe while we secretly wonder if we shouldn't just screw the pants and eat the brownie.
August 17, 2012
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