Safari Sabbatical

First of all, thanks for your kind comments expressing support for my waffling ways. Someday we'll buy a house, but not yet. I think. Anyway I'm pretty tired of thinking about the whole thing, and now Japan is melting down and the whole world is collapsing. That's really too heavy for a Monday, so let me just say that I've developed an unhealthy relationship with vacation fantasies to cope with all this crap. Where could I run away to? I did consider the circus, but I think I've found something much more interesting (and far less painful). Check out Giraffe Manor. You can run away with me.

I realize it kind of looks like I'm fantasizing about moving into Jumanji with Robin Williams and that would be 50 kinds of freaky, but this 1930's lodge in Nairobi is for real.

How awesome is this??? It makes me want to jump up and down and start squealing like a pig in heat.

Ike would go bonkers for this shit. Or maybe he would run away screaming... I give him 50/50 odds of having a good time, but this fantasy is really all about me.

Did I mention that the house is pretty amazing, too? It was built in the style of a Scottish hunting lodge. In Kenya.

That kind of sets off my anti imperialist alarm bells, but I'm ignoring them because I want to pet a giraffe from my window like all the other white ladies... no wait, I want a pet giraffe. Do they make tiny giraffes?

I think this Sharon Montrose print from 20x200 is pretty much the only way I'm going to turn fantasy into reality right now. Meanwhile, I'm starting a vacation fund. I'm sure Giraffe Manor is very inexpensive.

Who needs a new house, anyway?

House Wars

This has probably been one of the most stressful weeks of my life. I think even squeezing a watermelon through my lemon was easier -- at least we got a big fat prize at the end of that ordeal. After a week of waffling on two amazing homes that are totally within our budget to purchase AND renovate, we're passing. We think. Jesus, my internal compass is so screwed up I don't even know what my name is anymore. I feel like my arm has been amputated, and if someone asked me to wear a big black helmet and man the Death Star, I probably would. Let's review the properties, shall we?

#1 has an incredible view of Austin, all the way from downtown almost to San Marcos. It has vaulted ceilings, clerestory windows and a closet big enough to live in. It's well located within town, but it's also built at the corner of one of the worst highways in Austin. Plans to redo the highway include building a monster overpass right beneath this house that will make this quiet little neighborhood sound like it's situated near an airport runway. Honestly, the Austin transportation authority is so screwy that it may never happen. But if it does... well, it would suck. A lot. Plus the office space and yard are not very functional for us.

#2 is a sprawling 70s rancher on close to an acre that backs to a gorgeous creek. It has all the space we'll ever need, and tons of privacy. It's also quite a hike from town, and part of the drive has to be made on one of the most highly trafficked and most hated roads in south Austin. Oh yeah, and that road runs right through the neighborhood. It sucks and it pretty much ruins the peace of this very pretty rural community. And did I mention that the commute blows? 30 minutes to downtown with no traffic, probably an hour to tech jobs up north. Ugh.

So that's what we've been grappling with. Even typing this was hard, because I know some of you will tell me to buy one of them. And I'm also sure some of you are barfing at the thought of living in such humble abodes. But wouldn't it have been fun to help me redo them?

Shit I'm all confused and feeling dark side again. Just call me Darth.