First Class Cabin

Another view of our friends' Charlevoix vacation home-a true Michigan cabin.

Dantes Inferno Is No Divine Comedy

The only good thing to be said about our recent heat wave is that it is not interfering with the construction of Barbie's Dream House. The only reason the weather has not been an impediment to the building process is because there is no house in process; no subs to feel sorry for in the sweltering heat.

...and on the Seventh Day She Rested

"That lawyer from Chicago" and I escaped the rental villa (and the kids, the dog, the heat and the stress) and drove "up north" (northern Michigan to the uninitiated) for a weekend at the lakefront cabin of friends.

Nothing better than sunny days and cool nights, a boat ride and a bar-b-que to recalibrate the stress-o-meter.

Houston, We Have Lift Off!

Whoever said "remember to celebrate the small stuff" (or is that "don't sweat the small stuff?") was most certainly talking about building a house. This week we are celebrating the filing of the mountains of paperwork necessary to get a building permit for Barbie's Dream House. Stay tuned for the countdown to permit day!

Whine List

Friends and acquaintances often remark that it must be great to be able to build a house and have everything "exactly the way you want it." These are the reasons why I want people to stop saying this to me:

• I am grown-up enough to no longer insist that everything be the way I want it.
• I have finally un-loaded our old house, the original money pit, and was not looking for another project.
• I have finally off-loaded our 2 (smart, caring, handsome!) dependents to outrageously expensive institutions of higher education and everyone is happy, happy with their situations. (See reason #2)

Charm City

This is not Barbie's dream house. As it turns out, Midge lives around the corner and has fabulous taste.

4th of July Holidaze

"That lawyer from Chicago" and I are trying to use the holiday weekend to finalize our house plans and enjoy the 4th of July traditions of our small village in the 'burbs.

Even though my own attempts at displaying holiday spirit at our rental villa are somewhat minimalist, others in town (as evidenced by the next photo) have made a more substantial effort.