That’s what the signs say in Tanglewood Shores, a neighborhood adjacent to Canyon Lake in … you guessed it… Canyon Lake, Texas. We laughed when we read them because we have said all along that this journey is about “seeking home”, never imagining that “home” could be in Texas. I mean, how different from Santa Cruz can you get? But we are in escrow on the little house pictured above and below, set to close on July 10 if all goes as planned.
Life is truly strange. If Nicole hadn’t decided to move to Rockport, and if Noche hadn’t had that horrible car accident, this wouldn’t be happening. While waiting for Nicole to return so that we could help her get settled, we went to the hill country again … in part to escape the stickiness of the coast but also to take Noche to an orthopedic specialist in San Antonio. We found a state park campsite along the Guadalupe River for the first two nights. They were full for the weekend so we moved to an Army Corp campground on Canyon Lake with a first-come, first-serve loop, and promptly fell in love with the lake. 75 degree water, aqua-colored against a blue sky filled with puffy white clouds… what’s not to love? Well, the heat, perhaps. And the wind. Though the latter helped with the former it was still pretty intense at times. But I could jump in the lake on my floaty-thing to cool down and drift with the wind from our campsite to the boat ramp so it all worked out well.
Per his norm, Steve started real estate shopping and per mine, I began reciting the litany of why this place didn’t work. But when he called an agent about showing us a property, I went along. Nope, that wasn’t it. And another house. Nope, that wasn’t it. This was just what I wanted. No temptation to do something silly.
Then Chad took us to a third house, almost built and not yet on the market, walking distance from our campsite. Whoops… that’s when the trouble started. This one looked like “home”! It was little and cute. Josh, the builder, is quite the craftsman with red cedar, and it is a “circle house”… my favorite! Moreover, it was within our budget, even once we furnish it and put in a driveway and landscaping… with enough left over to buy a used boat!
So… a deal was struck and if it plays out, we’ll call Canyon Lake home come December (and Chad can buy more diapers!) It will be strange to buy a house, lock it up and leave but that’s what we’ll do. We still have places to go and people to see and life on wheels isn’t ending yet.
But nothing is done until it’s done, and good luck, bad luck, who knows? Stay tuned…
Needless to say, I am jealous as we are crafting our letter of rejection to the counter offer the bank presented yesterday. We’ll see if they have a reality check as to the value of California real estate.
Fires seem to be somewhat under control although one of the lightning struck fires on Mt. Madonna looks worrisome. I never thought I would become an expert at identifying CDF aircraft on sight. We spent the afternoon sitting in the rain watching the helicopter bucket brigade cross the valley over and over going from the ocean and back to the fire. Fortunately, it is not in a heavily populated area like the one yesterday.
That being said, I approve of the metal roof on your cute litte house. I am quite sure had I seen it first, we would have to arm wrestle over it. Even if it IS in Texas.
Still hard to believe that you are probably going to be in TX. I like where you are if that happens and I think
it will. The house is ‘so you”. I am wondering what is
happening in Rockport today. I hope unloading a van.
Steve said he did well in OH today. Girls are there
tonight and here for lunch tomorrow. Busy Week. Shaun
should be soon in MIss. Love you all three
Did you notice that one of your first posts on ourhousehaswheels.com is about your new house *without* wheels? Will there be a third website I wonder? 😉
The house looks regtangular to me! 2nd grade math teaches me that two straight lines that come together in a vertex for an angle and that means it can’t be a circle!
The pictures Dad and Mom sent me did make me think it was “home” for you and Steve.
Where are you now?
Hey, Laura–“Anna in Clerkland” here. 🙂 What’s that John Lennon line? “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans” or something like that… The house is adorable; I hope things work out the way you folks wish. I also hope things are going well with all of you, that Noche is doing ok recouperating, and that the ongoing adventures are wonderful (full-of-wonder). I’ve been enjoying keeping up with you on the blog; thanks for the entries! And I do have to send condolences about Penelope Sue, S.K. (I had my own “S.K.” for almost 20 years). Be well–I send lots of good thoughs, laughter, and hopes for all good things. –Anna
Michelle questioned the term “circle house” as did I. Be careful what you ask in the world of immediate answers:
This disclosure relates to a house or like building structure in which the unique feature dictating the very foundation of the entire system is the geometrical pattern of a structural load-bearing shell which within a basic 40 foot diameter circle includes a central square cover, the square core being in direct relation to and parallel with walls of the perimeter forming tangents to the common 40 foot circle whereby the center square core now becomes, structurally speaking, the recipient box for load-carrying needed to support all members extending outward to the tangent walls which additionally results in the formation of a floor composed of five rectangular areas. A chordal wall is disposed between adjacent pairs of tangential walls thus resulting in the “squaring” of the 40 foot diameter circle and permitting the construction of the building of a limited number of different size pieces of lumber (only 2 × 4 × 16 and 2 × 6 × 12 required) in an extremely short period of time by unskilled labor, and at a low cost.
Got that? I’m still not sure I understand it but at least it adresses the circle vs. square question. Thanks to freepatentsonline.com
“And the wind. Though the latter helped with the former it was still pretty intense at times. But I could jump in the lake on my floaty-thing to cool down and drift with the wind from our campsite to the boat ramp so it all worked out well.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Well if that isn’t just the cutest, comfortable-lookin’ home for the two (oops…3, 4, 5???) of you folks. And with the energy crisis as is, what a positive stroke to potentially install a wind-generator to capture the aformentioned!
If Dottie is anything like Gemini, she will turn into the Loch-Ness Monster of the nearby lake in no time!
A “Circle House”??? Don’t get too dizzy trying to establish the furniture layout.
Well… now that the circle houses and rectangles have been defined, I’ll offer up MY definition of a circle house. It is one that you can walk through INSIDE in a circle. Nicole and Westi knew what I meant. The Santa Cruz house they grew up in was a circle house. The path was kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, living room, dining area and then you were back in the kitchen. Mike and Westi’s first house was a circle house too. It’s path was kitchen and dining area, living room, hallway, utility room and back to the kitchen. Our new house is living room, hallway, bathroom, bedroom and back into the living room. I guess I just like to go in circles (I always did like hiking loops!)
To answer your location question, Michele, we are still in Rockport with Nicole. The upper right column of this site has our current location and we are very good at keeping it updated.
Yeah … people are posting comments. That makes me happy! 🙂
Rick, you’re right about the wind… we’d like to add solar and wind generation, as well as rain water catchment!
Thanks, Anna, for sympathies about Penny Sue. Her ashes arrived in my daughter’s moving truck this week, sending me off in a new wave of sorrow at her loss. The cremation company did the nicest thing though… they took her paw prints before they cremated her and made a little personalized plaque for us, as well as putting her ashes in a sweet little personalized blue pot. We’ll be making a little penny sue alter, complete with food bowl (at Westi’s suggestion) when we get settled.
You are getting comments and that is fun. Remember we are
only here 5 more days so we need some more photos before
we go to Alaska. I keep wondering what is happening in
Rockport. Hopefully Rashmi has a computer at home we can
use. Dad is biking and should come home soaked. It rained
not too soon after he left. No storm though so hopefully
is is okay. Steve and girls were at Sterling State Park
for some practice for swimmers. Tomorrow we go to Willow
for kids to have some triahlon practice. Girls won’t be
here on Sat but other kids will compete in Southfield.
Jill had nice birthday yesterday. Things are always successful at laser tag if they beat Gramps and they did.
We had cake and ice cream and presents at the house and
they had great fun with some simple little kid things.
They are not totally grownup yet! Hopefully Steve will
post some photots. Love you all
Hey! Most of my houses have been circle houses based on that description! The key point is, you can’t get lost!
Alas, my potential new house is not. It’s more of a “T”.
Laura & Steve ~
To think you would be buying a house…so soon…well, it makes me laugh and happy for you at the same time. It looks wonderful and perfect. Be happy you have moved… we had one of those wonderful (??) meetings yesterday for those left on Fern Flat…and well…the fox is now in the hen house…via a snake. We’re trying to figure out how to legally remove ourselves from the entire insanity. I envy you right now!!
Belated ‘I’m sorry’ about your baby, Penny Sue. I am glad that she has a new home to rest though and you have a wonderful reminder of her as well. It’s hard to feel all those emotions. We had to go through it here again. My heart goes out to you both.
Love and miss you bunches ~
Patti
Hi Laura, Steve,
We’ve been wondering where you could land, after leaving this beautiful spot. Good luck with everything going through for your new home… in Texas. Wow.
Well, we got our firsthand look at what you escaped, when we went to the meeting on Saturday. It had a functional facade… but Patti’s comment kind of explains what all was actually functioning. The new kids on the block wanted to be optimistic, but we have kind of a creepy feeling about things. Outside our property, anyway.
At 5950 things are still perfectly wonderful. We’re all getting to spend a lot of time there this summer, and we feel absolutely lucky to have landed there. The concrete barn floor is poured, the kiln is in place… ready to throw when I go back down tomorrow.
I bought a copy of Dorothy Miller’s book on Indigo Dyeing. She was quite a lady.
Two of the carp disappeared one weekend. So sorry. One is still there, and there are some tiny fish that look like baby carp. Hmmm…
Fire season has taken on a new importance in my life. Yikes!
Enjoy the next leg(s) of your travels, and settling into your new home. And know that whenever you’re back in Aptos, you’re welcome home.
fondly, diana
Patti and Diana … it is wonderful to hear from you but I sure wish it was inspired by something nicer than the UFFRA meeting. I miss friends … last week I was really “people sick” … and I long for the blessed fog …but I sure don’t miss the Road Association or a few neighbors who I won’t mention by name. Believe it or not, our new home-to-be has a Homeowner’s Association. We researched it pretty well … enough to know that there is potential for controversy but that as-of-yet, they haven’t had anything like what we left behind “on the mountain”. No lawsuits. Our access is county road and primarily the HOA tries to keep folks from living in campers on their property without septic systems, dumping on the land, etc, and oversees maintenance and care of the neighborhood swimming pool. Dues are $24 per year!! $36 if you pay a voluntary $12 pool maintenance fee as well. Steve and I will happily pay that, and we’ll go to picnics, volunteer work days, etc. Beyond that, I am staying OUT OF IT!!!
I’ve thought so much about people and places “back home” this past month as I followed the fires on the news. That first one was way too close for comfort! And the last one really hit me with all of the animal losses. THAT was always my biggest fire-related fear… not being able to get my animals out. And even with my penchant for worry, I didn’t usually start worrying about fire till late August … I can’t believe how early fire season began this year. We did our best the past couple of years to clear brush around the house and limb the trees up to create better defensible space. Still, I know it is an ongoing process and in a big wildfire, it is never enough. As it turns out, you can run but you can’t escape. Comal County, Texas (where we’ll be living) just declared itself a local disaster due to drought and high wildfire danger. It hasn’t happened here yet but the potential certainly exists. I’m pretty glad we won’t close until after the July 4th craziness… just in case something gets out of hand.
Diana… I still owe you stories and pictures. Pictures are in storage and stories still in my head. We’ll be back on the west coast this fall, and will spend a chunk of the time in the area. When we get our stuff out of storage, I will make sure to make good on my promise. Yes, you’re right… Dorothy Miller was “quite a lady”. And Gene Miller was incredible too. The place they built together deserves people to love it and use it… the way we did … and the way you do. I am so grateful you love it and are enjoying it. With the road stuff… ignore it as long and as best you can. Enjoy the beauty … there is something to be said for life in a bubble. May yours never pop.
That is such a cute sweet little house I love the round porch, whats on the other side? I can already see you,Steve and your stuff all in there and wait I think I see little bitty doggies that look like DOT???