This is Camelia and Maggie, our Australian Shepherds, living here in the 900 sq ft 1924 Craftsman house in Normal Heights. They think the house is too small. I think the house is too small. Jim's more zen and content. I am not a big material person. However, I dream of a closet of my own and a studio. A real room to be creative and maybe sleep in too. This house is smaller than my parent's house but very cute-2 bedrooms, 1 bath. First alone and then with Jim, we've lived here for 20 years. Who knew we would still be here. But San Diego is expensive, moving is difficult and every argument about where we might move came down to the following: how long the commute would be to our various workplaces; how the country places where Duncan the horse might live would also have rattlesnakes that would bite the dogs; how we couldn't afford Mission Hills, or Kensington or even a bigger house in La Mesa; how much the taxes go up when you move. Should we move to Seattle? We work here. So, along the way we did things.
Fifteen years ago the sagging house was lifted up and given a new foundation, new drywall, new kitchen and revamped electrical. After a second sagging caused by the new fireplace footings pulling the house over, we replaced the fireplace. A few years ago we added an arbor to the side - giving the illusion rather than the reality of a larger house. Last year we enclosed the front yard with a beautiful fence making the busy street more bearable and creating a much needed sense of privacy in our urban neighborhood. We changed the walk to the porch from straight down the middle to a curve - that made it less conventional, more flowing. Still I dreamed of changing the space in back where a prefab sunroom had become a crowded studio - hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. Jim finally agreed to consider the new room.
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