Tuesday, January 16, 2007

What is it about an island?


I like this site. Something about owning my own island is appealing. Is it because I will not have to deal with neighbors? No more strange dogs pooping on my lawn. Is it because of the illusion of freedom?
Sure, I could buy a tract of land in the boonies, but you might still have people crossing onto your land. But on an island? They have to use a boat, or swim over. Makes it a little more tricky.

Maybe it is just the dream of a nice warm island where you can relax and get away from everything. Napping on a hammock under a palm tree with a nice tropical breeze sure sounds nice.

The reality probably includes bugs that bite and longing for a burrito from Chipotle. How would you get a pizza delivered?

Maybe it is just the idea of living somewhere different that is appealing.

What is it about the Southwest, and Arizona in particular, where I constantly find myself longing to go back.

I spent 20 some odd years there, and I was always hot in the summer. Miserably hot. 118F is no picnic.

Property taxes are lower. Air conditioning bills are lower than heating bills. But the growth is not being managed. They pave over every bit of desert that they can. They import all of their water, and if Colorado's growth continues and they start to keep more of the water up there, what will Arizona and southern California do?

Do I really want to go back to pollution and congestion and illegal immigration and rude behavior and hot weather? To escape cold and snow, then maybe. You do not have to shovel sunshine. But you also do not get to run around on ATVs with plows attached to the front. You do not get to spend a ton of money on a snow blower. You do not get to go outside and build a snow fort or a snow man.

Lows in the 50s are nice.

Maybe I should just go buy an island.

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Yummy Puppies and Kittens



We go out for lunch. Don't you hate it when you travel, and the locals suggest some hole in the wall dive?

It can be either tasty, or not. In this case, we got a free calendar out of the deal anyway.

Of course it led us all to wonder exactly what was in that buffet that day..