I need orange: August 23

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Oops. I knew there were several onions in the fridge, and I wanted to make ratatouille. Luckily the lone red onion (not in the pic) was still usable. The ratatouille was delicious, and there was enough left over to freeze a dinner's worth. Hooray!

Running the Saturday errands on Sunday afternoon.

Flowers at the bank on the corner of Scio Church and Main. Or, at least, it used to be a bank. Maybe it's something else now?

On our way home from running errands I saw that there was an open house in the "luxury condos" on Huron near 7th. I'd been curious about that location for "luxury condos" (really? right on a really busy street?) ever since they built them several years ago, but had never had the chance to go in.

We put away the milk and whatever other groceries we'd just gotten which needed refrigeration, and then I turned right around and walked over to see that condo.

I already knew that I am seriously out-of-tune with what home-buyers want. I am always baffled, watching shelter shows on HGTV, the way (essentially) EVERYONE "has to have" granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Really, people? Don't you realize that the *moment* nearly everyone has granite and stainless, someone will declare them as hopelessly passé? And then try to make you feel that you are a big fat loser until you re-do your kitchen to ... what, stainless steel countertops and granite appliances?

What is up with "fashion" in home furnishings, anyway? What a bogus concept; invented to sell stuff they don't need to people who probably ought to be saving for their retirement, rather than changing out perfectly functional white appliances for stainless steel, say. Shame on people who make their livings selling stuff to people that is not actually good for those buyers. Sheesh.

So I go into this condo, and the sales person immediately starts in on me about the granite (even in the powder room) and the stainless steel. She's telling me the name of the company that made the cabinets. The condo is on three floors (plus a 350 square foot bonus room in the basement), and heated garage space for two cars.

She told me there was special dry wall to keep out the noise from Huron, but when I asked if the windows were triple-pane (for the same reason), I was told "no". Hmmmm.

The ground floor is the living space. Kitchen/living. Now that I think about it -- where were you supposed to eat? Out, probably. Kitchen for show, rather than for use??? Cook your food, in your luxury condo, and eat at tv tables in your basement bonus room?

The second floor is the master suite. There was a gracious plenty of storage space throughout, including multiple walk-in closets on the second floor. She told me one of them could be made into another bathroom, if you couldn't share a bathroom with whoever you were sharing a bed with! There is "a private balcony" from the master suite over Huron. Yep, that's just where I want to sit, to brush my teeth in the morning. Right in front of hundreds of commuters, breathing in fumes from all those cars...........................

The top floor is a guest suite (another full bath), and more storage. (and more granite and more name-brand [I guess; I didn't recognize the name] cabinets)

I finally told her that I was far more interested in location and views than in "high-end finishes."

I asked her "how much" and was rather shocked to hear $680,000. With hefty "home owner association" fees. For a condo with a million stairs, right on Huron. But it's all granite and stainless and name-brand? cabinets, so it must be worth it.

I completely don't "get" any of it.

But there you go; that's my report on the fancy-schmancy condos.

Back to real life!

I walked home on the east side of the "big block across the street." (The street arrangement in front of our house is a bit odd.)

I used to take Burt round the "big block" sometimes, but for the last couple of years of his life he wouldn't go that way.

My usual walking loop goes the other way; it had been a while since I walked this way.

I have walked by this house a LOT of times, but never noticed these arrangments on the windows. I don't know if they are new, or just new to me.

Red glass and beach finds. Nice!

I'm going to have to go back there, and try for a sharper catch of this arrangement. I like the shapes and textures. See the stripes from the blind through the red glass?

I would not recognize the woman who owns this house, but I know who her dog is. (So much easier to tell dogs apart, than people!) She's got something going on over her garage. Now I want to see the inside of her house and her ... studio? guest room? meditation space? ... over the garage.