Snow in Tucson
Jan. 23rd, 2007 05:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pameladlloydLast night it snowed. For many, this might not seem remarkable, but for those of us in Tucson, it is a magical event to see the snow falling and sticking as the day ends, and to wake to a wintry, snow-covered desert. It has been perhaps a decade since the entire city was blanketed as thoroughly. Driving to work, this morning, I longed to be able to go out instead to our land -- to take pictures, and also just to experience this moment there.
The snow started, I think, around 7 p.m., after an afternoon of rain. I'd spent a busy afternoon with my middle stepson, dropping by a farmer's market where I bought organic produce, getting my stepson a haircut, buying office supplies for both my home office and my cubicle at work, and getting some new stretchy duds to wear Tuesday, at the new exercise facility at work. (I'm a bit uncomfortable with the idea of exercising with my co-workers, mostly because I'm terribly out of shape. But, I also wasn't sure that any of my regular clothing would have the stretch necessary for me to be comfortable. I hope this will be a good experience.) After all that, we headed to Borders, where Karl and I and the boys were to meet with the architect to go over the plans for the property and for the first house we're planning on building, which will be for the boys.
I arrived at Borders a bit early for our 4 p.m. meeting, so I had plenty of time to exchange a hard back I'd recently purchased (which I had discovered when I got back home that I already had another copy in my to-be-read pile), along with about $4, for three paperbacks, and a graphic novel. Unfortunately, Karl's truck, a '67 Ford, has been having braking problems. Karl had taken it to our usual shop multiple times, but each time, within a few days, the brake problem would be back. He'd started on his way, but found that the problems were back again, and with the roads slick with rain, he felt it wasn't safe to continue. So, I wound up meeting with the architect by myself. (Yes, my stepson was there, but he sat quietly with his graphic novel and some hot chocolate.)
The architect and I went over the plans, starting with the overall 4-lot view. We're trying to determine where we want the septics to go, which means we have to make decisions about where the houses will go. The architect has recommended that we consider the possibility of redrawing the boundaries between the properties, to give us more flexibility in where we place our houses. We're not entirely averse to the idea, but we don't want to get involved in anything that will slow us down right now, and this might. The architect agreed that we don't have to make that kind of decision right away, and that, in fact, we will probably be best off if we wait until we've got the property out of escrow. We also discussed the various easements and other factors that restrict where we can build. There are actually two riparian areas that affect at least two of the lots, due to the washes that help to make the land so beautiful and desirable for us. (We'd looked at a lot of "flat, buildable" lots and they just weren't what we wanted. This place, while still having a gentle slope that won't make building hard, has interest.) The architect and I also went over the plans for the boys' house. This was harder in many ways, since it's not my home and all I could do was try to comment on what I could remember of what the boys wanted, trying not to insert too much of my personal opinion. We parted, and I carried drawings back home to be reviewed, remarked, and marked on.
On my way home, I stopped by Trader Joe's to stock up on dairy. While I was in the store, people noticed it was snowing. Even the guy checking me out, as I was leaving the store, excused himself from the customer following me, so he could step out and experience the snow. Driving home, I was torn between my joy at the beauty and wonder of snow (and I don't even like the cold) and my awareness of the danger of driving in streets that were becoming increasingly slick.
Since I last posted, we've actually met twice with the architect. Prior to this last meeting, we all met the architect and his primary drafts-person out on the land. We had a lot to discuss and a short time to do it in, but this was the day all our soon-to-be neighbors dropped by to say hi, to respond in person to some previously mailed questions about the area, and just generally to be friendly. It was great getting to meet them, but frustrating to have our limited time with the architect interrupted.
At this point, we anticipate that the various things that have to happen before we can close on the land and get ourselves out there should take between six and eight weeks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but at least things are happening now.
The snow started, I think, around 7 p.m., after an afternoon of rain. I'd spent a busy afternoon with my middle stepson, dropping by a farmer's market where I bought organic produce, getting my stepson a haircut, buying office supplies for both my home office and my cubicle at work, and getting some new stretchy duds to wear Tuesday, at the new exercise facility at work. (I'm a bit uncomfortable with the idea of exercising with my co-workers, mostly because I'm terribly out of shape. But, I also wasn't sure that any of my regular clothing would have the stretch necessary for me to be comfortable. I hope this will be a good experience.) After all that, we headed to Borders, where Karl and I and the boys were to meet with the architect to go over the plans for the property and for the first house we're planning on building, which will be for the boys.
I arrived at Borders a bit early for our 4 p.m. meeting, so I had plenty of time to exchange a hard back I'd recently purchased (which I had discovered when I got back home that I already had another copy in my to-be-read pile), along with about $4, for three paperbacks, and a graphic novel. Unfortunately, Karl's truck, a '67 Ford, has been having braking problems. Karl had taken it to our usual shop multiple times, but each time, within a few days, the brake problem would be back. He'd started on his way, but found that the problems were back again, and with the roads slick with rain, he felt it wasn't safe to continue. So, I wound up meeting with the architect by myself. (Yes, my stepson was there, but he sat quietly with his graphic novel and some hot chocolate.)
The architect and I went over the plans, starting with the overall 4-lot view. We're trying to determine where we want the septics to go, which means we have to make decisions about where the houses will go. The architect has recommended that we consider the possibility of redrawing the boundaries between the properties, to give us more flexibility in where we place our houses. We're not entirely averse to the idea, but we don't want to get involved in anything that will slow us down right now, and this might. The architect agreed that we don't have to make that kind of decision right away, and that, in fact, we will probably be best off if we wait until we've got the property out of escrow. We also discussed the various easements and other factors that restrict where we can build. There are actually two riparian areas that affect at least two of the lots, due to the washes that help to make the land so beautiful and desirable for us. (We'd looked at a lot of "flat, buildable" lots and they just weren't what we wanted. This place, while still having a gentle slope that won't make building hard, has interest.) The architect and I also went over the plans for the boys' house. This was harder in many ways, since it's not my home and all I could do was try to comment on what I could remember of what the boys wanted, trying not to insert too much of my personal opinion. We parted, and I carried drawings back home to be reviewed, remarked, and marked on.
On my way home, I stopped by Trader Joe's to stock up on dairy. While I was in the store, people noticed it was snowing. Even the guy checking me out, as I was leaving the store, excused himself from the customer following me, so he could step out and experience the snow. Driving home, I was torn between my joy at the beauty and wonder of snow (and I don't even like the cold) and my awareness of the danger of driving in streets that were becoming increasingly slick.
Since I last posted, we've actually met twice with the architect. Prior to this last meeting, we all met the architect and his primary drafts-person out on the land. We had a lot to discuss and a short time to do it in, but this was the day all our soon-to-be neighbors dropped by to say hi, to respond in person to some previously mailed questions about the area, and just generally to be friendly. It was great getting to meet them, but frustrating to have our limited time with the architect interrupted.
At this point, we anticipate that the various things that have to happen before we can close on the land and get ourselves out there should take between six and eight weeks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but at least things are happening now.
