there are too few places left where we can meet and greet, sit and wit, diffuse and muse, chat and ... i'll stop.

at the coffee gallery though, you can do this, and drink ice coffee till your blood speeds up and feet bounce. i've been discussing affordable housing issues with some friends there, and it occurs to me that outside of this forum, i probably would not be moving forward in thinking about adding a second unit to my property. where else can you sit casually with a real estate agent, a mortgage and finance dude, an architect and a affordable housing advocate? i have no expertise on the real estate market and investing in general. the fact that i even own a home is due mostly to the generosity of a few key people and the blessing and timing of God. and there is a part of me, as a single young woman, that feels quite overwhelmed with home ownership much of the time. this does not discount the gratitude i have daily for this gift i have been given. at the same time, it's a huge responsibility, and one i feel the weight of when painting the bathroom takes weeks, the bushes are growing too high again, and there is a mysterious dust in the cabinets that makes me think of wood eating creatures snacking while i sleep.

so this decision about spending thousands of dollars i don't have feels huge and heavy. i have been raised to fear credit, and still believe in the wisdom of paying cash. jumping into the world of permits and contractors and potenial money pits and mean advantage taking men is scary. at the same time, my coffee gallery friend says to me, "what are you waiting for.... trust yourself." and inside, i agree. becuase this is something i want... because i love the transformation of something stagnant (i.e. my jungle behind the garage) into something useful (a home for a family). becuase i own land and want to take care of it and use it well. because i want to be a part of creating something beautiful. and so i hope, hope that i will do something positive for the future of my property investment, for affordable housing, for my neighborhood, and for me personally. it feels good to trust myself.