It is 80°F right now, that would be 27°C for those of you not stuck with Imperial measurement system, and my husband is giddy. He opened all of the windows and doors. This morning it was closer to 60, and when I emerged from the bedroom, he was wearing a hoodie and a big smile. Gordon loves fall. We have a friend coming in for a chat this afternoon and she is equally excited. “We can sit outside!”
That’s Texas in a nutshell for you. We live for the few brief weeks of fall and spring, between the rain and scorching heat.
The HOA cancelled their annual meeting after “conferring with the Police Department and the WCHOA” due to “high Covid case numbers for our city.” No shit.
I’ve ordered 3 cords of wood for the winter. They have received my order. It is being processed. The chimneys have been cleaned. The generator dudes ghosted me. Will have to track down a different company.
The search for the audio narrator continues. I had to pull out my dusty corporate skills and request an acknowledgment that an email has been received today. We’ve identified who we want. Fingers crossed he is available.
I went through most of the admin emails. Mod R says that the cute dog and cat picture backfired because some people thought the post was about dead pets.
:blink:
:blink:
How… Never mind. Just in case you are wondering, Minou Camille has returned to her usual hyper self.
Today we will need to write a fight scene. They are exciting to read but a bit fiddly to write. I recently had an occasion to see the artistic editorial process for comics and it has given me a new appreciation for everything artists go through.
“Make his chin shorter.”
“Make wolf scarier.”
“Make the dog’s body fluffier.
“Make her less wide here.”
“Make him more wide here.”
“Adjust the angle of the eyes here.”
“Make his leg leggier.”
Writing fight scenes is like that. Where is he? Where is she? Where are the assholes and what are they doing? Have we used “hammered” already and would sank be better for this punch? Is this even possible or did we just break all laws of physics? Can she even see what we are describing or is her back turned to them at this point?
We are setting this in Sugar Land, Texas. This is the house we are loosely using as a backdrop: Zillow listing. They are charging premium for that location. It’s a nice house but $9 million is way, way too optimistic. In Hill Country, this would be more like $4.5. Thanks to Hidden Legacy, I have looked at way too many luxury houses.
Well, I have to go and get this fight scene going. 🙂
OK, am I the only one who thinks all these deluxe Texas houses look like a Mafia don built them? All that ruby red satin swag decor!
Curious what goes for “cozy” in Texas?
I’ll take the house on the Chief Joseph Ranch (the one shown on the “Yellowstone” series) any day. Then again, I’m a mountain girl.
But good on them if they get the $9 mil.
Good luck with the fight scene and the rest of the book.
As for the house, wow! I have enough trouble finding my phone and kindle (and sometimes my coffee cup) in my own reasonably sized house, I cannot begin to imagine how I would wander around looking for things there – but of course one would have minions…
Enjoy the fall weather!
I read this post while sitting in a Karate studio in Sugar Land. Bring it on!
Definitely a lot of house. I actually liked most of this house, the colors and all the wood. I must have missed the book cases. Really liked all the chandeliers throughout. Pretty sure I could live like a queen all year on their monthly budget!
Glad to hear little miss has recuperated from her sky dive.
It has actually cooled down enough here to have windows open at night once in a while. Mostly 70s the next two weeks, finally cool enough to do some exterior fixing during the day now. Time to wash windows, replace some caulking, and get other bits and pieces done.
I’m sorry…what does “leggier” mean?
More leg ????
Hmm there was a Zillow ad for a house that was in Texas ( Dallas maybe? ) That was on two power grids, had gas and diesel generators, inside was wired for all kinds of nest stuff and was built like a bunker but looked like a house…grandma Frieda would love it.
With generators, try getting it through either home Depot or Lowes. They use outside contractors and I have good luck with them. They generally act as the GC and bc of that their contractors don’t want to cross them bc being a HD contractor you get a lot of pretty much guaranteed business. Have gotten 2 furnaces and a roof this way ( hd stopped doing roofing). If you have a problem w the contractor they are pretty good at resolving stuff. Lowes prob works the same way.
Estimates are free so nothing to lose. Obviously get an estimate from someone else, too, but I found the cost to be in line with other estimates I got.
Huh. My uncle that was in the oil business had a house in Sugar Land. Dark red brick, white trims, it was the most gorgeous “American” style house I’d ever seen back in early 90s (we lived in Mexico).
This one reminds me of the mansion straight out of the June’s Journey game.
I do admire ‘stately’ homes, though I’d never want to live in one. Yes, one could hire staff to do all the cleaning & grounds maintenance – I presume if you have the cash to buy a place like the one featured in today’s blog you’d have funds to hire staff to maintain it – but that means sacrificing privacy. Though it does mean that if you happen to suffer a medical event that incapacitates you your chances of being found in time to get the help you need increase. I prefer not to dwell on how decomposed a body might get despite AC if it were not found for a few days…..
I love fall too!
This is totally off topic but I wanted to ask if you’ve watched the chinese drama The Long Ballad yet? If not, I recommend.
So did you guys have fun storming the castle?
It’s been high to mid 90’s all week unseasonably warm for this time of year. It has been getting colder in the mornings mid to high 60’s. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest as a child. For me Halloween means wearing a jacket over your costume and, hoping you hit all the houses before it starts raining buckets and, you have to stay home. I’m actually looking forward to some rain.
Love Fall.
Hate the house. Seems like something one buys if one has no taste or class. (Obviously, not my style)
I have no taste or class, and I think that house is gawd awful. It screams nouveau riche with a sixth grade education trying to be “grand.”
Wow that blood red dining room!
Fall!!! ❤️ Can’t wait for the next fight scene!
” Thanks to Hidden Legacy, I have looked at way too many luxury houses.”
Love it! Thank you, and best of luck with your narrator quest.
I wonder if Zillow keeps track of number of individual viewing clicks. Wonder if your link to it has their hearts going Pitter pat.
How exciting! I have been a Sugar Lander most my life, it’s amazing how much its grown over the years. The recent cooler air here was like I had awoken from a bad dream. “Where am I? Is this real life?”
What an absolute monstrosity of a house. It’s really a communal hotel . . . ugh.
I heard about a house in Louisiana that is now under contract after the agent used the owner’s scary doll collection to market it as haunted! Apparently it was on the market forever and in bad shape so creative marketing helped… I thought of the quirky and other real estate posts here! ????
Also, really glad little Minou Camille is ok.
That house. Damn. I can’t even.
Though, clicking through, it reminded me of Rohan’s mom’s house. Or maybe Duncan’s? Not his little ranch (ha!) but his fancy place.
That’s a gorgeous house, I especially love the wrought iron staircase. Not a fan of all of the wood, though. I get nervous at the idea of living so close to a lake or river in a place that gets so much rain.
I live in Corpus Christi and the cooler weather is amazing! Sat outside with the dogs and they were so happy! Fall in Texas is the best
Maybe this is my New England Puritan upbringing speaking but that house? Not for me. Nope!
Wow, so much house. I can see me sliding a lot in that entrance from all the shiny marble floors. Lots of hiding places, though. I think sound would travel easily in that house, too. Can bullets bounce off marble? The pool was cool, though.
Maybe you can get the kids and boyfriends to come be characters to act out the fight to narrow down who can see what. I would do that!
Good luck!
It’s the fighting style that’s the starting point. Because if the would just pull out a knife.or a gun then they don’t have to get close hehahahe. Have I put you off or made your giggle. I’m into Spring here so it’s gardening and rain. Maybe snow and wind.
Fall is my favorite time of the year. Mornings are cool and crisp and the afternoons are warm and we have daylight still in the early evenings. I dread the winter here in Seattle since its damp and dark. I just had my chimney rebuilt from the roofline up; new roof and gutters – I had a leak by the chimney. I am looking forward to using the fireplace this year; and have my stack of aged and seasoned wood ready!
Well, at least it has a pool.
I recognize the photo from a house not far from me. It is a favorite spot for professional and amateur photographers and there are many stock images floating around. The house at the end of the drive is amazing. 12K plus square foot Northwest Contemporary architecture. Also has an area of low bank along the River where elk come through. Zillow still has some photos up from several years ago. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8100-428th-Ave-SE-Snoqualmie-WA-98065/48873314_zpid/?mmlb=g,14.
Yay Sugar Land!!! You are in my neck of the woods :). I thought at first you were looking at a house in Sweetwater but where you are looking is still high dollar. Love some brownstones like homes in that area. Still very McMansion, not in Sweetwater. Very cool!
I loves me some fight scenes. You’re right, they are fiddley to write but they make my inner psycho happy.
When i saw the title, i thought dead pet, too … Its the title saying the way she goes.
I means, you just talk about the cat, a she. And next thing i see is ‘she goes’. The pic didn’t help any….
Glad little kitty is back to self. 🙂 Yay, fight scene!! And yay open windows!!! I hail Gordon as one hoodie-wearer to another and raise my hot tea in salute!
PS. If you’re looking for generator people, generac did well for us. A bit of a wait to get it installed, but thorough job.
Question for you Texans pls…what is this property tax? Is it a one-off payment on purchase or an ongoing yearly charge? Pls tell me it’s a one-off, I realise that is an excessive property but even so that property tax is crazy!
Hey Astra,
Not a Texan, but hope this helps 🙂 https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/ptax-faqs.php
Thank you. Good gods its yearly! We have a -can’t really call it similar as it’s very different lol- system over here in Australia.
Home owners pay rates (another word for tax lol) to the local governments called city councils and there is no discussion/objection involved. And it’s less than a tenth of that place!
Can anyone pls tell me what would be an average amount of taxes for a 4bed 3bath home in Texas?
Texas is a state. States are divided into counties. Counties can set their own property tax rate. So the same house in 2 different counties can have significantly different property tax rates.
In Manhattan NYC our 2 bed 2 bath 30m2 (900 sq ft) apt we pay10k a year in property taxes. No amenities. No Parking – a garage rental spot runs $500/mth. Most people in the city do not have cars. We cannot retire here.
Astra,
Texas has no state income tax, so the annual county property tax bill also includes state taxes. The other way the state raises money is a 6% sales tax on most things other than food you have to prepare yourself and drugs.
Just checked the amount and that is a really impressive property tax bill. The largest I’d seen before this one was in the range of $50,000 for a home in Texas, but I don’t know how large it was.
Minou and Tuna pictures make me smile even on my worst days. Thank you for sharing about your animals.
TY
Nice post…
Well rounded…
Great updates…
And hey, FALL!
I am very happy to read that Minou Camille is herself again. Cats are pretty good at getting over things like that, but sometimes, they’re not.
Fight scenes puzzle me. I try to imagine how it would work and can’t. If I had to write one, it would end up with nothing but who won. What I love is the little tidbits such as saying that Catalina punched someone in the throat because that doesn’t hurt your fist the way hitting a face does. You bring the fights alive, so I’m sorry you have to work so hard, but appreciative of all the end results.
That house is pretty hideous. Of course, I despise arches, so there’s that. I can’t imagine trying to cope with what seems to be such a big house that people will get lost in it. I”d need an army to take care of it all!
Loving this current Texas weather. I can wear long sleeves and not need a sweater indoors at work bc of the AC. I saw the Zillow house and all I could think of is Beige. It is all mostly Beige. It needs more color.
Good luck on the fight scene. Y’all always have such good ones.
If you are going to build a grand staircase the tread height should be shorter. Grand stairs were built to sweep down in your formal gown with a train. It doesn’t work with modern stair heights!
ok, I’m sorry to admit this, but I really dislike that house. I realize it’s all staged for sale, but there’s not a single room photographed that I would want to live in. It also sits too close to the water and there’s not enough elevation to prevent flooding. Since the lake is undoubtedly man made, I bet mosquitos are a major problem. Just no.
Fall: best time of year in my opinion too! NJ has nothing on Texas for hot weather, but I also do happy dances on the first coolish day after a hot, humid summer…and that day is today(even though admittedly this summer hasn’t been that bad!) Woo Hoo!!!!! ????
Beautiful house but here in my part of England 9million dollars(obviously the £ equivalent) would buy a small Georgian/Victorian or even Tudor Manor House and the accompanying home farm with several cottages(U.K. ones not ‘the Hamptons’) and a 500 acre estate !!
The house is beautiful but I agree, VERY optimistically priced. Just changing all the window treatments, paint, etc. will cost a bundle. Because the colors won’t appeal to everyone.
So.California seems to finally be cooling down. We’re hoping ???? for a wet and snowy winter that will fill our rivers and reservoirs.
There are somethings about “really grand” houses that I don’t understand. Like how many people are using this bathroom? If you are rich and need a bathroom the size of a locker room, what exactly are you doing in there? Maybe a half dozen smaller bathrooms would afford a little more privacy, just sayin’. Oh and for the record, I enjoy your blog almost as much as your books.
Different people, different tastes. I looked through the Zillow listing and I thought the house was ostentatious and tacky.
But I also don’t have $9 million so it might be my poverty talking ????
No. It’s not poverty talking. It is the epitome of ostentatious and tacky. And the furniture. Shudder.
does the property come with a butler, maid, valet and a pool boy?
how could you ever relax there? or is supposed to intimidate ?
My daughter recently got appointed lead animator for the new tv series called the Proud Family-Louder and Prouder at Disney studios Vancouver. She has done many aminated series and movies including teaching the animators drawing Snoopy Goes to Space how to use their new 2d drawing program as well as being a quality control person on My Little Pony the Movie. As she said, they had no control as to the colours used in the movie. That was dictated by the producer and director. So I think she would understand. Pretty much 90% of new covid cases here are unvaccinated people. Even with Canadian health care it costs the goverment $50,000.00 to have a covid patient in ICU compared to $6,000-$8,000 for a heart attack patient. With the 140 people that were in ICU recently that is $7MILLION. I hate to think what the costs are in the USA
Thank you for making the fiddly bits realistic.
Right now we are having the summer coastal fog in the mornings still. Our local weatherman calls August Fogust. Since Cal Poly is in session there will be a heat wave of 100+ in October before the rains hit (if we get any this year). Way to much house for not enough land, and that price would fit right in for California.
Yikes! Can that house get any busier? So many arches and angles, my eyes hurt. Very few of the rooms actually look comfortable. If you stage a fight scene there, I would think the protagonist could just run away and have a decent chance of loosing the bad guys in all those rooms.
Seriously fuggly furniture….
I just don’t understand what someone does with all that space. How many living rooms/sitting rooms/similar does it have? Three? Four? Why? Who uses all that space often? How many housecleaners do they have? They could host a decent-sized seminar in there. I don’t get it.
Of course, I miss my first house, which was an 820 sf cottage. A tad on the small side — 1000 sf is about right when I have all my stuff.
That house seems built to impress; I hope it has lots of opportunities to impress or it’s doomed to a life of never reaching its potential.