Cold. It's really cold.

Willy, thanks for reminding me that I had this thing! Just kidding. You'll see it's been more than that. Glad to hear that you're alive and well.

Well, as you may have figured, like many project that start with gusto, this one has been hung up on one small thing: FINANCING. hat I was unprepared for was an estimate that was more than 3 times as much as I can not only afford, but well more than twice what the house is worth. The simplest way to say it at this point is more or less this: "Back to the drawing board."

Not quite, actually. I completed the house in which I live for under 100k. Period. Yes, I put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears (well, not so many tears really...), but I figure it can't be that much more to do what I want to do with 1342 Linden. I simply have to bide my time AND cut back on some things.

I may have to change the hardiplank to vinyl. Not the end of the world. I'll probably have to cut back on the second story building addition. BIG DEAL. But not the end of the world (just the end of thinking that this place was going to be my future house). I have to cut back on some details, reduce quantities, replace "really nice" with "just ok." Things that I hate doing, but make complete and utter financial sense. Just one more lesson to learn for use in my day job.

It just makes me wonder, "How many times has that limestone, which was integral to the building design, been impossible for the client to afford?" Design within your means? It's still hard to accept.

This is a rental. It's a rental neighborhood. But I don't want it to be. I want it to be something special. Something inspiring. A house thatpeople can look at and admire what was done affordably that makes it exciting and livable. This is going to be an exercise in real design, unfortunately sort-of. Sometimes it's easier to throw money at something and make it what you think is "nice" instead of really getting nitty and gritty on making it as cost-effective as possible, and still desirable. In fact, perhaps more desirably because of it being unique. Just an exercise. An expensive hobby. Just how I like it. Or how it has to be regardless.

So stay tuned. Hey, worst case scenario is I just put it back on the market, cleaned up and ready for someone else to invest their blood, sweat and tears. It would be good for the neighborhood if the right person came along and made the transformation, but I don't expect that to happen any time soon.

I will post sometime soon some of the work that was done by my very inexpensive, skilled laborer. The main walls are framed for the existing portion of the house on the second floor. and some further areas have been demolished. Actually, I'm glad it is this time of year right now, because I am not so motivated to be outside right now, building stuff. I don't know how professionals do it day in and day out, freezing their tushes. Yuck.