Su Casa es Mi Casa

We have lucked out, big time, in the house we are renting. After poring over websites from VRBO and various local furnished rental sites last summer, we landed on this house on Flecha Drive. It looked kinda cute in the photos. The listing agent assured us we'd love it, but you know how that goes in the world of sales. We were so very pleasantly surprised when we got here. "Our" home is the epitome of gracious living in the Southwest. Built of burnt adobe bricks in the 1950's, the home is loaded with character. Coming from our Victorian in Evanston, we would have felt out of place in a super modern house. Set up as an open "v" shape, each room boasts double French doors that open onto the gloriously landscaped pool in the backyard. (The shot of the pool in this post is taken from our bedroom. ooohh-ahhhh. The home sits on 3 acres, but the area immediately around the house is walled. (We are told that we now have no need to worry about mountain lions. I think this is not a joke. More on that later.) It is in an established "neighborhood" of winding roads dotted with well-spaced houses in the foothills of the Catalinas. The mountains greet us every day. I am reminded of the song from "Hair." "Good morning, starshine. The earth says hello. You twinkle above us; we twinkle below." Oh, how we twinkle here.

Our hosts, Ed and Mary are probably our age. We have found so many things that feel just like home, including reading glasses stashed in every nook! They have the identical styrofoam exercise roll that we use to stretch out our backs. Recall that we packed every bit of minutia we thought we'd need. We need none of it. The kitchen is amazingly well-stocked: beyond the obvious basics, we also found an Espresso machine, Cuisinart, martini shaker, microplanes, sharp knives in every configuration, beautiful dinnerware and serving pieces that could set a table for Bon Appetit. Cookbooks include James Beard, Southwest Cooking, and Jewish Cuisine. The linens are super fine, with down comforters and pillows, soft cushy towels...the works.

What amazes us the most is the generosity and hospitality of the owners. This home is full of delightful Mexican antiques (they also have a home in Mexico, we are told, as well as one in Colorado and San Francisco. Sweet life, huh?!!) Spectular, well-lit artwork graces the walls; exquisite sculpture stands in corners everywhere. Our every need is met, whether it's a conveniently placed lamp by a cozy leather reading chair or all the documents to synch our laptop with their printer and fax machine. A full library of fascinating books fills the shelves so we can acquaint ourselves with the birds, beasts, and bugs as well as the Southwest or Tuscany or Mexican silver... The house is wired with stereo speakers in all rooms as well as poolside. The library of CD's is filled with classical as well as jazz and rock music. Their welcome letter encourages us to use it all and enjoy. And we do. We do.

Some have asked us how our life is different here, since we're retired anyway. Every day is a Saturday when you're retired. So why do we feel more relaxed, romantic, mellow? Well, I'd say this house has an awful lot to do with it. There is a vibe that embraces us and makes us feel so welcome and comfortable. We LOVE our temporary home and are excited to share it with our visitors! If you look carefully at the last photo in this post you will see two doves perched on the wall just outside the front door. They are there each day when we awaken. We think they are lovebirds...and we think we are too. :-)